Bob Fitch
| Personal information | |
|---|---|
| Birth name | Robert Fitch |
| Nationality | American |
| Born | July 29, 1919 Audubon, Iowa, United States |
| Died | 15 April 2003 (aged 83) Bloomington, Indiana, United States |
| Sport | |
| Country | USA |
| Sport | American football, discus throw, golf |
Robert E. "Bob" Fitch (July 29, 1919 – April 15, 2003) was an American athlete and coach. He broke the world record in the discus throw in 1946 with a mark of 54.93 m (180 ft 2 3⁄4 in). He developed a rotational technique referred to as the "Minnesota Whip" and delivered a masters thesis on the subject. His training mate Fortune Gordien went on to break world records and win Olympic medals.
Fitch was a two-time American champion in the discus (1942 and 1946) and was the winner of the 1942 NCAA Championships. He was also part of the University of Minnesota championship-winning college football. He later became golf coach for Indiana University and developed the team into a top level NCAA side, winning six Big 10 Conference titles during his tenure from 1957 to 1989 – a record for an Indiana coach.
Born in Audubon, Iowa, Fitch was the son of a veterinarian and spent the first ten years of his life in Audubon before moving with his family to Minneapolis. He went on to study at the University of Minnesota. He was part of the college football team as an end for the Minnesota Golden Gophers at a time when the team ranked first in the nation and overseen by coach Bernie Bierman. Greater success came in the discus throw with the track and field team. He won the NCAA Championship title in 1942 – Minnesota's first such champion. He also won the AAU national championship meet that year. After graduating college, he was drafted in the seventh round of the 1942 NFL Draft by the Washington Redskins, but chose not to pursue professional football.
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