George Wheeler

Biographical information

RolesCompeted in Olympic Games
SexMale
Full nameGeorge Edward•Wheeler
Used nameGeorge•Wheeler
Born14 December 1914 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania (USA)
Died8 July 1990 in New York, New York (USA)
AffiliationsFirst United Presbyterian Community House
NOC United States

Biography

George Wheeler competed at the 1936 Olympics but his best years were to come, as he won the AAU all-around, floor exercise, vault, and parallel bar titles for five consecutive years, 1937-41. In all he won 25 AAU titles in five years, which included pommel horse in 1938-40 and and horizontal bar titles in 1938 and 1941. He began gymnastics at the South Side Turners and RUP Community House in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

Wheeler graduated from the University of Pittsburgh, where he also earned a masters’ degree, later earning a PhD in biology at Columbia University. He became a professor of biology at Brooklyn College and also worked at the Marine Biological Laboratory in Woods Hole, Massachusetts. Wheeler also served in the US Army from 1942-45. He was inducted as an inaugural member of the US Gymnastics Hall of Fame in 1959.

Results

Games Discipline (Sport) / Event NOC / Team Pos Medal As
1936 Summer Olympics Artistic Gymnastics (Gymnastics) USA George Wheeler
Individual All-Around, Men (Olympic) 67
Team All-Around, Men (Olympic) United States 10
Floor Exercise, Men (Olympic) =23
Horse Vault, Men (Olympic) 24
Parallel Bars, Men (Olympic) =34
Horizontal Bar, Men (Olympic) 65
Rings, Men (Olympic) 87
Pommelled Horse, Men (Olympic) 89