Prinstein, Myer
Track and Field
b. 1880, Russia
d. March 10, 1928
Representing Syracuse University, Prinstein won the IC4A long jump championship in 1898 and shortly afterward he set a world record of 23 feet, 8 7/8 inches. He finished second at the 1899 IC4A meet to Alvin Kraenzlein, who established a new record of 24-3½ and extended that to 24-4½.
Prinstein beat Kraenzlein for the 1900 IC4A title, then regained the world record with a jump of 24-7½. He won the triple jump at the 1900 Olympics but finished second in the long jump. His jump of 23-6¼ was the best in the qualifying round on a Saturday, but the finals were scheduled for Sunday and several U. S. athletes, among them Kraenzlein and Prinstein, agreed not to compete for religious reasons, Prinstein going along even though he was Jewish.
However, Kraenzlein did compete on Sunday and jumped 23-6½ to win the gold medal. When Prinstein learned what had happened, he punched Kraenzlein, but teammates separated them before it could turn into a real fight.
After graduating from Syracuse in 1901, Prinstein joined the Irish-American Athletic Club of New York City. In 1904, he became the only athlete ever to win the long jump and triple jump at the same Olympics, and he was also the long champion at the "intercalated" games of 1906. Prinstein was the AAU national long jump champion in 1898, 1902, and 1906.
Prinstein, who practiced law in New York City, died of heart failure at 48.