Hinsdale High – pommel history

Hinsdale Central in Chicago was the most famous pommel horse gym in the world at one time.

Their most famous “name” is Ted Marcy, the man I still credit as the inventor of the “flair” or “scissor break”.

(Canadian Phillip Delasalle followed, first competing it Internationally in Russia. And, finally, Kurt Thomas made it famous with his own variation.)

Hinsdale celebrated 50 years of Gymnastics Excellence at the Canino Invitational April 4th 2008. (Video of the alumni, competitors.)

From the 50th Reunion:

… “Before still rings, there was flying rings. And before free exercise, there was tumbling,” he said.

“Someone would push to get you started on rings and you’d have to do your tricks swinging back and forth. It looked like a circus act. There was a 30-foot approach onto a 60-foot mat in tumbling. The trick was to stay on the mat. It wasn’t easy. …

Ted Marcy, who won two state pommel-horse titles and still holds the school’s individual record with 9.75 in 1972, has prior commitments.

“I saw a lot of guys when I came in for Krupicka’s retirement a few years ago,” said Marcy, now a noted pulmonary doctor at the University of Vermont Hospital. “It was a wonderful time, seeing a lot of guys I hadn’t seen in years. I’m sure the reunion will be just as exciting.”

Assistant coach Bull introduced Marcy to the pommel horse when Marcy was a slight freshman.

“He saw how hard I was working, but he didn’t want me to get hurt so he put me on the horse and said, ‘Here’s something you can do,’ ” Marcy said. “I really admire the all-around guys. Their events scared me to death, especially the rings. I couldn’t get up on the horse today.”

Tom Truedson, who starred on pommel horse while at the University of Oregon, credits Marcy and Canino with shaping his life in the practice room, which fondly is known as the Yellow Submarine.

…

“Coach Krupicka will always deserve credit,” Marcy said.

Central to celebrate 50 gymnastics years

Coach Donny Gardiner trained at Hinsdale in those years. I’ll ask him about the glory days.

Leave a comment if you know more about that famous program.