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| '''William ("Bill") Green''' (born April 28, 1960) is a former United States Record Holder in Track and Field, who finished 5th in the ] in the 1984 Olympic Games in Los Angeles, California. | '''William ("Bill") Green''' (born April 28, 1960) is a former United States Record Holder in Track and Field, who finished 5th in the ] in the 1984 Olympic Games in Los Angeles, California. | ||
| ==Personal Life and Family== | |||
| Bill Green grew up in the Silicon Valley region of the San Francisco Bay Area, graduating from ] in ] in 1978, and ] in 1984 with a bachelors degree in Political Science. He is married to Julie Green and has two children, William John Jr. ("Jack") and Victoria ("Tori"). The family currently resides permanently in the ] and part-time in the ] community of ]. | |||
| Green is the son of William Hipkiss, an attorney and actor in community theater who in the 1970s and 1980's performed in over 20 productions at the ] in Muskegon, Michigan and other parts of Western Michigan. His mother is Barbara Green, former mayor and city councilwoman in the historical ] town of ], who also served one term as County Supervisor for Nevada County, California. He was adopted at age 5 by Barbara Green's second husband Kenneth Green, and raised in California since the age of 3. | |||
| ==Athletic Career== | |||
| Green was coerced by the Fremont High School (Sunnyvale, CA) coaching staff into trying out for the sport of Track and Field, based upon observations made in a physical education weightlifting class. A discus thrower for two years in high school who failed to qualify for the California state meet, he was recruited by Art Venegas at the beginning of a prolific coaching career which would include developing 33 national champions in 28 years as assistant and head coach at ] (a record of never approached by any other university). Encouragement to try the hammer throw as a college freshman resulted in an NCAA All American designation and an AAU National Junior Champion title in 1979, and a ranking of third in the United States at the senior level in 1982. | |||
| Technical advancements in the hammer throw emanating primarily from the Soviet Union were increasing distances at a furious pace in the early 1980s, and the complex science of these changes was not well understood at the time in the United States. Based on experience competing against Russian prodigy ] at the USA vs USSR Junior National Team competitions in 1979, an athlete who go on to become one of history's all time performers and an Olympic medalist in 1992, the two believed they could adopt the new technical changes and reestablish the United States as a viable competitor internationally. Green set three American Collegiate Records, three United States National Records, and placed 5th at the ]. His ] established a prelude to the country's first Olympic medal in 40 years with ] 2nd place finish in the ]. | |||
| ==Retirement from Athletics== | |||
| Competing in an area of sports similar to USSR hockey as emblematic of the dominance of the Eastern Bloc athletic system at the height of its success in the 1980s, he become disillusioned with the lack of support and training resources necessary for American athletes to challenge the communist sports machine. This factor, combined with the drug use implications required to medal at a second Olympic Games and a limited interest in the United States, eroded enthusiasm for the event. | |||
| In August, 1987 he became embroiled in a controversy generating international headlines when he was disqualified for doping at the Pan American Games in Indianapolis, Indiana, where he won the silver medal. An 18 month suspension from sports was successfully overturned on appeal to the United States Track and Field federation following a 10 month process, which determined he was eligible to compete in the 1988 United States Olympic Trials. Without sufficient time to prepare, and due to the protracted appeal mechanics at the international level, he was not able to compete in Seoul, South Korea in the next Olympic quadrennial. | |||
| This turn of events sealed his building frustration with the practical difficulties facing American hammer throwers. With a part-time professional career progressing significantly, it became difficult to justify another four year investment which would delay professional ambitions outside of athletics. Bill Green retired prematurely from Track and Field in 1987 at age 27. | |||
