Post, Albertson Van Zo
Fencing
b. 1866, New York, NY
d. Jan. 23, 1938
A strange myth grew up around Post, who won three medals in fencing at the 1904 Olympics. For years, it was believed that he was a Cuban who was invited to join the U. S. Olympic team because Cuba didn't have a team.
Post actually came from a long-established New York family and was the son of a Union Army colonel who was wounded at the Battle of Antietam. A member of the New York Fencers Club, he was one of a handful of fencers to win national championships in all three major weapons. He was national foil champion in 1895, epee champion in 1896, and saber champion from 1901 through 1903.
In 1904, Post won a gold medal in the now obsolete single sticks competition at the St. Louis Olympics. He also won a silver medal in the foil and a bronze in the saber. Post competed in all three standard weapons at the 1912 Olympics, but didn't reach the finals in any event.