ANN ARBOR—The University of Michigan’s Bentley Historical Library has mounted a World Wide Web page giving a comprehensive history of U-M athletes and alumni who have participated in the Modern Olympics from 1900 to those who have qualified for the 1996 Games in Atlanta.

With text, images and statistics, Greg Kinney, an associate archivist of the Michigan Historical Collections at Bentley, has organized a mountain of information and facts that can easily be accessed chronologically, by Olympic year or by the name of the individual athlete.

“The most interesting part of preparing the page was discovering the large number of U-M students and coaches who have participated in the games, particularly those who were not varsity athletes,” Kinney said. “While the medal winners have received the most publicity over the years, I hope the page will bring a measure of recognition to all those who have competed. Simply to make the team and partake in the Olympics is a remarkable achievement.”

“Michigan in the Olympics” is available on the Web through the Bentley’s home page at URL: http://www.umich.edu/~bhl/. It provides information on more than 140 U-M athletes and alumni who have participated in the games representing the United States and 18 other countries, winning 78 medals of which 36 were gold, 19 silver and 23 bronze.

U-M has produced medal winners every year but 1896 and gold medalists in all but four Olympiads. Another 14 U-M coaches and former athletes have served as coaches or managers of U.S. teams.

Kinney’s research shows there was no organized U.S. team for the Paris Olympics in 1900, yet a number of universities were sponsoring squads. As Kinney’s Web page says, “Michigan had just defeated Chicago for the Western track crown when it was learned that Chicago was sending athletes to Paris. For Professor Albert Pattengill and others, it became a point of pride that the champions of the West should also be represented at the Olympics.”

Funds were sought from faculty, students and alumni as well as Ann Arbor businessmen. Four track men were sent to Paris along with coach Keene Fitzpatrick and two additional students. This U-M squad brought back three silver medals but not without controversy that swirled around competing on Sunday, the Sabbath. Some U.S. teams agreed not to compete on Sunday, others broke the agreement and still others fell victim to rescheduling efforts. The controversy resulted in several special competitions to accommodate the Americans, competitions in which U-M’s pole vaulter won a silver medal.

From that beginning, Michigan athletes and coaches have built a strong Olympic tradition. Three track men won both the 100 and 200 meter races, the first African American to win an individual gold medal was a Michigan student, the first ever U.S. gold medals in Greco-Roman wrestling and kayaking were won by Michigan alumni, and coach Dick Kimball has made Michigan a training ground for men and women diving medalists for 30 years.

Information about this year’s U-M representatives in the Olympics will be added to the Web page as qualifying events continue and results from the 100th Modern Olympics warrant. The page will be available through December.

Kinney can be reached at (313) 764-3482 or by e-mail at [email protected].