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Miklós Martin

February 15, 2024

Miklós (Nick) Martin (June 29, 1931 – March 25, 2019[1][2][3]) was a Hungarian water polo player who competed in the 1952 and 1956 Summer Olympics. He was born in Budapest. He died in Pasadena, CA.

Olympic medal record
Men's Water Polo
Representing  Hungary
1952 Helsinki Water polo
1956 Melbourne Water polo
Miklós Martin

Biography edit

Martin was part of the Hungarian team which won the gold medals in the 1952 and the 1956 tournaments. He played two matches, including the "Blood in the Water" semi-final match against the Soviet Union, and scored five goals. His name is often left out of the 1956 Olympics because he defected to the United States immediately after the games, along with numerous fellow Olympians, and the communist party of Hungary at the time omitted him. In all, the U.S. State Department granted asylum to 34 of the Hungarian athletes.[4]

In June 2012, the magazine Sports Illustrated published a detailed account of the Hungarian defections that resulted from the Soviet Union's involvement in Hungary. The magazine itself played a key role in facilitating a secret plan to bring defecting Olympians to the United States. When the Hungarian delegation touched down in Darwin, Australia, Martin, one of the only athletes who read English, found a newspaper in the transit lounge and shared its reports. He became one of the primary spokespeople for the group.[5]

As the best English speaker among the Hungarian Olympians who defected, Martin found himself quoted so often that he feared he would be punished as a ringleader if he were to return to Hungary. So, with an art history master's degree from the University of Budapest, he enrolled at the University of Southern California but played only one semester of water polo because he found the sport there "too Mickey Mouse." He was the first person to receive a water polo scholarship to USC.[6] Instead he buckled down, earned his B.A. in French in three terms and, after earning a Ph.D. in Romance languages at Princeton on a Woodrow Wilson scholarship, became a professor. "The U.S. of that period was a land of endless opportunities," he says, "but my teaching career has been like an avalanche, straight down -- from Princeton to USC to Pasadena City College." Although retired from full-time teaching and over 80, he was still an adjunct professor of French at PCC and swam a mile each day. "PCC has a gorgeous pool," he says, "and I have the key."[7]

In 2006, Colin K. Gray and Megan Raney directed "Freedom's Fury", a film about the 1956 Olympic water polo semi-final match between Hungary and the U.S.S.R.[8] Nick Martin appears as himself.

In 2012, Martin participated in a video interview held at PCC’s Aquatic Center as part of an in-depth feature by CNN/SI on the 1956 Hungarian Olympic team.[9]

Martin retired as an associate professor in the French department of Pasadena City College.[10] He was a full-time faculty member for 44 years, and spent 27 years as head coach of the Pasadena City College men's water polo team.[11]

See also edit

References edit

  1. ^ "PCC Mourns Death of Former Water Polo Coach Nick Martin". 26 March 2019.
  2. ^ "Nicholas Martin *63". 2 January 2020.
  3. ^ "Passages: Nick Martin, Former Olympic Water Polo Player, Longtime Coach Dies at 87". 26 March 2019.
  4. ^ http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/vault/article/magazine/MAG1200409/3/index.htm[dead link]
  5. ^ . Archived from the original on 2013-08-26. Retrieved 2013-12-12.
  6. ^ "Pasadena Now » Former PCC Water Polo Coach Martin Profiled in CNN/Spo…". www.pasadenanow.com. Archived from the original on 12 December 2013. Retrieved 6 June 2022.
  7. ^ . Archived from the original on 2012-08-07. Retrieved 2013-12-12.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  8. ^ "Freedom's Fury" – via www.imdb.com.
  9. ^ "Pasadena Now » Former PCC Water Polo Coach Martin Profiled in CNN/Spo…". www.pasadenanow.com. Archived from the original on 12 December 2013. Retrieved 6 June 2022.
  10. ^ Morell, Virginia. "Blood in the Water". Smithsonian.
  11. ^ "News". pasadena.edu.

