Sammy Lee

Two-time Olympian (1948, 1952); three-time Olympic medalist (2 golds, 1 bronze) London 1948, gold (10-meter), bronze (three-meter) Helsinki 1952, gold (10-meter)

2
GOLD

0
SILVER

1
BRONZE

Athlete Bio#

Age

Died (Aged 96)

1920-2016

Hometown

Fresno, CA

Education

Benjamin Franklin High School (Fresno, Calif.) Occidental College; University of Southern California Medical School

Personal

The son of Korean immigrants...Worked for several years at his parents’ restaurant...Settled on diving as his sport after a friend taught him how to do a one-and-a-half somersault...Was only permitted to use his community’s public pool one day a week when all non-white children could swim before the pool was drained and cleaned for the white children...Used his short stature to his advantage in Diving, tucking tighter and turning faster than his opponents...Earned his M.D. from the University of Southern California Medical School...Served as an U.S. Army doctor during the Korean Wear, rising to the rank of major...He only took time off to compete in the Olympic Games Helsinki 1952 at the insistence of his superiors...Published a book in 1979 entitled, “Diving”…Father to two children, Pamela and Sammy II.

Hall Of Fame Bio #

Sammy Lee was the first Asian American to win an Olympic gold medal for the United States, and the first man to win back-to-back Olympic gold medals in 10-meter diving. Born in Fresno, California, Lee became the first person of color to win the U.S. championship in Diving when he claimed gold in the three-meter springboard and the 10-meter platform in 1942. He received his M.D. from the University of Southern California School of Medicine in 1947 before making his mark at the Olympic Games. At the Olympic Games London 1948, Lee won gold in 10-meter and bronze in three-meter. He defended his title four years later at the Helsinki Games, winning gold in the 10-meter. Lee served in the U.S. Army Medical Corps from 1953-55 in South Korea. He would later coach accomplished U.S. divers, such as Pat McCormick, Greg Louganis and Bob Webster. Lee retired in 1990 from his career as an ear, nose and throat doctor. He passed away in 2016 at the age of 96.