Samuel Vaughn Merrick (born 24 March 1914,

Bala Cynwyd, Pennsylvania Bala Cynwyd ( ) is a community and census-designated place in Lower Merion Township, Pennsylvania, United States. It is located on the Philadelphia Main Line in Southeastern Pennsylvania and borders the western edge of Philadelphia at U.S. Route ...

- 17 April 2000,

Medford, New Jersey Medford is a township in Burlington County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey. As of the 2020 United States census, the township's population was 24,497, an increase of 1,464 (+6.4%) from the 2010 census count of 23,033, which in turn reflected ...

) was a

sailor A sailor, seaman, mariner, or seafarer is a person who works aboard a watercraft as part of its crew, and may work in any one of a number of different fields that are related to the operation and maintenance of a ship. While the term ''sailor'' ...

and preeminent labor lawyer under Presidents

Kennedy Kennedy may refer to: People * Kennedy (surname), including any of several people with that surname ** Kennedy family, a prominent American political family that includes: *** Joseph P. Kennedy Sr. (1888–1969), American businessman, investor, ...

and

Johnson Johnson may refer to: People and fictional characters *Johnson (surname), a common surname in English * Johnson (given name), a list of people * List of people with surname Johnson, including fictional characters *Johnson (composer) (1953–2011) ...

from the

United States The United States of America (USA), also known as the United States (U.S.) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It is a federal republic of 50 U.S. state, states and a federal capital district, Washington, D.C. The 48 ...

Personal life

In 1947, Merrick was married to

Eleanor Perry Eleanor Perry (née Rosenfeld; nom-de-plume Oliver Weld Bayer, October 13, 1914 – March 14, 1981) was an American screenwriter and author.''Variety'' "Eleanor Perry Obituary" March 17, 1981 Film critic Charles Champlin fondly remembered Perry ...

Dover, Massachusetts Dover is a town in Norfolk County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 5,923 at the time of the 2020 United States Census. With a median household income of more than $250,000, Dover is the wealthiest town in Massachusetts. Located ...

. The couple has three son's John, Gregory and Tad. Sam earned a

Bachelor's degree A bachelor's degree (from Medieval Latin ''baccalaureus'') or baccalaureate (from Modern Latin ''baccalaureatus'') is an undergraduate degree awarded by colleges and universities upon completion of a course of study lasting three to six years ...

engineering Engineering is the practice of using natural science, mathematics, and the engineering design process to Problem solving#Engineering, solve problems within technology, increase efficiency and productivity, and improve Systems engineering, s ...

in 1937 and a

law degree A law degree is an academic degree conferred for studies in law. Some law degrees are professional degrees that are prerequisites or serve as preparation for legal careers. These generally include the Bachelor of Civil Law, Bachelor of Laws, an ...

in 1940, both from the

University of Pennsylvania The University of Pennsylvania (Penn or UPenn) is a Private university, private Ivy League research university in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States. One of nine colonial colleges, it was chartered in 1755 through the efforts of f ...

Professional life

Merrick retired in 1977, after working 35 years in labor and Congressional relations. He was a preeminent labor lawyer under Presidents

and

Sailing

Merrick was an accomplished sailor in one-design sailboat races since 1926. He won twice the E-scow Nationals (once in the 1930s and once in the 1980s). In his

Soling The Soling is an Keelboat, open keelboat that holds the World Sailing "International class" status. The class was used from the Sailing at the 1972 Summer Olympics, 1972 Olympics until the Sailing at the 2000 Summer Olympics, 2000 Olympics as "Sa ...

years he had an intense rivalry and friendship with Stuart H. Walker. After his retirement Merrick became the (unsalaried) director of the United States Olympic yachting committee. In 1980, he added the title of chairman. He prepared the American Olympic team until the

1980 Summer Olympics boycott The 1980 Summer Olympics boycott was the largest boycott in Olympic history and one part of a number of actions initiated by the United States to protest against the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan. The Soviet Union, which hosted the 1980 Summ ...

. After that disappointment for the US sailors Sam started to get sailors to be engaged for competing in the

1984 Olympics The 1984 Olympics may refer to: *The 1984 Winter Olympics, which were held in Sarajevo, Yugoslavia *The 1984 Summer Olympics The 1984 Summer Olympics (officially the Games of the XXIII Olympiad and commonly known as Los Angeles 1984) were an i ...

. Merrick's team was able to win a medal in every of the seven Olympic classes (three gold and four silver Medailles. For this he was awarded the most prestigious award in American sailing, the Nathaniel G. Herreshoff Trophy, in 1984. Sam was president of the

International Soling Association The International Soling Association (ISA) is the sports governing body, governing body for the Soling class, recognised as an international class by World Sailing. The International Soling Association was founded as soon as the Soling became an ...

from 1987 - 1990.

Death

Sam died at the age of 86 as result of

pancreatic cancer Pancreatic cancer arises when cell (biology), cells in the pancreas, a glandular organ behind the stomach, begin to multiply out of control and form a Neoplasm, mass. These cancerous cells have the malignant, ability to invade other parts of ...

at his house in Medford, New Jersey.

References

1914 births 2000 deaths People from Bala Cynwyd, Pennsylvania American male sailors (sport) University of Pennsylvania alumni Deaths from pancreatic cancer in New Jersey 20th-century American sportsmen {{US-yachtracing-bio-stub