Fortune Gordien
Fortune Everett Gordien was an American discus thrower and shot putter who set four Men's [discus throw world record progression|world records] in the discus throw. He competed in this event at the Athletics at the [1948 Summer Olympics – Men's discus throw|1948], Athletics at the [1952 Summer Olympics – Men's discus throw|1952] and Athletics at the [1956 Summer Olympics – Men's discus throw|1956] Olympics and placed third, fourth and second, respectively. At the Athletics at the 1955 [Pan American Games|1955 Pan American Games] he won a gold medal in the discus and a silver in the shot put.
Domestically Gordien won six AAU and three NCAA titles. According to the Guinness Book of Track and Field: Facts and Feats, the smallest crowd ever to see a world record may have been 48, the number attending a Pasadena, California all-comers track meet in 1953 when Gordien set his last world record that stood for six years.
Gordien grew up in Minneapolis, graduating from Roosevelt [High School (Minnesota)|Roosevelt High School], and attended the University of Minnesota. His coach there, Jim Kelly, also became coach of the U.S. track-and-field team for the 1956 Summer Olympics, where Gordien won a silver medal.
In the 1950s, Gordien had a few minor roles in films and TV series, including The [Cisco Kid (TV series)|The Cisco Kid], The Egyptian, Not for Hire and North to Alaska.
Gordien was a coach at San Bernardino Valley College.