| He was inducted into the ] Athletic Hall of Fame in October, 2001.<ref name=erg>{{cite news|title=Seven inducted into Hall of Fame|url=http://www.csulb.edu/~d49er/archives/2001/summer/sports/v8n131-hall.shtml|date=August 9, 2001|work=CSULB Online 49er}}</ref> | He was inducted into the ] Athletic Hall of Fame in October, 2001.<ref name=erg>{{cite news|title=Seven inducted into Hall of Fame|url=http://www.csulb.edu/~d49er/archives/2001/summer/sports/v8n131-hall.shtml|date=August 9, 2001|work=CSULB Online 49er}}</ref> | ||
| ==Professional career== | |||
| Upon retirement from athletics in 1987 he focused on what would become a career in the medical malpractice insurance industry, begun while still an athlete under the ] Job Opportunities Program. Beginning as a trainee at the Century City, California office of international insurance broker ], he became a sales and marketing executive with the ] (a division of Johnson and Higgins). Until it was sold in 2009, the Southern California Physicians Insurance Exchange (SCPIE) was the largest largest provider of medical liability insurance in California. He served as Vice President of Sales at SCPIE until 2006, and later held the same title at ] in Napa, California. He has been Director of Marketing for the Medical Insurance Exchange of California (MIEC) in Oakland, California since 2010. | |||
| {{s-start}} | |||
| {{s-ach|rec}} | |||
| {{succession box|before=]|title=]|years=May 15, 1984 — July 15, 1984 10:00 AM|after=]}} | |||
| {{succession box|before=]|title=]|years=July 15, 1984 3:00 PM— April 28, 1985 | |||
| |after=]}} | |||
| {{succession box|before=]|title=]|years=February 28, 1982 — June 7, 1985|after=]}} | |||
| {{succession box|before=]|title=]|years=February 28, 1981 — Present|after=]}} | |||
| {{s-end}} | |||
| ==See also== | ==See also== | ||
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| ==External links== | ==External links== | ||
| * Olympic Games video clip | |||
| * Montage of Olympic Games hammer throwers | |||
| * Soviet Union documentary on the Hammer Throw-footage from the 1986 Goodwill Games | |||
| * Autobiographical article | * Autobiographical article | ||
Revision as of 22:24, 14 June 2013
| Bill Green | |
|---|---|
| Born | William Hipkiss 28 April 1960 Laurel, Maryland |
| Occupation | Current: Insurance Executive Former: Professional Athlete |
| Employer(s) | Medical Insurance Exchange of California (MIEC) Oakland, California |
| Title | Director of Marketing |
| Spouse | Julie Green |
| Children | William John, Jr. ("Jack") and Victoria ("Tori") |
| Competition record | ||
|---|---|---|
| Men’s Hammer Throw | ||
Representing  United States
| ||
| Olympic Games | ||
| Pan American Games | ||
| 2nd | 1987 Bloomington, IN (Disqualified) | |
| World University Games | ||
| United States Olympic Trials (track and field) | ||
| 1st | 1984 Los Angeles (Olympic Trials Record) | |
| USA Outdoor Track and Field Championships | ||
| 1st | 1979 Bloomington, IN (Junior) | |
| 3rd | 1982 Knoxville, TN | |
| 2nd | 1984 San Jose, CA | |
| 1st | 1986 Eugene, OR | |
| 2nd | 1987 San Jose, CA | |
| NCAA Men's Outdoor Track and Field Championship
Template:CompetitionRecordFourth Template:CompetitionRecordFifth Template:CompetitionRecordFourth Template:CompetitionRecordFourth | ||
William ("Bill") Green (born April 28, 1960) is a former United States Record Holder in Track and Field, who finished 5th in the hammer throw in the 1984 Olympic Games in Los Angeles, California.
Personal Life and Family
Bill Green grew up in the Silicon Valley region of the San Francisco Bay Area, graduating from Fremont High School in Sunnyvale, California in 1978, and California State University, Long Beach in 1984 with a bachelors degree in Political Science. He is married to Julie Green and has two children, William John Jr. ("Jack") and Victoria ("Tori"). The family currently resides permanently in the Napa Valley and part-time in the Lake Tahoe community of Fallen Leaf Lake.
Green is the son of William Hipkiss, an attorney and actor in community theater who in the 1970s and 1980's performed in over 20 productions at the Frauenthal Center for the Performing Arts in Muskegon, Michigan and other parts of Western Michigan. His mother is Barbara Green, former mayor and city councilwoman in the historical Lake Tahoe town of Truckee, California, who also served one term as County Supervisor for Nevada County, California. He was adopted at age 5 by Barbara Green's second husband Kenneth Green, and raised in California since the age of 3.
