Monday through Wednesday Recap:
Monday: Acupuncture and cupping session.
Tuesday: Dentist appointment.
Wednesday: Visited McCarran City followed by the annual Barbecue Cook-Off, where participants compete for the title of “Best Barbecue Cook-Off,” with a prize of either $5,000 or $10,000. Upon returning home, I had chores to catch up on.
Now that it is Thursday, I reflect on what these past three days have in common: I was unable to row or blog about Duke during this time.
Today’s Blogging Focus:
For today’s blog post, I plan to highlight one of Duke’s teammates, Hal Haig Prieste, while weaving in stories about Duke.
Last night, my friend Ryan texted me, saying, “I found my own Olympic swimmer,” and sent me a picture of Buster Crabbe. I responded, noting that Crabbe was part of the first class of honoree swimmers in 1965, which included Duke Kahanamoku and Johnny Weissmuller, along with Crabbe himself. Ryan found this interesting, and I mentioned that I might write a blog about them in the future, but for now, I wanted to focus on Hal.
Who Was Hal Haig Prieste?
Hal Haig Prieste was an American athlete who represented the United States in diving at the 1920 Summer Olympics in Antwerp. Born in Fresno, California, to Armenian immigrant parents, his original surname was Keshishian. The name “Haig” is significant in Armenian culture, representing the progenitor of the Armenian people. Initially, he adopted “Harry” as his American name, later changing it to “Hal.”
Prieste won a bronze medal in platform diving as a member of the 1920 U.S. Olympic team and also competed in the plain high diving event, although he was eliminated in the first round.
According to his biography, Prieste joined the Navy upon America’s entry into World War I. It was during his service that he discovered his talent for swimming and diving. A shipmate humorously suggested he try out for the Olympics, and he took the challenge seriously.
After leaving the Navy, Prieste attended the Olympic tryouts in Alameda, California, where he excelled in diving, surpassing national champion Clyde Swendsen. He then traveled to New York for Olympic preparation.
During the 1920 Antwerp Games, Prieste initially found himself in last place after the compulsory dives at 16 feet. However, the dynamics changed during the 32-foot dive, where athletes could choose their dives. “They let you do whatever you wanted. You could score more points with harder dives,” Prieste recalled. He opted for the most difficult dive, which propelled him to a bronze medal finish.
Prieste became friends with surf legend and fellow Olympic medalist Duke Kahanamoku. During the games, Duke challenged Hal to steal the Olympic flag. Accepting the dare, Hal climbed a 15-foot flagpole to retrieve the Irish linen flag. He brought it home along with his medal.
In 1997, the stolen flag resurfaced when the U.S. Olympic Committee hosted a banquet that Prieste attended. A journalist inquired about the missing flag, and Prieste humorously replied, “I can help you with that; it’s in my suitcase.” He had no idea of the flag’s significance as the first to showcase the now-iconic five Olympic rings.
There’s a charming story about Hal and Duke during a car ride, where Duke playfully placed his large hand on Hal’s face, prompting Hal to grab Duke’s arm and bounce his face up and down as if Duke were dribbling a basketball. This anecdote illustrates a lighter side of Duke, contrasting the serious image many associate with him.
I also read a moment when Duke, along with Nadine, visited a friend with a young son. For an hour, Duke happily played with the child on the floor, showcasing his youthful spirit, regardless of age.
Returning to Hal’s story, he often shared the Olympic flag as a souvenir of his experience and his friendship with Duke. “I had it a long time,” Prieste said. “A lot of my friends have seen it. You can’t be selfish about these things. It’s no good to me. I can’t hang it in my room. People will think more of me by giving it away than by keeping it.” And that’s precisely what he did.
At the 2000 Sydney Olympics, Prieste returned the flag to the International Olympic Committee, which honored him, the oldest living Olympic medalist at that time, with a commemorative Olympic medal.
Today, his flag is displayed at the Olympic Museum in Lausanne, Switzerland.
Prieste passed away the following year at the age of 104, becoming the first known Olympian to have lived across three centuries, from 1896 to 2001.
This narrative about Duke is unique for me, as much of what I have read tends to focus solely on his Olympic achievements. It provides a transition to stories that connect rather than conclude.
I shared with Ryan last night how the information I encounter during my research about Duke expands in numerous directions. He responded, “Yeah, but I think it’s awesome you know these things. Most people don’t know much about anything or don’t want to.”
I completely agree; I find joy in blogging about anything related to Duke and delving deeper into his legacy.
As I prepare for my next blog post, I will conclude here.