Minnesotan Olympians: Tom Lieb



Tom Lieb / Faribault High School

Though his best discus throw as a professional isn't enough to even crack the Minnesota All-Time list anymore, Lieb was one of the premier throwers of his day.

In high school Lieb played football, hockey, baseball, and track and field. He attended the University of Notre Dame where he lettered in hockey, baseball, football and track and field. He was also a two-time All-American in football.

While at Notre Dame Lieb was also a track star. He twice won the NCAA collegiate champion in the discus in 1922 and 1923. He also won the AAU National Open Championship in 1923 and 1924. In 1994 Lieb traveled to Paris as part of the U.S Olympic team. In Paris he won the bronze medal in the discus with a throw of 147 feet (44.8m).

A few months after the Olympics Lieb set the discus world record when he threw the discus 156 feet 2 ¼ inches". This was the first time the official world record was broken as the old record was only officially ratified by the International Association of Athletic Federations (IAAF) 12 years prior to Liebs throw. For comparison the current discus world record is 243 feet ½ inch by Jurgen Schult who has held the record for 34 years. The current Minnesota state record is 201 feet 7 inches by Karl Erickson.

Lieb was widely considered one of the "inventors" of the spin-style delivery still used today.

After the Olympics Lieb went on to coach football at Notre Dame under legendary coach Knute Rockne and was the head coach at Loyola Marymount University and the University of Florida. He also coached the linemen at the University of Wisconsin and University of Alabama.

Lieb was also a talented hockey coach and builder. He started the Loyola Marymount hockey program and coached the unofficial Notre Dame men's hockey team from 1923-26.


Disclaimer: This is all very old information that was hard to find and compile. If any information if wrong please let us know. If you have anymore information about Tom Lieb please let us know.