Frank Foss (athlete)
The American pole vaulter who soared to Olympic gold in 1920 and left a world record in the Antwerp mud.
1895–1989 (age 94)·American pole vaulter·Birthday: May 9·The Lost Generation
Biography
Frank Foss arrived at the 1920 Antwerp Olympics as the favorite, holding an unofficial world record. The conditions, however, were a far cry from modern athletics; the runway was cinder, the landing pit was sand, and a steady rain turned the arena into a quagmire. Undeterred, Foss used a heavy, solid bamboo pole—a far cry from today's flexible fiberglass—to conquer heights that others couldn't touch. His winning vault not only secured the gold medal but also broke his own previous best, setting the first official Olympic record in the event. His victory was a display of pure technical mastery and grit over elemental adversity. While his name is not widely remembered today, his performance in Antwerp stands as a defining moment in the early, rugged history of track and field.
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.
Frank was born in 1895, 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 Frank Was Born
The biggest hits of 1895
Frank's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1895Born
First public film screening by the Lumiere brothers
President: Grover Cleveland
1900Started school
Boxer Rebellion in China
President: William McKinley
1908Became a teenager
Ford Model T goes into production
President: Theodore Roosevelt
1911Could drive
Triangle Shirtwaist Factory fire kills 146 in New York
President: William Howard Taft
1913Could vote
The Federal Reserve is established
President: Woodrow Wilson
1916Turned 21
The Battle of the Somme claims over a million casualties
President: Woodrow Wilson
1925Turned 30
The Scopes Trial debates evolution in schools
Home: $4,366President: Calvin Coolidge"Sweet Georgia Brown" — Ben Bernie
1935Turned 40
Social Security Act signed into law
Gas: $0.19/galHome: $3,450President: Franklin D. Roosevelt"Cheek to Cheek" — Fred AstaireBest Picture: Mutiny on the Bounty
1945Turned 50
WWII ends; atomic bombs dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki
Gas: $0.21/galHome: $4,600Min wage: $0.40/hrPresident: Harry S. Truman"Sentimental Journey" — Les Brown & Doris DayBest Picture: The Lost Weekend
1955Turned 60
Rosa Parks refuses to give up her bus seat
Gas: $0.29/galHome: $9,550Min wage: $0.75/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"Rock Around the Clock" — Bill Haley & His CometsBest Picture: Marty
1965Turned 70
US sends combat troops to Vietnam
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $13,600Min wage: $1.25/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction" — The Rolling StonesBest Picture: The Sound of Music
1975Turned 80
Fall of Saigon ends the Vietnam War
Gas: $0.57/galHome: $27,600Min wage: $2.10/hrPresident: Gerald Ford"Love Will Keep Us Together" — Captain & TennilleBest Picture: One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest
1989Died at 94
Berlin Wall falls; Tiananmen Square protests
Gas: $1.00/galHome: $79,100Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"Look Away" — ChicagoBest Picture: Driving Miss Daisy
Key Achievements
- Won the gold medal in the pole vault at the 1920 Summer Olympics in Antwerp.
- Set a new Olympic record of 4.09 meters (13' 5") with his winning vault.
- His victory marked the first official Olympic record for the men's pole vault event.
Did You Know?
He competed for the Chicago Athletic Association.
The pole vault competition in 1920 was held in a downpour, making his record even more impressive.
He later served as a judge at the 1932 Los Angeles Olympics.
“That soggy pit in Antwerp taught me to vault with my mind, not just my legs.”
