Susanne E. Laird (July 18, 1908 – November 7, 1933), also known by her married name Susan Scavey, was an American competition
swimmer who represented the United States at the
1928 Summer Olympics
The 1928 Summer Olympics ( nl, Olympische Zomerspelen 1928), officially known as the Games of the IX Olympiad ( nl, Spelen van de IXe Olympiade) and commonly known as Amsterdam 1928, was an international multi-sport event that was celebrated from ...
.
Laird was born in
Homestead, Pennsylvania
Homestead is a borough in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, USA, in the Monongahela River valley southeast of downtown Pittsburgh and directly across the river from the city limit line. The borough is known for the Homestead Strike of 1892, an imp ...
, and was one of four girls, including
Josephine McKim
Josephine Eveline McKim (January 4, 1910 – December 10, 1992), also known by her married name Josephine Chalmers, was an American swimmer who won three medals at the 1928 and 1932 Olympics. In 1928 she won the bronze medal in the 400-meter fr ...
and
Lenore Kight
Lenore M. Kight (September 26, 1911 – February 9, 2000), later known by her married name Lenore Wingard, was an American competition swimmer who represented the United States at two consecutive Summer Olympics.databaseOlympics.com, AthletesLen ...
, who trained at the
Carnegie Library Athletic Club under coach Jack Scarry, her uncle, to represent the United States as members of the Olympic swim team.
She began swimming at age 14 on the advice of a physician after developing
St. Vitus Dance. The doctor believed swimming as a daily exercise would help to cure her nervous condition.
Laird won her first championship in 1924 at Lake Elizabeth in Pittsburgh, completing the 50-yard freestyle in 32 seconds. She placed second in the 100 meters and third in the 300-yard medley at the
1926 Sesquicentennial in Philadelphia. That year, she went on to win the national 100-yard junior championship. In 1928 she qualified for the American Olympic Team, and traveled aboard the
S.S. ''President Roosevelt'' to Amsterdam, the Netherlands, for the
1928 Summer Olympics
The 1928 Summer Olympics ( nl, Olympische Zomerspelen 1928), officially known as the Games of the IX Olympiad ( nl, Spelen van de IXe Olympiade) and commonly known as Amsterdam 1928, was an international multi-sport event that was celebrated from ...
. Laird finished fifth in the
women's 100-meter freestyle. She also helped the American relay team to qualify for the final of the
women's 4×100-meter freestyle relay as they set a new world record in the semifinals.
[ Laird did not receive a gold medal, even though the American team finished first in the event final, because she did not swim in the final.
After graduating from ]Temple University
Temple University (Temple or TU) is a public state-related research university in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. It was founded in 1884 by the Baptist minister Russell Conwell and his congregation Grace Baptist Church of Philadelphia then called Ba ...
in 1930, Laird was appointed girls' coach and physical education instructor at Homestead High School, a position she held until her death from a rare blood disorder and subsequent pneumonia at age 25.[
]
See also
* List of Olympic medalists in swimming (women)
This is the complete list of women's Olympic medalists in swimming.
Current program
50 metre freestyle
100 metre freestyle
200 metre freestyle
400 metre freestyle
800 metre freestyle
1500 metre freestyle
100 metre backstroke
2 ...
* List of Temple University people
This is a list of notable faculty and alumni of Temple University, a comprehensive public research university in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA.
Faculty
*Russell Conwell – founder and first president of the university, author of ''Acres o ...
* World record progression 4 × 100 metres freestyle relay
This article includes the world record progression for the 4×100 metres freestyle relay, and it shows the chronological history of world record times in that competitive swimming event. The 4×100 metres freestyle relay is a relay event in which ...
References
1908 births
1933 deaths
American female freestyle swimmers
World record setters in swimming
Olympic swimmers for the United States
People from Homestead, Pennsylvania
Sportspeople from Allegheny County, Pennsylvania
Swimmers at the 1928 Summer Olympics
Temple University alumni
20th-century American women
Deaths from pneumonia in Pennsylvania
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