Armas Taipale
A Finnish discus thrower who launched his nation to Olympic glory, winning two golds in eight days at the 1912 Games.
1890–1976 (age 86)·Finnish athlete·Birthday: July 27·The Lost Generation
Biography
Armas Taipale emerged from Finland at a time when the nation, still part of the Russian Empire, was forging its identity through athletic prowess. At the 1912 Stockholm Olympics, he announced himself to the world not once, but twice. In a stunning display of dominance, he won the gold medal in both the standard discus throw and the two-handed variant, where throws with each hand were combined. This double victory cemented Finland's reputation as a powerhouse in throwing events. His career spanned a turbulent period that included World War I and Finnish independence, and he returned to the Olympic stage in 1920 and 1924, adding a silver medal to his collection. Taipale was more than a strongman; he was a technician whose success helped define the 'Finnish school' of discus throwing, characterized by a smooth, rotational style that would influence generations.
The Lost Generation
1883–1900
Came of age during World War I. Disillusioned by the carnage, they rejected the certainties of the Victorian era and built modernism from the wreckage — in art, literature, and politics.
Armas was born in 1890, placing them squarely in The Lost Generation. The events that shaped this generation — world wars, depression, and rapid industrialization — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Armas Was Born
The biggest hits of 1890
Armas's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1890Born
Wounded Knee massacre marks the end of the Indian Wars
President: Benjamin Harrison
1895Started school
First public film screening by the Lumiere brothers
President: Grover Cleveland
1903Became a teenager
Wright brothers achieve first powered flight
President: Theodore Roosevelt
1906Could drive
San Francisco earthquake devastates the city
President: Theodore Roosevelt
1908Could vote
Ford Model T goes into production
President: Theodore Roosevelt
1911Turned 21
Triangle Shirtwaist Factory fire kills 146 in New York
President: William Howard Taft
1920Turned 30
Women gain the right to vote in the US
Home: $3,395President: Woodrow Wilson"Swanee" — Al Jolson
1930Turned 40
Pluto discovered
Gas: $0.20/galHome: $3,510President: Herbert Hoover"Body and Soul" — Paul WhitemanBest Picture: All Quiet on the Western Front
1940Turned 50
The Blitz: Germany bombs London
Gas: $0.18/galHome: $2,938Min wage: $0.30/hrPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"I'll Never Smile Again" — Tommy DorseyBest Picture: Rebecca
1950Turned 60
Korean War begins
Gas: $0.27/galHome: $7,354Min wage: $0.75/hrPresident: Harry S. Truman"Goodnight Irene" — Gordon Jenkins & The WeaversBest Picture: All About Eve
1960Turned 70
Kennedy-Nixon debates become first televised presidential debates
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $11,900Min wage: $1.00/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"Theme from A Summer Place" — Percy FaithBest Picture: The Apartment
1970Turned 80
First Earth Day; The Beatles break up
Gas: $0.36/galHome: $17,000Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"Bridge over Troubled Water" — Simon & GarfunkelBest Picture: Patton
1976Died at 86
Apple Computer founded; US bicentennial
Gas: $0.59/galHome: $29,300Min wage: $2.30/hrPresident: Gerald Ford"Silly Love Songs" — WingsBest Picture: Rocky
Key Achievements
- Won two gold medals at the 1912 Summer Olympics in the discus throw and the two-handed discus throw events.
- Earned a silver medal in the discus throw at the 1920 Antwerp Olympics.
- Competed in three consecutive Olympic Games (1912, 1920, 1924), demonstrating remarkable longevity.
- Set a world record in the discus throw in 1912 with a mark of 47.58 meters.
Did You Know?
The two-handed discus throw event, in which he won his second gold, was only held at the 1912 Olympics.
He worked as a fireman in Helsinki for much of his life.
He was also a talented bandy player, a sport similar to ice hockey.
“I threw for Finland, to show the world our strength.”
