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1952 Helsinki Summer Games
4925 Athletes, 69 Countries, 149 Events

The 1952 Helsinki Games were incredibly well organized, so much so that some suggested holding the Games permanently in Scandinavia. Spectators at the Games were able to see the premiere of the Soviet Union team. Other notable firsts included the first Olympic commemorative coin and the first mixed equestrian events. American Bob Mathias won his second gold medal in the decathlon in Helsinki, setting a world record and winning by the largest margin in Olympic history. Thirtytwo Leaguers were able to see Mathias' performance and put on a performance of their own.

Once again, the majority of Ivy medallists in Helsinki were not in track and field events. Three athletes, however, did return with a medal around their necks. Meredith Gourdine (Cornell '52) finished with a silver in the long jump only 11/2 inches off the firstplace mark. Gourdine became an engineer and physicist, eventually owning seventy patents. Teammate Charles Moore (Cornell '51) won gold in the 400meter hurdles, setting an Olympic record along the way. Moore also won silver in the 4x400meter relay. James Fuchs (Yale '50), also a footballer for the Bulldogs, repeated his bronze medal performance in the shot put from the London Games.

Sailors Britton Chance (Penn '35), Edgar P.E. White (Harvard '52), and Sumner W. White, III (Harvard '52) teamed to win gold in the 5.5meter class. White and White were twin brothers, making them the first twins to win gold for the United States.

Eric Ridder (Harvard '40) and Julian K. Roosevelt (Harvard '50) won gold for the United States boat in the 6meter class.

Helsinki was the first Games for William Steinkraus (Yale '48), who competed in equestrian events. In 1952, he won a bronze medal as a member of the United States jumping team. He competed in the next five games, becoming a force in the equestrian world while simultaneously leading the United States Equestrian Team as its president.