Frank Shea
BornMarch 19, 1894
Irwin, Pennsylvania, United States
DiedAugust 6, 1978(1978-08-06) (aged 84)
Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, United States
Known forAAU champion, 440-yard dash (1917, 1919, 1920)
NCAA champion, 440-yard dash (1921)

Frank J. Shea (March 19, 1894 – August 6, 1978) was an American track and field athlete. While competing for the University of Pittsburgh, he won the 440-yard dash competition at the Amateur Athletic Union championships in 1917, 1919 and 1920 and at the 1918 IC4A meet.[1][2][3] He also won the 440-yard dash at the first NCAA track and field championships in 1921 with a time of 49 seconds.[4][5]

He was a member of the U.S. Olympic team at the 1920 Summer Olympics in Antwerp, Belgium, and narrowly missed winning a medal in two events.[6] In the 400-meters finals, Shea finished fourth after a three-way photo finish for the silver medal, as three runners (Guy Butler, Nils Engdahl and Shea) finished with the same time of 49.9 seconds. In the four-by-400 meters relay race, Shea ran on the American relay team that finished in fourth place—one second behind the first-place British team and one-tenth of a second behind the third-place French team.[1] Shea's best time in the 440-yard race was 47.6 seconds in 1918.[1] In May 1922, Shea was appointed as the track coach at the University of Pittsburgh.[7] Shea died in 1978 at Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, at age 84.[1]

See also

References

  1. ^ a b c d "Frank Shea profile". Sports Reference: Olympic Sports. 2009-12-08. Archived from the original on 2011-09-20.
  2. ^ "Shea Vainly Tries to Lower Record: Pittsburgh Runner Wins, but Fails to Set New Mark Over 440 Yards". The New York Times. 1918-06-19.
  3. ^ "Shea Proves Star of Quaker Relays: Pittsburgh Quarter-Mile Champion Carries College to Front in Two Events" (PDF). The New York Times. 1919-04-28.
  4. ^ "Outdoor Track and Field Individual Champions, p. 10" (PDF). NCAA. Retrieved 2009-12-07.[dead link]
  5. ^ "Illinois First in Great Meet: Notre Dame Second in National Collegiate Contests". Ogden Standard-Examiner. 1921-06-19.
  6. ^ "Frank Shea". Olympedia. Retrieved 8 July 2021.
  7. ^ "Will Succeed Kerr: Dr. Carison and Frank Shea Appointed to Coach at Pittsburgh". The New York Times. 1922-05-17.
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