Sporting Life: Dentist Athletes, Then & Now

From A to Z and from the birth of dentistry to the present, the profession has had world class athletes in both popular and unusual sports. The profession fosters a love of health and athletic activity, with professional associations to support dentists in golf, scuba diving, and flying, among others.

Did you know:

• Willoughby Miller was a competition golfer in Europe, winning the 1902 Championship of Germany and Austria?
• G. V. Black loved to hike and hunt, reflected in his last words "Trees -- flowers -- sky"?
• The golf tee was invented by George Grant, an 1870 African American graduate of Harvard's dental school, and was sculpted of wood and (of course) gutta percha?
• Scuba diving was originally invented in 1828 by Paris dentist, Lemaire D'Augerville?
• 25 dentists have competed in Olympic events, with 19 medalists who won between them a total of 30 medals (17 gold, 8 silver, and 5 bronze)? *

Highlights from this exhibit include:

• several dentists who competed in the Olympics, from those who medaled to those who tried out, such as a local favorite, Paul A. Jacobs of the Upper Peninsula;
• Walter Booth, UM alum and catcher for one of the first UM baseball teams;
• Les Horvath, OSU, 10th Heisman trophy winner in football;
• professional athletes including golfers, football players, and a Mr. Universe;
• amateur athletes including marksman, pilots, sky divers, SCUBA divers, martial artists, race car drivers, mountain climbers, yachtsmen, equestrian dressage, skaters, tennis, and more.

Exhibit Case, Top Row

Cnockaert, Jim. Michigan, Where Have You Gone?. Call number: GV 958 .M52 C55 2004
Gene Derricotte is famed at UM for his significant participation in the 1948 Rose Bowl victory. He is a UM School Dentistry alumni and retired in 2002 from the faculty of the University of Texas Dental School in San Antonio. Jim Detwiler is is also profiled in this book as another famous UM football player and SoD graduate, and is still practicing dentistry in Perrysberg, Ohio.

Geoffrey L. Howe, Reflections of a Fortunate Fellow. Call number: RK 43 .H69 A33 2002
As with many prominent professionals, Dr. Howe is recognized for his career in oral surgery but has an active life in many other areas as well, both athletic and intellectual, including a fondness for yachts and racing them.

Templeton, Irvin. Jaws and the Dentist. Dental Management 1977 August 17(8):59-64.
Many of the articles found in MEDLINE about dentist athletes are personal reports or historical biographies, and often these have witty titles. This article by SCUBA diver Dr. Templeton, describes his encounter with a shark while diving, and was published shortly after the famous movie "Jaws" by Steven Spielberg. SCUBA diving is one of those sports in which dentistry has been prominent, beginning with the invention of the first diving suit in 1828 by Paris dentist, Lemaire D'Augerville, to the present, where we now have an association devoted to dentists who dive (USDDA). Dentistry is prominent in other water sports as well, including diving and swimming, with such notables as Harry Huffaker, "The Swimming Dentist", the only man to swim the Molokai Channel in both directions, and Margaret Charley, an orthodontist and All-American swimmer. Even Mark Spitz was in pre-dental at Indiana when he won his seven Olympic golds, although Mark never completed his dental training and has been quoted as saying, "I'm probably the most famous dentist who never became a dentist in the world."

Walter Booth, Bentley
Walter Booth, 1891 alum of the University of Michigan School of Dentistry, came to the School as an 1888 graduate of Ann Arbor High School. During his time here, he also served as catcher for the varsity baseball team. You see him here in the team photo, courtesy of the Bentley Historical Library. Baseball became a varsity sport at Michigan in 1865, ten years before there was a dental school! Football players Julius Franks (Guard, All-American, 1942) and Gene Derricotte (Quarterback, 1947, Rose Bowl) are other also School of Dentistry alums known for their athletics, with both listed in the University of Michigan, Athletic Hall of Honor.

