George Seymour Lyon

rofessional Golfer. Considered as one of Canada's greatest all-around athletes. Lyon not only played golf, but also excelled in baseball, soccer, curling, lawn bowling, pole vaulting, football, tennis, and rugby. He set records in pole vaulting and cricket by the time he was 18. Born in Richmond, Ontario, the son of prominent merchant and politician Robinson E. Lyon (later Mayor of Ottawa), he didn't take up golf until he was nearly 40. In 1904, at age 46, he won his first and only gold medal for Canada at the Summer Olympics in St. Louis, beating out reigning US golf champion H. Chandler Egan. One of his drives during the semifinal match was estimated at 299m. In 1908, Lyon again had a chance to participate for his second gold medal at the Summer Olympics in London, England, but later withdrew from the games due to an ongoing dispute among British golfers, which led to a boycott of the Olympics. His impressive golfing career also consisted of being named runner-up at the United States Amateur Championship in 1906, winner of the North American Seniors Golf Championship in 1923, 1931, and 1932, runner-up at the Canadian Open in 1910, winner of the Canadian Amateur Championship eight times between 1898 to 1914, and winner of the Canadian Senior's Golf Association Championship ten times between 1919 and 1930. He also served as President of the Royal Canadian Golf Association beginning in 1923, and was Captain of the Lambton Golf Club for 23 years. Lyon was inducted posthumously into Canada's Sports Hall of Fame in 1955, and the Royal Canadian Golf Association Hall of Fame in 1971.

Bio by: Peterborough "K"