Pat McNamara

Pat McNamara enlisted in the Marines shortly after his 18th birthday, and spent three years fighting in the Pacific. On his return home he became a psychology major at the University of Minnesota, where he worked his way through school, and supported his skating career as a landscaper. He skated around Minneapolis at the Minneapolis Arena and at Powderhorn Park. After the 1952 Winter Olympics, he spent the winter of 1952-53 training and competing in Norway. Although considered a better distance skater prior to that year, he excelled at the 500 metres in Norway, winning 12 of 15 races and posting the best time of the year. McNamara also made the 1960 Winter Olympic team, but by then his son had been born and he stayed back in Minnesota to work, eventually spending 31 years working with Northern States Power. The story of his Olympic and European tours was told in 2007 in a documentary film, “My Name is McNamara”.

Personal Bests: 500 – 43.3 (1953); 1500 – 2:15.2 (1956); 5000 – 8:10.6 (1956); 10000 – 17:45.6 (1956).