John Heaton (athlete)

John Rutherford Heaton (September 9, 1908 – September 10, 1976) youngest son of John Edward Heaton and Florence Caroline Trowbridge of New Haven, Connecticut, was an American bobsledder and skeleton racer who competed from the late 1920s to the late 1940s. Competing in three Winter Olympics, he won two silvers (Men's skeleton: 1928, 1948) and one bronze (Bobsled -Two-man: 1932).

A native of New Haven, Connecticut, Heaton carried the United States flag during the opening ceremonies of the 1948 Winter Olympics in St. Moritz.

The Heaton Gold Cup, presented in 1933 by the "Heaton brothers" Trowbridge, Jennison, John, and their mother Florence Trowbridge Heaton, remains one of the top Skeleton events of the St.Moritz "Cresta" season.

John R. Heaton (a.k.a) Jack Heaton was a pioneer of skiing and of the initiation of the ski resort Portillo in Chile in the 1940's. The Roca Jack, Portillo's well known peak and ski run, was named after him.

Heaton married four times: Gwendolyn Robinson de Alzaga Unzue 1937, Denise Paule Genest 1950 (son: John Edward Heaton 1951. Presently living in Guatemala and Paris.) , Heidi Von Lauer Mundchofen (1959) and Beatrix Bayer (1965)

In the late 1920's Heaton journeyed around the world with pals William "Billy" Fiske ("fellow olympian gold medalist and later WWII hero, who's sister Peggy Fiske married Heaton's brother Jennison Heaton - also an Olympian gold medalist") and Francis "Frankie" Rhodes ("nephew of Cecil John Rhodes"). They voyaged to Tahiti, Bali, India and South Africa on exploration.

John R. Heaton died in Paris, France.

References

* [http://sports123.com/bob/mo-2.html Bobsleigh two-man Olympic medalists 1932-56 and since 1964]
* [http://databaseolympics.com/players/playerpage.htm?ilkid=HEATOJOH01 DatabaseOlympics.com profile]
* [http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qn4196/is_20060210/ai_n16064576 List of American flag bearers during the Winter Olympic opening ceremonies] .
* [http://sports123.com/ske/mo.html Men's skeleton Olympic medalists since 1928]