Unsung: The Raw Ewry Story
Perspectives on Our Past
By Bob McCully (San Diego State)
In my “Perspectives on our Past” column in the summer 2013 issue of The Delta, I wrote about Ray Ewry, the man I believe is the greatest Olympian athlete ever. He won 10 individual gold medals over four Olympics and was an initiate of our Purdue chapter.
In writing that story, I was fortunate to meet and interview Ray Ewry’s grandson, Tom Carson. Tom graciously showed me photos and other memorabilia that once belonged to his grandfather, as well as sharing many stories.
Since the publication of my article, Tom has been working on finalizing a book on his grandfather. It was published at the end of last year and is called “Unsung: The Ray Ewry Story.”
Here’s a couple of excerpts from the back cover of the book.
…UNSUNG sheds new light on the life of one of America’s most decorated, yet overlooked, Olympian and tells of the three-decade journey of research and discovery made by the author.
Struggling with Polio in the late 1870’s, the young lad conquered the paralyzing effects of the disease and entered Purdue University in West Lafayette, Indiana.
As a student athlete, he broke collegiate and world records and went on to represent the New York Athletic Club and the United States Olympic Team.
Until Michael Phelps tied and surpassed Ray Ewry’s 104-year-old record in the 2012 London Olympics, Ray held the all-time record of winning 10 individual Olympic gold medals in three standing jumping events.
Although Ray’s amazing athletic accomplishments and records have faded into the shadows of early Olympic history, 'UNSUNG' will offer you a glimpse into the life of a true unsung American hero.
It’s an amazing and true story about an outstanding individual and Sigma Nu brother. If you’re interested in obtaining a copy of the book, go to the Amazon website and search for the title (Unsung) or the author (Thomas E. Carson).