Ellery H. (Ellery Harding) Clark

Born in Massachusetts in 1874, Ellery H. Clark is remembered both as an athlete and as an author. He won the high jump and long jump at the 1896 Olympic Games in Athens, making him one of the standout American figures of the first modern Olympics.

Writing was a major part of his life as well. Reliable sources describe him as a lawyer and writer who produced a substantial body of work, including fiction and nonfiction, and note that two of his novels were later adapted for film. That mix of practical knowledge, competitive discipline, and imagination gives his work an unusual background.

Clark died in 1949, but his name has lasted in more than one field. For readers today, he is especially interesting as a writer whose books came from a life much broader than the literary world alone.