Tom Waddell
Olympic Decathlete

Waddell attended Springfield College where he played football and competed in track and field. The college prides itself as the birth place of basketball and volleyball. Waddell distinguished himself as a versatile athlete at an athlete's school. 

During his service in the U.S. Army, Waddell trained for track events with the U.S. national team. He competed in the 1968 Olympics in Mexico City and placed 6th in the decathlon competition, at age 38.. 

His accomplishments on the field were not his only notoriety in Mexico City. Waddell was threatened with a court martial by the U.S. Army for voicing support for the raised fist protest by two African American athletes at a medal ceremony. 

Waddell committed himself to the study of medicine after the death of a close friend in college who was following a pre-med course. Dr. Waddell went on to hold a research position at Stanford Medical School, and later served as chief physician for San Francisco's public first aid clinic. He specialized in infectious diseases. 

Tom Waddell will be best remembered for the inspired creation of the Gay Games - a quadrennial arts and athletics festival that welcomes participation by anyone wishing to participate. His guiding principal for the event was "to do one's personal best is the ultimate goal of all human achievement." He believed that participation was of greater importance than winning. Tom died of AIDS in 1987.

Read more about Tom Waddell

Check out more OUT ATHLETES page at Outsports.com