Roy Mercer

Biographical information

RolesCompeted in Olympic Games • Competed in Olympic Games (non-medal events) • Non-starter
SexMale
Full nameEugene Leroy "Roy"•Mercer
Used nameRoy•Mercer
Born30 October 1888 in Kennett Square, Pennsylvania (USA)
Died3 July 1957 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (USA)
Measurements180 cm / 80 kg
AffiliationsPenn Quakers, Philadelphia (USA)
NOC United States

Biography

Roy Mercer competed in track for Penn, but was better known as a football player for the Quakers. He was elected to the College Football Hall of Fame in 1955. In high school at Kennett Square High School and the George School, he competed in baseball, basketball, and lacrosse, as well as track. He set a national interscholastic record in the pole vault with a vault of 12 feet. Mercer won the IC4A long jump title in 1912 and 1913. At the 1912 Olympics, he also competed in the baseball demonstration event.

Mercer graduated from Penn with an MD degree in 1913, and then served on the staff of the Bryn Mawr and University Hospitals in Philadelphia. He did this while he was coaching and serving as athletic director at Swarthmore College. Mercer but later became Dean of the department of physical education at Penn.

Personal Bests: 100 – 11.0 (1912); 400 – 49.9 (1912); PV – 3.60 (11-9¾) (1912); LJ – 7.28 (23-10¾) (1912); Dec – 5825 (1912).

Results

Games Discipline (Sport) / Event NOC / Team Pos Medal As
1908 Summer Olympics Athletics USA Roy Mercer
Pole Vault, Men (Olympic) DNS
1912 Summer Olympics Athletics USA Roy Mercer
200 metres, Men (Olympic) DNS
Pole Vault, Men (Olympic) DNS
Long Jump, Men (Olympic) 5
Pentathlon, Men (Olympic) DNS
Decathlon, Men (Olympic) 6
Baseball (Baseball/Softball) USA Roy Mercer
Baseball, Men (Olympic (non-medal)) US East "Olympics" 1

Errata

DOD often seen as 2 July, but 3 July is from the death certificate.