Shea, "Jack" (John A.)
Speed Skating
b. Sept. 10, 1910, Lake Placid, NY
d. Jan. 22, 2002
The first American athlete to win two gold medals in a single Winter Olympics, Shea won the North American overall speed skating championship in 1929 and the U. S. national overall title in 1930.
He took leave from Dartmouth College to compete in the 1932 Winter Olympics in his home town, where he was a hero when the games began, reciting the Olympic oath on behalf of all 306 competitors. Shea won the 500-meter race by 5 yards over Bernt Evensen of Norway. He was trailing in the 1,500-meter race when the leader, Herb Taylor of the U. S., fell and Shea went on to win by 8 yards.
Shea competed little after his Olympic victories, but became town manager of Lake Placid and was a member of the Olympic organizing committee when the Winter Games returned to Lake Placid in 1980.
His son, Jim, competed as a cross-country skier in the 1964 Winter Olympics and his grandson, Jim Jr., won the skeleton event at the 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City.
There had been plans to honor Jack Shea during the 2002 opening ceremonies, but he died of injuries suffered in an auto accident three weeks before the games opened.