Thomas Hitchcock, Jr.
| Tommy Hitchcock Jr. | |
|---|---|
Tommy Hitchcock Jr., April 6, 1918
|
|
| Born |
February 11, 1900 Aiken, South Carolina, United States |
| Died | April 18, 1944 (aged 44) Salisbury, Wiltshire, England |
| Cause of death | Military test aircraft crash |
| Resting place |
Cambridge American Cemetery, Cambridgeshire, England |
| Education | St. Paul's School, Harvard University, Oxford University |
| Known for |
Lafayette Flying Corps Polo (10-goal handicap) P-51 Mustang development |
| Board member of | Lehman Brothers |
| Spouse(s) | Margaret Mellon |
| Children | Louise Eustis Hitchcock, Margaret Mellon Hitchcock, Thomas Hitchcock III, William Mellon Hitchcock |
| Parent(s) |
Thomas Hitchcock & Louise Mary Eustis |
| Olympic medal record | ||
|---|---|---|
| Men's Polo | ||
 |
1924 Paris | Team competition |
Thomas Hitchcock Jr. (February 11, 1900 – April 18, 1944) was an American polo player who was killed in an air crash during World War II. He was inducted into the Museum of Polo and Hall of Fame.
Born in Aiken, South Carolina, he learned the sport from his parents, Louise and Thomas Hitchcock Sr.. His father was a U.S. Racing Hall of Fame horse trainer who had been a 10-goal player who helped found the Meadowbrook Polo Club on Long Island, New York, and who captained the American team in the inaugural 1886 International Polo Cup. Tommy Jr. played in his first tournament at age 13 and was part of the Meadowbrook Polo Club that won the 1916 U.S. national junior championship.
Hitchcock attended St. Paul's School, where he played football, hockey and was a member of the crew team. After being elected president of the Sixth Form, Hitchcock chose to leave school and join the Lafayette Flying Corps in France during World War I. He was shot down and captured by the Germans but escaped his captors by jumping out of the train. On foot, he hid in the woods during the daytime then walked more than one hundred miles for eight nights to the safety of Switzerland.
After the war, Hitchcock returned to study at Harvard University as well as at Oxford University. Playing polo, he led the U.S. team to victory in the 1921 International Polo Cup. From 1922 to 1940, Hitchcock carried a 10-goal handicap, which is the highest ranking in polo, from the United States of America Polo Association. Playing with notable stars such as Pete Bostwick, Jock Whitney, and Gerald Balding, he led four teams to U.S. National Open Championships in 1923, 1927, 1935 and 1936.
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