You’ve heard of the Irish and their place in the nation’s history. You have even seen, read about and loved the whales – the Humpback whale, the Beluga whale, Blue whale and the Sperm whale. But what do you know about the Irish Whales? Must be a kinda new one huh that floats around in the ocean??
Actually, the Irish Whales were America’s “gluttonous, English-hating, gold-medal-winning Olympic heroes of the early 20th century.” The story of the Irish Whales is the very embodiment of the American Dream and exemplifies the triumph of many Irish emigrants in the New World. It is an untold story of Irish American athletes who competed with unparalleled distinction for the United States.
“The Whales” was a nickname given to a group of Irish, Irish-American and Irish-Canadian athletes who dominated weight-throwing events in the first two decades of the 20th century. “This group dominated the field events, particularly throwing events, at the Amateur Athletic Union national championships and at the Olympic Games between 1896 and 1924.” They were known for their fiery spirits, showmanship, and were the first Olympic heroes of the modern era.
The men were nicknamed ‘The Whales’ because of their stature or athletic prowess, physical size, and their reputation for having an enormous appetite. “Allegedly the men ate a dozen whole boiled eggs with the shell still on, oysters by the hundreds and were partial to eating 3 T-bone steaks each, all at one sitting! It is said that the nickname came about after a waiter on their voyage by boat to the 1912 Games in Stockholm commented “it’s whales they are, not men”. “
Some of the Whales most famous members included: John Flanagan, Simon Gillis, James Mitchell, Pat McDonald, Paddy Ryan, Martin Sheridan, Matt McGrath, Con Walsh and honorary member Pat O’Callaghan. Almost all distinguished are by their membership in the Irish American Athletic Club of New York (IAAC) and as members of the New York City Police Department. They set the bar with their records
P.J. Conway, from Limerick, is attributed with the creation of the Irish American Athletic Club (IAAC). The IAAC was setup because the Irish experienced difficulties in joining the existing sporting clubs of the time. Although the membership of the club was primarily Irish American, the club had an open-door policy to athletes from all races and religions. It was home to some of the top Jewish athletes, such as Able Kiviat and Myer Prinstein, and the first African American to win an Olympic gold medal, John Baxter Taylor Jr.
James Sarsfield “Jim” Mitchell (1864-1921) was from Tipperary. His list of achievements is staggering. From 1879 to 1896 he won eight successive USA hammer titles. He held the 56-pound weight title from 1891 to 1897 and went on to win another four at various intervals. He won bronze in the 56-lb weight throw at the 1904 St. Louis Games. He broke the world hammer throw record 11 times and extended the hammer record he set in 1886 of 119 feet, 5 inches to 145 feet, .75 of an inch in 1892.
When the term ‘Irish Whales’ came into vogue to describe the Irish American athletes who dominated the world stage in throwing events for three decades, Mitchell was considered the fist. He came to be revered as the eminent authority on weight-throwing. He published a training manual for aspiring throwers which became the bible for future weight throwers. The forerunner of the sport of hammer-throwing, the arrival of John Flanagan from Kilbreedy, County Limerick brought a whole new level of competition.
John J. Flannagan (1873-1938) was small for a hammer thrower at only 5 foot 9.5 inches. He was able to perfect the three-turn technique first used by Alfred Plaw to technical efficiency. He won three consecutive Olympic gold medals in the hammer throw in 1900, 1904 and 1908. In 1908, he threw for an Olympic record of 170′ 4-1/4″ on his last throw. Between 1896 and 1909, Flanagan broke the world record 15 times. His last record in 1909 was 184′ 4″; more than 37′ longer than his first record. This made him the oldest world record breaker in the history of athletics at 41 years and 196 days old. Flanagan returned to Ireland in 1911, and was instrumental in helping Ireland win its first Olympic gold medal.
