Nate Cartmell

Biographical information

RolesCompeted in Olympic Games
SexMale
Full nameNathaniel John "Nate"•Cartmell
Used nameNate•Cartmell
Nick/petnamesNat, Bloody Neck
Born13 January 1883 in Union Town, Kentucky (USA)
Died23 August 1967 in Forest Hills, New York (USA)
Measurements182 cm / 71 kg
AffiliationsLouisville / University of Pennsylvania / Louisville YMCA (Young Men's Christian Association)
NOC United States
Medals OG
Gold 1
Silver 2
Bronze 1
Total 4

Biography

Although the University of Pennsylvania’s first Olympic champion, Nate Cartmell never won an AAU title. He did take the British AAA 220 yd crown in 1909 and was runner-up in the 100 yd to Reggie Walker, the reigning Olympic champion. After finishing a close second to Archie Hahn in both sprints at the 1904 Olympics, he took the sprint double at the IC4A for three successive years (1906-08). At the 1908 Games, Cartmell finished fourth in the 100 m, third in the 200 m, and his 200 m leg for the winning medley relay team earned him an Olympic gold medal. At the end of the 1909 season, he joined the professional ranks and in his first race at Stoke-in-Trent, England, he set a world professional record for 220 y around a turn with 21.5, although the track was covered with snow.

Cartmell retired from competition in 1912 and devoted himself to coaching. He began coaching in 1910 at the University of North Carolina, and then coached winning teams at West Virginia and Lafayette before starting a long tenure at Penn State. He eventually had several run-ins with the football coach and athletic director, Hugo Bezdek, and was dismissed in 1933. He later coached at Princeton, Fordham, and West Point before retiring.

Personal Bests: 100 – 11.0 (1908); 200 – 21.5 (1907).

Results

Games Discipline (Sport) / Event NOC / Team Pos Medal As
1904 Summer Olympics Athletics USA Nate Cartmell
60 metres, Men (Olympic) AC h5 r1/2
100 yards, Men (Olympic (non-medal)) 2
100 metres, Men (Olympic) 2 Silver
200 metres, Men (Olympic) 2 Silver
220 yards, Men (Olympic (non-medal)) 1
1908 Summer Olympics Athletics USA Nate Cartmell
100 metres, Men (Olympic) 4
200 metres, Men (Olympic) 3 Bronze
400 metres, Men (Olympic) DNS
1,600 metres Medley Relay, Men (Olympic) United States 1 Gold