After NCAA Nationals while walking in Forest Park, close to the site of the 1904 Olympics, I happened upon this statue of one of the historical founders of Gymnastics.
On either side are statues of a male and female athlete.
Friedrich Ludwig Jahn (11 August 1778 – 15 October 1852) was a German gymnastics educator and nationalist. His admirers know him as Turnvater Jahn, roughly meaning “father of gymnastics” Jahn. …
The first Turnplatz, or open-air gymnasium, was opened by Jahn in Berlin in 1811, and the Turnverein (gymnastics association) movement spread rapidly. …
A man of populistic nature, rugged, eccentric and outspoken, Jahn often came into conflict with the authorities. …
Jahn promoted the use of parallel bars, rings and high bar in international competition. In honor and memory of him, some gymnastic clubs, called Turnvereine (German: Turnvereine), took up his name …
Gymnastics Coaching.com 