George Stanich

George Anthony Stanich (born November 4, 1928) was an American high jumper who won a bronze medal at the 1948 Summer Olympics. He played college basketball for the UCLA Bruins, where he was a two-time all-conference player in the Pacific Coast Conference (now the Pac-12 Conference).

George Stanich

Stanich, circa 1950
Personal information
Full name	George Anthony Stanich
Born	November 4, 1928 (1928-11-04) (age 94) Sacramento, California, U.S.
Medal record Men's athletics Representing the  United States Olympic Games 1948 London High jump

As a basketball player at the University of California, Los Angeles, Stanich was a guard and led his team to its first NCAA tournament appearance in 50. He scored 9 points in the East-West All-Star Game and was a first-team all-American (as named by Converse), the first of 24 Bruins who would earn this honor under John Wooden. As a Bruin baseball player, he was a pitcher for 3 seasons, including throwing a 5-hit shutout as a sophomore as UCLA beat USC for the first time in five years. He would become a professional baseball player after graduation, pitching for the Oakland Oaks of the Pacific Coast League, as well as Idaho Falls Russets and Stockton.

The qualification for the high jump at the 1948 Olympic Games in London was held on the morning of July 30, 1948, with the finals later the same day. Stanich was one of twenty men who qualified for the finals which were held in the rain later. The gold medal was won with a jump of 6 ft 6 in (1.98 m). Stanich was one of four competitors who cleared 6 ft 4.75 in (1.95 m). While he thought he had cleared the bar on his last attempt at 6 ft 6 in (1.98 m), his trail leg hit the bar. Officials from the International Amateur Athletic Federation initially announced that fewer misses would be used to determine the finishing places of the four tied jumpers; the IAAF then announced all four would share second place and the silver medal. Days later they reversed themselves again, and Stanich became the bronze medal winner.