Mary Lou Retton, Bruce Baumgartner and Dale Neuburger Honored by U.S. Olympic Movement
United States Olympic & Paralympic Endowment awards honors during annual awards ceremony
Posted On: December 18, 2023 By :1984 Olympic gold medalist Mary Lou Retton, multi-world and Olympic medals wrestler Bruce Baumgartner and Dale Neuburger, treasurer for World Aquatics and known for his longtime work throughout the Olympic movement both internationally and within the United States, will be recognized by the United States Olympic & Paralympic Endowment during the annual awards ceremony at the New York Athletic Club in New York City.
Neuburger will be the recipient of the George M. Steinbrenner III Sport Leadership Award; Retton will be recognized with the William E. Simon Award; and Baumgartner will be the honoree of the General Douglas MacArthur Award.
Retton catapulted to international fame at the 1984 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles, igniting a new era of American dominance in the sport when she became the first American woman to win a gold medal in gymnastics, scoring two perfect 10s along the way. With five medals, the most of any athlete during the 1984 Games, she went on to win numerous national and international competitions and became the first woman to appear on a Wheaties box.
She retired from competition in 1986 but remains deeply involved in the gymnastics community and is a motivational speaker traveling the world as a fitness ambassador. The Simon award is given to an individual or group who has made extraordinary contributions to the advancement of the Olympic and Paralympic movements.
Baumgartner is one of eight athletes in American history to medal in four Olympiads, winning gold in 1984, silver in 1988, gold again in 1992 and bronze in 1996 in super heavyweight wrestling. His gold in 1984 was the first U.S. gold in 60 years in super heavyweight wrestling; he also won three world titles (and nine world championship medals overall), three Pan Am Games gold medals and 17 national titles.
Baumgartner served as head wrestling coach and director of athletics at Edinboro University of Pennsylvania and currently serves as president of USA Wrestling. The Douglas MacArthur award is given to an individual who has exhibited exemplary service to the USOPC and athletes.
Neuburger has held prominent leadership positions domestically in aquatics, serving as president of United States Aquatic Sports, president of USA Swimming and chairman of the board of directors at the International Swimming Hall of Fame. Internationally, he has held leadership roles in World Aquatics and has served as technical delegate within the International Olympic Committee for five Olympic Games. He served for eight years as a member of the board of directors of the U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Committee and a member of its executive committee for four years.
“It’s a privilege to be involved with, to be associated with, the Olympic Movement,” said Neuburger in his nomination speech. “It’s a privilege to do so because we are around people that inspire us to greatness — athletes, coaches, and the administrators that are involved in the support of the Games. Being part of this inspiring movement is something that I treasure and revere. We should remember everyday how lucky we are to be involved with some of the greatest young people in the world, helping them achieve their dreams in a responsible, fantastic way. This means more to me than I can express.”
The Steinbrenner award is presented annually to honor outstanding members of the Olympic and Paralympic family who have contributed to sport through management, sport organization endeavors or the enhancement of competitive opportunities; and who have displayed qualities of leadership, ethical conduct, and dedicated responsibility during a longstanding commitment to sport.
“Dale has been an incredible mentor to multiple generations of USA Swimming leaders,” said USA Swimming President and Chief Executive Officer Tim Hinchey. “His willingness to share his expertise over many decades raised the bar across the entire organization; his professionalism and passion have inspired so many to strive for and achieve greatness.”
The USOPE was established by the USOPC in 1984 to administer and invest the corpus of endowed funds that resulted from the surplus of the 1984 Olympic Summer Games in Los Angeles.
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