Ralph Gorman Hills (January 19, 1902 – September 20, 1977) was an American
shot put
The shot put is a track-and-field event involving "putting" (throwing) a heavy spherical Ball (sports), ball—the ''shot''—as far as possible. For men, the sport has been a part of the Olympic Games, modern Olympics since their 1896 Summer Olym ...
ter. After winning a bronze medal at the
1924 Summer Olympics
The 1924 Summer Olympics (), officially the Games of the VIII Olympiad () and officially branded as Paris 1924, were an international multi-sport event held in Paris, France. The opening ceremony was held on 5 July, but some competitions had al ...
, he married a state governor's daughter, graduated from Princeton and Johns Hopkins Universities, and became a physician. Hills lived near Baltimore, Maryland, and served in the United States Army during World War II.
Early life, education, and career
Hills, a grandson of U.S. Senator
Arthur Pue Gorman, was born to Ralph Warren Hills (1875–1940), a lawyer and diplomat, and Mary Edna Gorman Hills (1876–1944) on January 19, 1902. He attended
The Hill School
The Hill School is a coeducational preparatory boarding school located on a campus in Pottstown, Pennsylvania, about northwest of Philadelphia. The Hill is part of the Ten Schools Admission Organization.
The school is accredited by the Mi ...
in
Pottstown, Pennsylvania
Pottstown is a Borough (Pennsylvania), borough in Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, United States. Pottstown was laid out in 1752–53 and named Pottsgrove in honor of its founder, John Potts (Pennsylvanian), John Potts. The old name was abando ...
, from 1916 through graduation in 1921, where he was on the football team, served as class president, and developed his track athletics skills. Continuing his education at
Princeton University
Princeton University is a private university, private Ivy League research university in Princeton, New Jersey, United States. Founded in 1746 in Elizabeth, New Jersey, Elizabeth as the College of New Jersey, Princeton is the List of Colonial ...
, from which he graduated in 1925, Hills was captain of the track team. He pursued his M.D. degree at
Johns Hopkins University
The Johns Hopkins University (often abbreviated as Johns Hopkins, Hopkins, or JHU) is a private university, private research university in Baltimore, Maryland, United States. Founded in 1876 based on the European research institution model, J ...
, married Mary Joe Dixon (daughter of
Montana
Montana ( ) is a landlocked U.S. state, state in the Mountain states, Mountain West subregion of the Western United States. It is bordered by Idaho to the west, North Dakota to the east, South Dakota to the southeast, Wyoming to the south, an ...
governor
Joseph M. Dixon) in 1928, and graduated in 1929. After an internship year at
Union Memorial Hospital, and residencies at the
Johns Hopkins Hospital
Johns Hopkins Hospital (JHH) is the teaching hospital and biomedical research facility of Johns Hopkins School of Medicine in Baltimore, Maryland. Founded in 1889, Johns Hopkins Hospital and its school of medicine are considered to be the foundin ...
, Hills entered private practice. During World War II, Hills served overseas with the U.S. Army's 18th General Hospital, and had the rank of
Second Lieutenant when discharged.
Athletics
Hills first joined an Olympic team at the
1920 Summer Olympics
The 1920 Summer Olympics (; ; ), officially known as the Games of the VII Olympiad (; ; ) and commonly known as Antwerp 1920 (; Dutch language, Dutch and German language, German: ''Antwerpen 1920''), were an international multi-sport event held i ...
in
Antwerp
Antwerp (; ; ) is a City status in Belgium, city and a Municipalities of Belgium, municipality in the Flemish Region of Belgium. It is the capital and largest city of Antwerp Province, and the third-largest city in Belgium by area at , after ...
,
Belgium
Belgium, officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a country in Northwestern Europe. Situated in a coastal lowland region known as the Low Countries, it is bordered by the Netherlands to the north, Germany to the east, Luxembourg to the southeas ...
.
He won a succession of
AAU and
IC4A IC4A Championships (Intercollegiate Association of Amateur Athletes of America) is an annual men's competition held at different colleges every year. Association was established in 1875, the competition (started in 1876) served as the top level coll ...
collegiate titles, both indoor and outdoor, each year he was at Princeton. In 1924, Hills represented the United States at the
1924 Summer Olympics
The 1924 Summer Olympics (), officially the Games of the VIII Olympiad () and officially branded as Paris 1924, were an international multi-sport event held in Paris, France. The opening ceremony was held on 5 July, but some competitions had al ...
in
Paris
Paris () is the Capital city, capital and List of communes in France with over 20,000 inhabitants, largest city of France. With an estimated population of 2,048,472 residents in January 2025 in an area of more than , Paris is the List of ci ...
,
France
France, officially the French Republic, is a country located primarily in Western Europe. Overseas France, Its overseas regions and territories include French Guiana in South America, Saint Pierre and Miquelon in the Atlantic Ocean#North Atlan ...
, and won the bronze medal for the shot put competition.
Death and legacy
Hills taught students, staff, and nurses throughout his career, at Johns Hopkins and Union Memorial Hospitals.
[
He died on September 20, 1977, from complications following a ruptured ]abdominal aneurysm
Abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) is a localized enlargement of the abdominal aorta such that the diameter is greater than 3 cm or more than 50% larger than normal. An AAA usually causes no symptoms, except during rupture. Occasionally, abdo ...
.[ Hill's alma mater, The Hill School, inducted him to their Athletics Hall of Fame in 2012.][
His first son, J. Dixon Hills,][ graduated from Princeton in 1954 and entered the medical profession like his father as a physician.] His second son, Ralph Warren Hills (1939–2012), also attended Princeton and was a WBAL television producer in Baltimore.
See also
*List of Princeton University Olympians
This is a list of Princeton University alumni who competed in the Olympic Games. In this list, the term athletics refers to track and field.
Summer Olympians
# Robert Garrett, class of 1897, men's athletics, 1896 Athens Olympics, 1900 Paris O ...
References
External links
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Hills, Ralph
American male shot putters
Olympic bronze medalists for the United States in track and field
Athletes (track and field) at the 1924 Summer Olympics
1902 births
1977 deaths
Princeton University alumni
The Hill School alumni
Medalists at the 1924 Summer Olympics
Gorman family (Maryland)