Fortune Gordien

Fortune Gordien
Gordien, in costume for film The Egyptian, with Jean Simmons in 1954
Personal information
BornSeptember 9, 1922
Spokane, Washington, U.S.
DiedApril 10, 1990 (aged 67)
Fontana, California, U.S.
Alma materUniversity of Minnesota
Height6 ft 0 in (184 cm)
Weight229 lb (104 kg)
Sport
SportAthletics
Event(s)Discus throw, shot put
ClubSouthern California Striders
Achievements and titles
Personal best(s)DT – 59.28 m (1953)
SP – 16.51 m (1947)[1][2]
Medal record
Representing the  United States
Olympic Games
Bronze medal – third place 1948 London Discus throw
Silver medal – second place 1956 Melbourne Discus throw
Pan American Games
Gold medal – first place 1955 Mexico City Discus throw
Silver medal – second place 1955 Mexico City Shot put

Fortune Everett Gordien (September 9, 1922 – April 10, 1990) was an American discus thrower and shot putter who set four world records in the discus throw. He competed in this event at the 1948, 1952 and 1956 Olympics and placed third, fourth and second, respectively. At the 1955 Pan American Games he won a gold medal in the discus and a silver in the shot put.[1]

Domestically Gordien won six AAU and three NCAA titles. According to the Guinness Book of Track and Field: Facts and Feats, the smallest crowd ever to see a world record may have been 48, the number attending a Pasadena, California all-comers track meet in 1953 when Gordien set his last world record that stood for six years.[3]

Gordien grew up in Minneapolis, graduating from Roosevelt High School, and attended the University of Minnesota.[4] His coach there, Jim Kelly, also became coach of the U.S. track-and-field team for the 1956 Summer Olympics, where Gordien won a silver medal.

In the 1950s, Gordien had a few minor roles in films and TV series, including The Cisco Kid (1950), The Egyptian (1954), Not for Hire (1959) and North to Alaska (1960).[5]

Gordien was a coach at San Bernardino Valley College.[6]

Masters

July 1968 Gordien competed in the first Masters National Outdoor Track and Field Championship held in San Diego, winning the DT.[7] June 1970 Gordien (47) set the Masters M45 record in the discus at 167'-8".[8] April 1973 Gordien (50) once again set a Masters Record in the discus at 177'-9" (Mt Sac Relays).[9] and [10]

References

  1. ^ a b Fortune Gordien Archived March 13, 2016, at the Wayback Machine. sports-reference.com
  2. ^ Fortune Gordien. trackfield.brinkster.net
  3. ^ "Fortune Gordien, Discus Thrower, 67". The New York Times. April 14, 1990. Retrieved October 3, 2009.
  4. ^ "Fortune Gordien, 67; Olympic athlete". Minneapolis Star Tribune. April 13, 1990.
  5. ^ Fortune Gordien. IMDb
  6. ^ San Bernardino Valley College website. [1] Retrieved Dec 30, 2020
  7. ^ Masters T&F History. 1968 Meet Results. [2] Retrieved Dec 30, 2020
  8. ^ USMITT newsletter, Feb 1971. [3] Retrieved Dec 30, 2020
  9. ^ National Masters News, Dec 1979, PDF Page 11 of 16. [4] Retrieved Dec 30, 2020
  10. ^ Independent Press-Telegram, Long Beach, Apr 29, 1973 [5] Retrieved Dec 30, 2020


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