Alice Arden (athlete)
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States | |
| Died | March 1, 2012 (aged 97) Roscoe, New York, United States |
|---|---|
| Height | 1.70 m (5 ft 7 in) |
| Weight | 61 kg (134 lb) |
| Sport | |
| Sport | Athletics |
| Event | High jump |
| Club | St. George's Dragon Club of New York |
| Achievements and titles | |
| Personal best | 1.61 m (1935)[1][2] |
Alice Jean Arden-Hodge (July 23, 1914 – March 1, 2012) was an American athlete who competed in the women's high jump event at the Olympic games in Berlin in 1936. Raised in Long Island, New York, Arden won ten athletic letters during her high school career across several different sports. The only woman from the New York City area to have been selected for the 1936 Summer Olympics women's team, Arden placed ninth in the high jump event and never competed in the sport again. Soon after, she married basketball player Russell Hodge and together they had three children, one of whom was Russ Hodge, a decathlete at the 1964 Summer Olympics in Tokyo. As of 2008, Arden and Hodge's participation make them the only mother-son Olympians in American history.
Early life
Arden was born in
Olympic career
Arden finished second in the Olympic trials in
Later life
Inspired by the associations that she made at the Olympic Games, Arden became involved in numerous Olympic committees, working towards increased female participation in the events.[6] She played basketball for the Long Island Ducklings, where she met Russel "Rusty" Hodge, a semi-professional player.[7] Hodge, a center for the Liberty Emeralds, and Arden, also a center, were married in 1937.[4][8] They had a son, Russ Hodge, in 1939 and moved from Monticello, New York, to Roscoe, New York, that same year.[7] There, the Hodges operated a dairy farm and, later, furniture and gravel stores.[4] Arden had a total of three children.[5]
The younger Hodge competed in the decathlon at the 1964 Summer Olympics in Tokyo,[4] where he placed ninth.[9] On his mother's 52nd birthday, he set a world record in a decathlon event in Los Angeles. Arden's husband died in 2001.[4] In August 2003, both Arden and her son were honoured with the Sullivan County Historical Society "History Maker" award. They are the only mother-son Olympians in the history of the United States.[8] Still active in swimming at the age of 90,[5] Arden died on March 1, 2012, at the age of 97.[10]
References
- ^ a b c d Gjerde, Arild; Jeroen Heijmans; Bill Mallon; Hilary Evans (2008). "Alice Arden Biography and Statistics". Olympics. Sports Reference.com. Archived from the original on April 18, 2020. Retrieved August 27, 2008.
- ^ Nonna, Michael. "Alice Arden". Profile. Track and Field Statistics. Retrieved August 23, 2015.
- ^ a b c McMillan, Ken (August 13, 2004). "Like mother, like son". Times Herald-Record. Retrieved July 2, 2017.
- ^ a b c d e f Conway, John (March 28, 2003). "Catskills Olympian earned place in history". Times Herald-Record. Retrieved July 2, 2017.
- ^ a b c Botti, Deborah J. (March 31, 2004). "Zest for life spurs mother-son olympians". Times Herald-Record. Retrieved July 2, 2017.
- ^ a b Mcmillan, Ken (August 24, 2008). "McMillan: Olympians – a title reserved for few". Sports. Times Herald-Record. Retrieved August 27, 2008.
- ^ ISBN 1-58843-354-4.
- ^ a b Hust, Dan (August 15, 2003). "Historical Society Honors Residents". Sullivan County Democrat. Retrieved August 27, 2008.
- ^ Gjerde, Arild; Jeroen Heijmans; Bill Mallon; Hilary Evans (2008). "Russ Hodge Biography and Statistics". Olympics. Sports Reference.com. Archived from the original on April 18, 2020. Retrieved August 27, 2008.
- News Corporation. Archived from the originalon March 6, 2012. Retrieved March 2, 2012.