Martin J. Sheridan (1881-1918) was the smallest in stature of all the Whales at 6 ft 3 inches and 194 lbs. Sheridan won 9 Olympic medals, including five gold medals in jumping and discus events in 1904, 1906, and 1908. He was considered the best all-around athlete of the Irish American Athletic Club, and like many of the other Whales, served with the New York City Police Department. Sheridan was so well respected in the NYPD, that he served as the Governor’s personal bodyguard when the governor was in New York City.
Matthew J. McGrath (1878-1941) was from Nenagh County Tipperary. “He was built like a wedge. He was a six-footer, and weighed 248 pounds.” In his prime, he was known as “one of the world’s greatest weight throwers.” McGrath made his Olympic debut in 1908 when he won silver in the hammer. He set his second world record in 1911 at 187′ 4″. In 1920, he finished fifth after injuring his knee and then took another silver in 1924 becoming the oldest American medalist ever at age 47.
He won seven AAU hammer throw championships, won seven more in the little-contested 56-pound weight throw, and set two hammer throw world records. His lifetime best throw was the second of those records, 187′ 4″. He remained in the world’s top ten up to the age of 50, making his career one of the longest and most consistent in the history of the sport. In 1912 McGrath won with the shortest of his six throws over 15 feet longer than any other competitor’s best throw to set an Olympic record that stood for 24 years.
Pat “Babe” McDonald (1878-1954) was from Doonbeg in County Clare at 6′ 5″ and 300 lb. He won a gold medal in the shot put with a throw of 50′ 4″ and a silver medal in the two-handed competition with a total of 87′ 2″ in 1912. At the 1920 Antwerp Games, he won the 56-pound weight toss with 36′ 11″.
Patrick J. “Paddy” Ryan (1887-1964) was from Pallasgreen in County Limerick. In 1912, he set the official IAAF world record with a hammer throw of 189′ 6-1/2″. This mark stood as the world record for 25 years and as the U.S. record for 40 years until 1953. In 1920 at age 33, he stood 6′ 3″, weighed 265 lbs. and won the Olympic hammer throw “with a toss of 173′ 5-3/4″ with the largest margin of victory ever by 14’-1/2”.
Cornelius E. Walsh (April 24, 1881-1942) was born in County Cork, Ireland. He was an Irish Canadian athlete who represented Canada at the 1908 Summer Olympics and won a bronze medal in the hammer throw.
Simon Gillis was the only ‘Whale’ not born in Ireland. He was born in Nova Scotia of Irish parents; was 6′2″ and 240 lbs. He competed in weight throwing events in the 1904, 1908 and 1912 Summer Olympics.
The Whales won a total of 23 medals in 5 Olympic Games under the flags of the USA and Canada. This success, coupled with the legendary stories away from the track, captured the hearts of the American public.
The 1908 Olympics in London became the Irish Whales’ greatest triumph. There were countless diplomatic failures at the games, such as the missing United States amongst all the other nations’ flags, money was stolen from several American athletes, and disagreement on allowing an athlete to participate.
These Olympics had a tremendous impact on flag ceremonies. When the parade of national teams began, one by one, they marched and dipped their flags to the King of England. Then came the Americans, including the world-record hammer thrower and New York City cop, Matthew J. McGrath.
As they approached the royal box, the County Tipperary-born McGrath, “a human bull of a man”, stepped beside the team’s flag bearer and is rumored to have said, “Dip that banner and you’re in hospital tonight.” Old Glory went unbowed past the King of England.
The English were left in shock. Veteran Olympian and world-record discus thrower Martin J. Sheridan, another New York City cop, spoke of “Mighty Matt” McGrath and the other American team members when he answered the English by pointing to the flag and saying, “This flag dips to no earthly king.” The precedent had been set.
“To this day the United States does not dip its flag at Olympic ceremonies. The Irish Whales forever changed the Olympics, and inspired Irish and American athletes for years to come. They raised the standards of competition in track and field and gave Irish people around the world a sense of pride and encouragement that would help embolden Ireland to fight for freedom and independence. These mighty men will forever be our Irish Whales.”