External links edit

February 15, 2024
miklós, martin, miklós, nick, martin, june, 1931, march, 2019, hungarian, water, polo, player, competed, 1952, 1956, summer, olympics, born, budapest, died, pasadena, olympic, medal, recordmen, water, polorepresenting, hungary1952, helsinki, water, polo1956, m. Miklos Nick Martin June 29 1931 March 25 2019 1 2 3 was a Hungarian water polo player who competed in the 1952 and 1956 Summer Olympics He was born in Budapest He died in Pasadena CA Olympic medal recordMen s Water PoloRepresenting Hungary1952 Helsinki Water polo1956 Melbourne Water poloMiklos Martin Contents 1 Biography 2 See also 3 References 4 External linksBiography editMartin was part of the Hungarian team which won the gold medals in the 1952 and the 1956 tournaments He played two matches including the Blood in the Water semi final match against the Soviet Union and scored five goals His name is often left out of the 1956 Olympics because he defected to the United States immediately after the games along with numerous fellow Olympians and the communist party of Hungary at the time omitted him In all the U S State Department granted asylum to 34 of the Hungarian athletes 4 In June 2012 the magazine Sports Illustrated published a detailed account of the Hungarian defections that resulted from the Soviet Union s involvement in Hungary The magazine itself played a key role in facilitating a secret plan to bring defecting Olympians to the United States When the Hungarian delegation touched down in Darwin Australia Martin one of the only athletes who read English found a newspaper in the transit lounge and shared its reports He became one of the primary spokespeople for the group 5 As the best English speaker among the Hungarian Olympians who defected Martin found himself quoted so often that he feared he would be punished as a ringleader if he were to return to Hungary So with an art history master s degree from the University of Budapest he enrolled at the University of Southern California but played only one semester of water polo because he found the sport there too Mickey Mouse He was the first person to receive a water polo scholarship to USC 6 Instead he buckled down earned his B A in French in three terms and after earning a Ph D in Romance languages at Princeton on a Woodrow Wilson scholarship became a professor The U S of that period was a land of endless opportunities he says but my teaching career has been like an avalanche straight down from Princeton to USC to Pasadena City College Although retired from full time teaching and over 80 he was still an adjunct professor of French at PCC and swam a mile each day PCC has a gorgeous pool he says and I have the key 7 In 2006 Colin K Gray and Megan Raney directed Freedom s Fury a film about the 1956 Olympic water polo semi final match between Hungary and the U S S R 8 Nick Martin appears as himself In 2012 Martin participated in a video interview held at PCC s Aquatic Center as part of an in depth feature by CNN SI on the 1956 Hungarian Olympic team 9 Martin retired as an associate professor in the French department of Pasadena City College 10 He was a full time faculty member for 44 years and spent 27 years as head coach of the Pasadena City College men s water polo team 11 See also editHungary men s Olympic water polo team records and statistics List of Olympic champions in men s water polo List of Olympic medalists in water polo men Blood in the Water matchReferences edit PCC Mourns Death of Former Water Polo Coach Nick Martin 26 March 2019 Nicholas Martin 63 2 January 2020 Passages Nick Martin Former Olympic Water Polo Player Longtime Coach Dies at 87 26 March 2019 http sportsillustrated cnn com vault article magazine MAG1200409 3 index htm dead link THE 1956 MELBOURNE OLYMPICS WERE PLUNGED INTO COLD WAR 06 18 12 SI Vault Archived from the original on 2013 08 26 Retrieved 2013 12 12 Pasadena Now Former PCC Water Polo Coach Martin Profiled in CNN Spo www pasadenanow com Archived from the original on 12 December 2013 Retrieved 6 June 2022 Archived copy Archived from the original on 2012 08 07 Retrieved 2013 12 12 a href Template Cite web html title Template Cite web cite web a CS1 maint archived copy as title link Freedom s Fury via www imdb com Pasadena Now Former PCC Water Polo Coach Martin Profiled in CNN Spo www pasadenanow com Archived from the original on 12 December 2013 Retrieved 6 June 2022 Morell Virginia Blood in the Water Smithsonian News pasadena edu http www pasadena edu news newsItem cfm ID 4439 http sportsillustrated cnn com vault article magazine MAG1200409 1 index htm http www ebeijing gov cn feature 2 Beijing Sister Cities Helsinki Featured Pictures of Helsinki t917883 htm Archived 2015 09 23 at the Wayback Machine http www americanhungarianfederation org FamousHungarians images vizilabda 1952 lg jpg http www americanhungarianfederation org FamousHungarians images vizilabda 1956 lg jpg http www h2opolo be geschiedenis WP 1952 OS html http www waterpololegends com 2009 04 1952 helsinki golden hungarian team htmlExternal links editMiklos Martin at Olympics com nbsp Miklos Martin at Olympedia nbsp Miklos Martin at the Hungarian Olympic Committee in Hungarian nbsp Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Miklos Martin amp oldid 1157021245, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

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