Jump to content

Albert Axelrod

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

This is an old revision of this page, as edited by InternetArchiveBot (talk | contribs) at 14:46, 27 April 2017 (Rescuing 1 sources and tagging 0 as dead. #IABot (v1.3beta8) (Cyberpower678)). The present address (URL) is a permanent link to this revision, which may differ significantly from the current revision.

Albert Axelrod
Personal information
Born(1921-02-12)February 12, 1921
The Bronx, United States
DiedFebruary 24, 2004(2004-02-24) (aged 83)
The Bronx, United States
Sport
SportFencing
Medal record
Men's fencing
Representing  United States
Bronze medal – third place 1960 Rome Foil individual[1]
Pan American Games
Silver medal – second place 1955 Mexico City Individual Foil
Silver medal – second place 1955 Mexico City Team Foil
Silver medal – second place 1959 Chicago Individual Foil
Gold medal – first place 1959 Chicago Team Foil
Silver medal – second place 1963 Sao Paulo Individual Foil
Gold medal – first place 1963 Sao Paulo Team Foil
Silver medal – second place 1967 Winnipeg Individual Foil
Silver medal – second place 1967 Winnipeg Team Foil
Maccabiah Games

Albert Axelrod, known as Albie, (February 12, 1921, in The Bronx, New York – February 24, 2004, of a heart attack in The Bronx),[2] was an American foil fencer.[3]

He was the only American men's foil fencer to reach the finals at the world championships until Gerek Meinhardt won the bronze medal in the 2010 World Fencing Championships.[4]

Fencing career

High School

Axelrod was Jewish,[5] the son of Russian Jewish immigrants who had fled the pogroms, grew up in the Bronx.[6] A heart murmur kept Axelrod from participating in most sports, so his mother encouraged him to learn fencing at Stuyvesant High School in New York City.[4] After graduation in 1938, he studied with 1920 Olympic champion Giorgio Santelli and won amateur titles as a member of the Salle Santelli club.[7]

College

Axelrod served in the US navy in World War II, and then attended the City College of New York.[4] His college team reached the National Team Foil Championships in 1948, the same year he was U.S. Intercollegiate Fencing Association and NCAA Champion.[3]

US Championships and rankings

Axelrod was ranked # 1 in the United States in 1955, 1958, 1960, and 1970. He was in the top ten 22 times in the years 1942 to 1970. He was a five-time winner of the National Foil Team Championship (1940, 1950, 1952, 1954, and 1958), and his team won the National Three-Weapon team crown five times (1949, 1952, 1954, 1962, and 1963).[3]

World Championships

He was a member of the United States World Championship team four times. His best placing was fifth, in 1958.[3]

Olympics

Axelrod was on five U.S. Olympic Teams (1952–68).[7] He won the bronze medal in Individual Foil competition at the 1960 Summer Olympics.[3]

Pan American Games

He was also a member of four U.S. Pan American Games teams. He won three team gold medals, one team silver, and four individual silvers in Foil.[3]

Maccabiah Games

Axelrod, who was Jewish, won many gold and silver medals in his six appearances at the World Maccabiah Games.[3]

Approach to fencing

"I have no purely defensive moves", Axelrod told The New York Times in 1966. "Everyone attributes my skill to the fact that I'm a physical freak, that I have tremendously fast reflexes. I'm not a natural athlete. When it comes to fencing, I'm completely synthetic. I had to practice arduously and break down into tiny components every move I make.[4]

Editor

Axelrod was the Editor of "American Fencing" magazine (1986–90).[6]

Hall of Fame inductions

Axelrod was inducted into the International Jewish Sports Hall of Fame in 1973.[8]

He was inducted into the USFA Hall of Fame in 1974.[9]

Miscellaneous

Axelrod worked as an electrical engineer for the Grumman Corporation.[4]

See also

References

  1. ^ "Olympics Statistics: Albert Axelrod". databaseolympics.com. Retrieved September 26, 2010.
  2. ^ "Saying Goodbye – Remembering those in the sports world who died in 2004". Sports Illustrated. December 30, 2004. Retrieved November 2, 2007.
  3. ^ a b c d e f g "Albert Axelrod". Archived from the original on 10 October 2007. Retrieved March 31, 2014. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  4. ^ a b c d e Martin, Douglas (March 5, 2004). "Albert Axelrod, 83, a Champion in Fencing". New York Times. Retrieved March 31, 2014.
  5. ^ Taylor, Paul (2004). Jews and the Olympic Games: The Clash Between Sport and Politics: With a Complete Review of Jewish Olympic Medallists. Sussex Academic Press. ISBN 9781903900871. Retrieved October 15, 2011.
  6. ^ a b "Fencing Forum".
  7. ^ a b "Albert Axelrod Olympic Results". sports-reference.com. Retrieved September 26, 2010.
  8. ^ "Elected Members". Archived from the original on 26 September 2007. Retrieved November 2, 2007. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
  9. ^ Shaw, Andy. "Axelrod, Albert". US Fencing Hall of Fame. Archived from the original on December 9, 2013. Retrieved March 31, 2014. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Albert_Axelrod&oldid=777498427"