Boston's Harold Connolly, World Record Holder and 1956 Olympic Gold Medalist in the Hammer Throw

One of Massachusetts' most notable Olympic champions, Harold Vincent Connolly, died on August 18, 2010 at age 79. His rise to stardom, from a frail and partially paralyzed child to an Olympian, has inspired generations of Bostonians and athletes around the world.

Born in Somerville on August 1, 1931, Connolly was raised in Boston's Brighton neighborhood. He suffered from severe nerve paralysis as a child and spent most of his youth in physical therapy. He compensated for his illness by training diligently with strength conditioning, weight lifting and athletics at Brighton High School, where he graduated in 1949, and later at Boston College, where he graduated in 1953.

Connolly set numerous American, world and Olympic records in the hammer throw, and was a four-time Olympian. In 1956, he won the gold medal in the hammer throw at the 1956 Olympics in Melbourne, beating the defending world champion, Mikhail Krivonosov of Russia. Throughout his career, Connolly won nine U.S. titles in the hammer throw, and three in the indoor 35 pound hammer throw.

In 1984, Connolly was elected to the Track & Field Hall of Fame.Following his athletic career, Connolly was a successful high school and college coach, teaching the hammer throw at Georgetown University and Boston University. He served as the executive director of US programs for the Special Olympics from 1988 to 1999.

In 1999, Brighton native and State Representative Kevin Honan started the Harold Connolly Committee to design, commission and dedicate a statue to Brighton's most famous athlete. "To win an Olympic gold and overcome that physical challenge is such an extraordinary feat, and people need to know about it," Honan said.

In 2005 a statue of Connolly was unveiled in Brighton, created by sculptor Pablo Eduardo. Connolly and his family attended the ceremony, along with his friends and the many athletes he knew in his illustrious career.

"I am externally grateful to all of you," Connolly said at the unveiling, which was attended by more than 250 people. "I am here today, filled with intense pride for being a member of this community that made me into the man I became."

Connolly's statue is located along Boston's Irish Heritage Trail in the neighborhood section.

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