author
George W. Orton
1873–1958
Best remembered as Canada’s first Olympic medalist, he also turned his deep knowledge of sport into books, coaching, and university life. His story links early athletics with the practical, instructive writing of the early twentieth century.
1 Audiobook
Bob Hunt in Canada
by George W. Orton
About the author
Born in Strathroy, Ontario, on January 10, 1873, George W. Orton became one of North America’s standout runners in the 1890s. He studied at the University of Toronto and later at the University of Pennsylvania, and at the 1900 Olympic Games in Paris he won gold in the 2500-meter steeplechase and bronze in the 400-meter hurdles, making him the first Canadian to win an Olympic medal.
Orton’s life in sport did not end with competition. Sources from the University of Pennsylvania and Olympedia note that he stayed closely involved in athletics as a coach, sports organizer, and writer, including co-authoring History of Athletics at Pennsylvania. Penn also identifies him as the author of books for boys, showing how his interests reached beyond the track and into popular writing.
He died in 1958, leaving behind a legacy shaped by both athletic achievement and educational work. For readers today, he stands out as a figure from the early days of modern sport whose experience as a champion, teacher, and author gave his writing an unusual sense of firsthand authority.