Hall of Fame
James A. Gardiner won a Gold Medal in the 1955 Pan American Games and a Silver Medal in the 1956 Olympics in the double sculls event. From 1953-1959, the WSU rower earned eight different U.S. Rowing Gold Medals in the fours, double sculls and quadruple sculls events. He also won 15 Canadian and North American Championships. He was named an All-American and Olympian in 1955-1956. In 1957, Gardiner took fourth place in the European Championships held in Germany. That event would be a world championship today. In 1968, Gardiner was named the manager of the U.S. Olympic Rowing Team, and in 1971 was named to the prestigious Helms Rowing Hall of Fame. Gardiner, who also ran track for one year at Wayne and served as an assistant rowing coach, resided in Seattle, Washington after his time in Detroit.