Ring, Malvin E. Dentists famous in other fields. Journal of the California Dental Association December 2002 30(12):901-907.

• Dr. Cary Middlecoff, champion golfer, pro;
• Dr. Jim Ailinger, National Football League Standout, Buffalo Bisons, and referee for the Intercollegiate Football Association;
• Dr. Richard Vallese, Mr. Universe; and
• Dr. Walter B. Tewksbury, 1900 Olympic Medalist in hurdles and sprinting, five medals.

Tillis, B. P. Dentistry and dressage: the profile of a dentist (Dr. Morris Berger). N Y State Dent J. 1979 Oct;45(8):409-10.
Dr. Berger began his athletic career with a love of baseball, serving as catcher for his local team. He needed a letter from a dentist to get on the team, which led him (eventually) into a career as an oral surgeon. He discovered that baseball was not his best sport, becoming instead expert in dressage and partner skating. Dr. Berger is a good example of the many dentists who participate in unusual or unexpected sports. Other examples of this could include Paul Shepherd Burnham, who was known for motor boat racing; Ed Sherwood, sky diver; Sue Ellen Hamilton, ultra-runner; Christopher Grenzer, steeplechase; and Geraldine Barcelon, Judo. Cesar Parra is another dentist known for dressage, and there are many other dentists with equestrian expertise.

Lance Rucker, Intimate Falls. Call number: PS 3568 .U28 2001
Lance Rucker is both a popular mystery author and the Chair of Operative Dentistry at the University of British Columbia in Canada. The commercial web site for his novels emphasizes his athletic accomplishments, including aikido, ballroom and Latin dance, cross-country horse trials, and yachting. The picture here shows him practicing his mountain climbing skills.* Dr. Rucker's profile on the UBC web site shows him in clinic garb and emphasizes the diversity of his accomplishments, ranging from film acting to co-authoring a nonfiction book with his wife, a sexual and marital therapist.

* Other dentist mountain climbers include James Baxler Bean, who died in a climbing accident in 1870; Paul Zanowiak, who climbed the Pisang Peak; and Keith Thompson of New Zealand, who has exhibited the high Alpine watercolors and sketches made during his climbs.

Ring, Malvin E. [Robert Tanner Freeman.] Dentistry: An Illustrated History, 1985, p. 286.
Hyson, JM, Jr. George Franklin Grant, DMD: renaissance man. Journal of the California Dental Association. 2002 Dec;30(12):916-7; erratum 2003 Jan;31(1):16.
Dr. Freeman, shown assisting in this photo, was the first African-American to graduate from dental school (Harvard), followed the next year by classmate George Franklin Grant (shown in a photocopy of the CDA journal article). Grant was the inventor of the first patented golfing tee, which he whittled from wood and capped with gutta percha. He made these for personal use and as presents for friends, but never marketed them. Dr. Grant was also on the faculty at Harvard and invented the interdental splint for cleft palate patients.

Bike, William S. Essays on Earl Renfroe, a Man of Firsts. Call number: RK 43 .R46 E77 2001.
In addition to serving as chair of the UIC Department of Orthodontics, a Colonel in the US Army, and pioneering race relations, Dr. Renfroe was also famed for his off-duty expertise as a marksman (pistol and rifle), SCUBA diver, and was the first African American to be licensed in Illinois as a commercial airline pilot. Dr. Renfroe is buried in Arlington National Cemetery in recognition of his many contributions.

Exhibit Case, Bottom Row

Dr. Harold Campbell, Canada's oldest Olympic Gold medalist. Ontario Dentistry August 1972 49(8):236-7.
Dr. Campbell lived a long and varied life, from winning the gold medal for lacrosse in the 1908 Olympics, to serving as mayor of his hometown in 1915-16. He was, at the time of his death in 1972, the oldest practicing dentist in Canada, at the age of 94.

