Famous 19th Century Athletes

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 1 
Jigoro Kano
(Japanese Educator, Athlete, and the Founder of Judo)
Jigoro Kano
4
Birthdate: December 10, 1860
Sun Sign: Sagittarius
Birthplace: Hyogo, Japan
Died: May 4, 1938

Legendary Japanese athlete Jigoro Kano is remembered as the founder of judo. A fine educator, he had also had a 23-year stint as the principal of 2 schools, which later became the University of Tsukuba. He was also the first Asian to be part of the International Olympic Committee.

 2 
Tom Longboat
(Onondaga Athlete Who Specialized in Distance Running)
Tom Longboat
5
Birthdate: July 4, 1886
Sun Sign: Cancer
Birthplace: Six Nations Reserve Brantford, Ontario, Canada
Died: January 9, 1949

Tom Longboat was an Onondaga athlete who specialized in distance running. Nicknamed the bulldog of Britannia, Longboat also served in the Canadian Expeditionary Force as a soldier during the First World War. In 1996, Tom Longboat was honored posthumously with an induction into the Ontario Sports Hall of Fame. 

 3 
Ray Ewry
(American Track and Field Athlete and All-time Most Successful Olympian)
Ray Ewry
3
Birthdate: October 14, 1873
Sun Sign: Libra
Birthplace: Lafayette, Indiana, United States
Died: September 29, 1937
Height: 6'1" (185 cm)
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 4 
Alastair Denniston
(Scottish Field Hockey Player)
Alastair Denniston
3
Birthdate: December 1, 1881
Sun Sign: Sagittarius
Birthplace: Greenock, Renfrewshire, Scotland
Died: January 1, 1961

Alastair Denniston was a Scottish code breaker and hockey player. He was deputy head of the Government Code and Cypher School (GC&CS) from 1919 to 1942. As a member of the Scottish Olympic hockey team in 1908, he won a bronze medal. He worked as a code breaker during the war years. He taught French and Latin following his retirement. 

 5 
Amos Alonzo Stagg
(American Athlete and College Coach)
Amos Alonzo Stagg
4
Birthdate: August 16, 1862
Sun Sign: Leo
Birthplace: West Orange, New Jersey, United States
Died: March 17, 1965
 6 
Edwin Flack
(Australian Athlete, Tennis Player and Olympic Medalist)
Edwin Flack
1
Birthdate: November 5, 1873
Sun Sign: Scorpio
Birthplace: Islington, London, England
Died: January 10, 1935

Edwin Flack was an Australian tennis player and athlete. In 1896, Flack became Australia's first Olympian when he represented the nation in the first modern Olympic Games. He went on to win gold medals in the 800m and 1500m events, becoming the first Australian Olympic champion. In 1985, he was inducted into the Sport Australia Hall of Fame.

 7 
Mel Sheppard
(Athlete)
Mel Sheppard
3
Birthdate: September 5, 1883
Sun Sign: Virgo
Birthplace: Almonesson, Deptford Township, New Jersey, United States
Died: January 4, 1942
 8 
Alvin Kraenzlein
(Olympic athlete)
Alvin Kraenzlein
4
Birthdate: December 12, 1876
Sun Sign: Sagittarius
Birthplace: Minneapolis, Minnesota, United States
Died: January 6, 1928
 9 
Marie Marvingt
(French Athlete Who Was the First Female Fighter Pilot and Held Countless Sports Records)
Marie Marvingt
3
Birthdate: February 20, 1875
Sun Sign: Pisces
Birthplace: Aurillac, in Cantal, France
Died: December 14, 1963

Refused entry in the Tour de France because she was a woman, French athlete Marie Marvingt finished the course by herself. An aviator and mountaineer, too, she later made many sporting records. She was the first female fighter pilot. She had also been a journalist, a medical officer, and a ski school instructor.

 10 
Archie Hahn
(Athlete)
Archie Hahn
3
Birthdate: September 14, 1880
Sun Sign: Virgo
Birthplace: Dodgeville, Wisconsin
Died: January 21, 1955
 11 
Ted Meredith
(Athlete)
Ted Meredith
2
Birthdate: November 14, 1891
Sun Sign: Scorpio
Birthplace: Chester Heights, Pennsylvania, United States
Died: November 2, 1957
Height: 5'9" (175 cm)
 12 
Walter Tewksbury
(Athlete)
Walter Tewksbury
3
Birthdate: March 21, 1876
Sun Sign: Aries
Birthplace: Ashley, Pennsylvania, United States
Died: April 24, 1968
 13 
Lon Myers
(Athlete)
Lon Myers
2
Birthdate: February 16, 1858
Sun Sign: Aquarius
Birthplace: Richmond, Virginia, United States
Died: February 16, 1899
 14 
Stan Rowley
(Australian Sprinter and Olympic Gold Medalist)
Stan Rowley
1
Birthdate: September 11, 1876
Sun Sign: Virgo
Birthplace: New South Wales, Australia
Died: April 1, 1924

One of the two athletes representing Australia in the 1900 Paris Olympics, Australian champion sprinter Stan Rowley began athletics at school, eventually winning his first NSW 100 yards title in 1897. In Paris Olympics, he won three bronze medals for Australia, one each for 60m, 100m and 200m events and one gold as a part of a mixed British team.

 15 
Jim Lightbody
(Athlete)
Jim Lightbody
2
Birthdate: March 15, 1882
Sun Sign: Pisces
Birthplace: Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States
Died: March 2, 1953
Height: 5'8" (173 cm)
 16 
Bernard Wefers
(Sprint Runner)
Bernard Wefers
2
Birthdate: February 19, 1873
Sun Sign: Pisces
Birthplace: Lawrence, Massachusetts, United States
Died: April 18, 1957