Carey's Corner
FROM THE MALVERN ARCHIVES
A LOOK BACK
July 6th, 2023
From the 1933 Malvern Yearbook
Edward Thomas O’Brien. Football 4; Track 4; Blue and White Club; Sanctuary Society; Intramural Sports; Assistant Sports Editor, Malvernian
"Obie" joined our class in September 1932. He went out for football and was one of the outstanding stars on the team. In track he was our best and won dashes in every meet in which he participated. His ambition is to become a track coach when he completes his college education
Edward Thomas O’Brien
This story is very much like the recent story on Wayne Millner. I had no idea who Ed “Obie” O’Brien was until I got talking to my classmate Jack Tomarchio. Just like Wayne’s story, a bulk of this story comes from Jack and the article that he had previously written. I filled in bits and pieces along the way but this is all Jack Tomarchio’s research and work. Just like Wayne, it takes a lot for me to be amazed and this is another example. You just cannot make this up. Thanks Jack.
So here we go again….
In its history Malvern Prep has produced five Olympic appearances and Obie was the first. When he arrived on campus in September of 1932, he quickly became a stalwart on Coach Marshall Halphen’s varsity football team. As one of the nine senior starters, Obie was a welcome addition. To put these numbers in perspective, in 1932, there were only 13 seniors and 52 students in the entire school. I would be remiss in not also pointing out that there were five students enrolled in the middle school at the time. The 1932 team started slowly by going 0-2-1 out of the gates, with losses to LaSalle Prep (19-12) Wenonah Military Academy (12-0) and a tie against Bryn Athyn Academy (12-12). Even though these tight games did not come out in favor of the Friar eleven, it did show the coaching staff that this team was rounding into form. Coach Halphen’s faith in this team came to fruition when the Friars reeled off three straight shutout wins against the Villanova 150lb team, Franklin and Marshall Academy and the P.M.C freshman. In the Villanova game, Obie stood out by scoring three touchdowns in the 33-0 rout. As good as he was in football, it was on the track oval where this star football player truly excelled. He was a precursor to the Malvern multi-sport athlete of today (one of my favorite topics). At Malvern, in his 1933 senior track season, he was a double winner in all the meets he participated in and held inter scholastic records in both the 100 yard and 220 yard dashes. That’s correct. No one beat him in any race in his senior season. Not too shabby for a Malvern football player!
Edward Thomas O’Brien Track Picture
His track exploits landed him at Syracuse University. At Syracuse, Obie was selected as an All-American in the 400 meters three years running. Some of Obie’s other notable track feats were:
His records and accomplishments were good enough to land him on the Syracuse’s Athletic Wall of Fame. Not too shabby for a Malvern football player!
The story could end right here and it would be pretty amazing, but like Wayne, this is where the story takes a turn and gets very interesting. In 1936, O’Brien finished 7th in the Olympic trial 400M race and was selected as a member of the US Olympic team. As a member of the USA team he travelled to Berlin Germany, where he marched in the opening parade beneath the Nazi banners and the steely gaze of Adolph Hitler. Obie just happened to compete on the track team that included Jesse Owens. Yes, THAT Jesse Owens. To refresh your memory on Jesse Owens, Jesse was recognized in his lifetime as “perhaps the greatest and most famous athlete in track and field history”. At Ohio State he set three world records and tied another, all in less than an hour, at the 1935 Big Ten meet in Ann Arbor Michigan. It has been called the “greatest 45 minutes ever in sports”. In the 1936 Olympics he achieved international fame by winning 4 gold medals in 4 events. It should be no surprise that the Jesse Owens Award in USA Track and Field is the highest accolade for the year’s best male track and field athlete. Calling Jesse Owens famous would actually be an understatement. In this backdrop, Obie ran in the 4x 400M relay and won a silver medal with teammates Harold Cagle, Robert Young and Alfred Fitch. His split in the relay was the fastest of the four runners and would have been good enough for another silver medal if he had run in the 400M individual event. For the record, his split in the relay was 46.7 and the gold medal time in the 400M was 46.5. The American time in the 4X400 was 3:11.00, 2 seconds behind Great Britain.
He returned to Syracuse in 1937 to finish out his senior year. During the war he enlisted and served honorably in the US Navy on a destroyer in the South Pacific.
Malvern’s own, Ed “Obie” O’Brien, passed away on September 15,1976 from colon cancer.
Just like Wayne Millner (Careys Corner May 2023) when I can write a story and reference a 3X All American, Syracuse Wall of Fame, one of the fastest runners of his time, multiple world record holder, the Olympics, teammate to one the best athletes of all time - Jesse Owens, and even Adolf Hitler, and have it connected to Malvern Prep football then I know I have had the opportunity to write another very unique story.
So, there you have it. Another “you just can’t make this up”.
More to come……………
07.06.23