Owocki, DC. Dr. Paul A. Jacobs: American Success Story, Upper Peninsula Dentist. J Mich Dent Assoc. 1988 Feb;70(2):86-7.
Dr. Jacobs, of the Upper Peninsula and a University of Detroit alum, was a local ski jump expert. He tried out for three Olympic teams, and won the North American Ski Jumping Championship in 1952 and the Kiwanis Invitational in 1963.

Les Horvath, 1944 winner of the Heisman Memorial Trophy, Ohio State Quarterback: http://www.heisman.com/years/1944.html
Les Horvath was the first dentist to win the Heisman trophy (1944), followed by Billy Cannon in 1959. Almost 40 dentists have been recognized for significant contributions to American football, including many coaches and All Americans, playing in virtually every position possible -- end, linebacker, fullback, quarterback, and guards. Linebackers seem to be more prevalent among dentist football players, followed closely by quarterbacks, with professional representation seeming highest among orthodontists.

Sherwood, Ed. Air Male, special delivery. CDS Rev. 1974 Aug;67(8):14-6.
Sky-diving seems to be one of the riskier and less common sports to attract dentists, however Ed Sherwood is far from alone in his avocation. Charles Brewer Carias remains a somewhat notorious sky-diver, dentist, and Amazon explorer in Venezuela (also active in national politics). James E. Martin, Jr. of California scored over 5000 jumps before his death from tangled lines.

Ruby, G. Orthodontist in the Backfield. J Tenn State Dent Assoc. 1972 Jan;52(1):8-12.
While Les Horvath practiced as a general dentist, Billy Cannon and Gary Cuozzo trained as orthodontists. Gary, like some other well known dentist athletes, selected dentistry as a profession because the academic schedule was more accommodating to his athletic commitments. Gary taught at Loyola University, having studied dentistry at University of Tennessee, and previously served as a pro football player for the Minnesota Vikings.

An Overview of Dentist Athletes

• * = Olympic competitor or trials.
• Bold = highlighted in this exhibit.
• Italics = woman athlete.

• Golf:
  • George Grant -- Golf Tee. http://inventors.about.com/library/inventors/blgolfteehtm.htm
  • PRWeb: The Dental Tradition Ð South Shore Dentist Invents Aero-tee Golf Tee To Put a "Better Bite" On Golf Game [PLYMOUTH, MA; March 6, 2004]: http://www.prweb.com/releases/2004/3/prweb109150.htm and Aero-Tee: http://www.Aero-tee.com/
  • Scottish Golf History: Derivation of Golf Tee (includes photo of George Grant): http://www.scottishgolfhistory.net/tee_term.htm
  • Whitelaw, A. R. With jigger and baffy: tales of dental golf. History of Dentistry Research Group. http://www rcpsglasg.ac.uk/hdrg/2002oct8.htm
  • McDaniel, Pete. Birth of the tee: The story behind the man who gave the ball the perfect setup -- George Franklin Grant, inventor. Golf Digest (Oct. 2000): http://www.findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0HFI/is_10_51/ai_65486576
  • New Jersey Inventors Hall of Fame. Special Awards 1998: William Lowell (1862-1954), Maplewood: http://www.njinvent.njit.edu/1998/special_awards_1998/william_lowell.html

• Football:
  • Bentley Historical Library: University of Michigan Athletic History: University of Michigan Football All American, Julius Franks, Guard, 1942: http://www.umich.edu/~bhl/athdept/football/fballam/aafranks.htm
  • Heisman Memorial Trophy (Heisman.com): 1944, 10th Award, Les Horvath -- Ohio State Back: http://www.heisman.com/years/1944.html
  • Heisman Memorial Trophy (Heisman.com): 1959, 25th Award, Billy Cannon -- LSU Back: http://www.heisman.com/years/1959.html
  • Ohio State (BuckNuts.com): Les Horvath: http://www.bucknuts.com/osuhistory/heisman_leshorvath.htm
  • Crippen, Ken. Interview with Dr. Jim Ailinger. BillBackers: History of Pro Football in Western New York (prior to 1960): http://www.billsbackers.com/ailinger.htm

