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 i ...

, 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 fre ...

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, AthletesLeno ...

, 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 Saint Vitus' dance, named after Saint Vitus, may refer to: Pathologies * Chorea, a movement disorder, specifically either: ** Sydenham's chorea ** Huntington disease * Dancing mania, a Medieval European social phenomenon Music * El vito, a tr ...

. 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

. 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 university, public Commonwealth System of Higher Education, state-related research university in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. It was founded in 1884 by the Baptists, Baptist minister Russell Conwell an ...

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.

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 {{US-swimming-bio-stub

See also

References