Bates won the IC4A indoor and outdoor long jump titles in 1927 and 1928, his winning mark of 24-10¾ (7.59) in the 1928 outdoor meet being the best of his career, and still the Penn State record. Bates also won the AAU outdoor championship in 1930 and 1931, representing the Meadowbrook Club of Philadelphia. In Amsterdam, the Olympic title went to Ed Hamm, whom Bates had beaten at the Final Trials; the Haitian, Silvio Cator, also finished ahead of Bates. After graduation from Penn State, Bates worked as a budget analyst for 40 years before retiring. He remembers his biggest Olympic thrill occurring on the trip to Holland, when, while going thru the Holland canal, a U.S. Navy cruiser passed the Olympic ship. The navy band broke into The Star Spangled Banner while all the sailors stood at attention in honor of the Olympic athletes.
Personal Best: LJ – 7.58 (1928).
United States