• Swimming & Water Sports:
  • Academy of General Dentistry: Avoid Divers' Mouth Syndrome and Tooth Squeeze: http://www.agd.org/consumer/topics/sports/divers.mouth.html
  • Indiana University: School of Dentistry: Calendar of Events August 2004: 13-29: http://www.iusd.iupui.edu/news_and_information/calendar_archives/august_2004_calendar.htm?printer_friendly
  • SCUBA AMERICA Historical Center: Formidable! More than 100 years before Jacques Cousteau claims to have invented scuba diving, a Paris dentist beat him to it: http://www.divinghistory.com/first-scuba.htm
  • SCUBA Dental (United Status Dental Diving Association): http://www.usdda.com/
  • Star Bulletin: Hawaii's Swimmers: http://starbulletin.com/96/06/21/sports/story1.html

• Weight-lifting:
  • Shapiro, Treena. Weight lifter, mentor, Masayoshi Yogi dies: http://starbulletin.com/1999/12/20/news/story8.html
  • WALB News (Albany, GA): 10 Country -- Buddy's Natural Lift: http://www.walb.com/global/Story.asp?s=1587053

• Michigan Dentist Athletes:
  • ADA News: Michigan dentist's swimming son brings home Olympic gold: http://www.ada.org/prof/resources/pubs/adanews/adanewsarticle.asp?articleid=1032
  • Bentley Historical Library: University of Michigan Athletic History: Michigan Athletic Hall of Honor: http://www.umich.edu/~bhl/athdept/misc/hallhon.htm or http://www.umich.edu/~bhl/athdept/misc/hohalpha.htm
  • Bentley Historical Library: University of Michigan Athletic History: University of Michigan Football All American, Julius Franks, Guard, 1942: http://www.umich.edu/~bhl/athdept/football/fballam/aafranks.htm

• Dental Athletic Associations:
  • Flying Dentists Association: http://www.flyingdentists.org/
  • SCUBA Dental (United Status Dental Diving Association): http://www.usdda.com/
  • Sports Dentistry Online: http://www.sportsdentistry.com/
  • United States Dental Golf Association (unable to verify that organization is still active)
  • United States Dental Tennis Association (active, but no web site)

• General & Miscellaneous:
  • * Dentist Athletic Hall of Fame: http://www.rmortho.com/hallOFfame/hallOFfame.asp
  • Arlington National Cemetery Web Site: Earl Wiley Renfroe, Colonel, United States Army: http://www.arlingtoncemetery.net/ewrenfroe.htm
  • Grivetti, L. Modern Olympic Games: Diet -- Medicine -- Nutrition -- Physiology. (Olympic Centennial Athletic, Sport, Recreation Bibliography Project.) http://nutrition.ucdavis.edu/olympics/Olymp/sci.htm
  • Jews in Sports: Daniel Bukantz: http://www.jewsinsports.org/olympics.asp?ID=284
  • Lance Rucker: http://www.lancerucker.com/
  • Moffett, Mark W. "Travels with Charlie -- In which a savvy entomologist journeys to towering rock chimneys in Venezuela with one of the world's last professional explorers." International Wildlife March-April 2001: http://www.findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m1170/is_2001_March-April/ai_70888381
  • Thomson, Hilary, Taking a big bite out of life: "Do something different each day," says Assoc. Prof. Lance Rucker. [Press release] http://www.publicaffairs.ubc.ca/ubcreports/1999/99sep30/99sep30pro.html
  • Walsh, Christine. Cricket fan dentist works pastime into practice -- Memorabilia adorns office, players get discounted care. India New England, September 1, 2003. http://www.indianewengland.com/news/2003/09/01/Business/CricketFan.Dentist.Works.Pastime.Into.Practice-451872.shtml