Athletic Career
Green was coerced by the Fremont High School (Sunnyvale, CA) coaching staff into trying out for the sport of Track and Field, based upon observations made in a physical education weightlifting class. A discus thrower for two years in high school who failed to qualify for the California state meet, he was recruited by Art Venegas at the beginning of a prolific coaching career which would include developing 33 national champions in 28 years as assistant and head coach at UCLA (a record of never approached by any other university). Encouragement to try the hammer throw as a college freshman resulted in an NCAA All American designation and an AAU National Junior Champion title in 1979, and a ranking of third in the United States at the senior level in 1982.
Technical advancements in the hammer throw emanating primarily from the Soviet Union were increasing distances at a furious pace in the early 1980s, and the complex science of these changes was not well understood at the time in the United States. Based on experience competing against Russian prodigy Igor Nikulin at the USA vs USSR Junior National Team competitions in 1979, an athlete who go on to become one of history's all time performers and an Olympic medalist in 1992, the two believed they could adopt the new technical changes and reestablish the United States as a viable competitor internationally. Green set three American Collegiate Records, three United States National Records, and placed 5th at the 1984 Olympic Games. His with his performance in Los Angeles established a prelude to the country's first Olympic medal in 40 years with Lance Deal's 2nd place finish in the 1996 Atlanta Games.
Retirement from Athletics
Competing in an area of sports similar to USSR hockey as emblematic of the dominance of the Eastern Bloc athletic system at the height of its success in the 1980s, he become disillusioned with the lack of support and training resources necessary for American athletes to challenge the communist sports machine. This factor, combined with the drug use implications required to medal at a second Olympic Games and a limited interest in the United States, eroded enthusiasm for the event.
In August, 1987 he became embroiled in a controversy generating international headlines when he was disqualified for doping at the Pan American Games in Indianapolis, Indiana, where he won the silver medal. An 18 month suspension from sports was successfully overturned on appeal to the United States Track and Field federation following a 10 month process, which determined he was eligible to compete in the 1988 United States Olympic Trials. Without sufficient time to prepare, and due to the protracted appeal mechanics at the international level, he was not able to compete in Seoul, South Korea in the next Olympic quadrennial.
This turn of events sealed his building frustration with the practical difficulties facing American hammer throwers. With a part-time professional career progressing significantly, it became difficult to justify another four year investment which would delay professional ambitions outside of athletics. Bill Green retired prematurely from Track and Field in 1987 at age 27.
He was inducted into the Long Beach State Athletic Hall of Fame in October, 2001.
Professional career
Upon retirement from athletics in 1987 he focused on what would become a career in the medical malpractice insurance industry, begun while still an athlete under the United States Olympic Committee's Job Opportunities Program. Beginning as a trainee at the Century City, California office of international insurance broker Johnson & Higgins, he became a sales and marketing executive with the The SCPIE Companies (a division of Johnson and Higgins). Until it was sold in 2009, the Southern California Physicians Insurance Exchange (SCPIE) was the largest largest provider of medical liability insurance in California. He served as Vice President of Sales at SCPIE until 2006, and later held the same title at The Doctors Company in Napa, California. He has been Director of Marketing for the Medical Insurance Exchange of California (MIEC) in Oakland, California since 2010.
| Records | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded byJud Logan | United States National Record May 15, 1984 — July 15, 1984 10:00 AM |
Succeeded byDave McKenzie |
| Preceded byDave McKenzie | United States National Record July 15, 1984 3:00 PM— April 28, 1985 |
Succeeded byJud Logan |
| Preceded byAl Schoterman | American Collegiate Record February 28, 1982 — June 7, 1985 |
Succeeded byKen Flax |
| Preceded byDave Fuller | Long Beach State School Record February 28, 1981 — Present |
Succeeded byIncumbent |
See also
References
- "Seven inducted into Hall of Fame". CSULB Online 49er. August 9, 2001.
External links
- Olympic Games video clip
- Montage of Olympic Games hammer throwers
- Soviet Union documentary on the Hammer Throw-footage from the 1986 Goodwill Games
- Autobiographical article
