JACK GUNTHARD, of Switzerland, is one of the rarest of individuals, having been inducted into the Hall of Fame by virtue of his qualifications in both of the required categories -- as a World and Olympic medalist and for his lifetime achievements in gymnastics.
Jack Gunthard won the Olympic Gold Medal on the Horizontal Bar during the 1952 Olympic Games in Helsinki, Finland. Following that achievement, he became the National Coach for his native country and held that position with considerable success for some 40 years. From 1965 until 1985, Mr. Gunthard also served the academic and athletic communities as a professor at the University of Basel, Switzerland.
Nominated by the Swiss Gymnastics Federation, Mr. Gunthard was selected for induction into the International Gymnastics Hall of Fame in 1997.
The Swiss have a special place in the history of the sport of gymnastics. Their national program continues to produce champions today as it has for a great many years. Jack Gunthard is honored for his contribution to that tradition.