Byron Krieger

Byron Krieger

Personal information
Born	(1920-07-20)July 20, 1920 Detroit, Michigan, United States
Died	Boca Raton, Florida, United States
Sport
Sport	Fencing
Medal record Men's fencing Representing United States Pan American Games 1951 Buenos Aires Team Foil 1951 Buenos Aires Team Sabre Maccabiah Games 1957 Israel Individual Foil 1957 Israel Individual Sabre

Byron Lester Krieger (July 20, 1920 – November 9, 2015) was a top-ten American foil, sabre and épée fencer. Krieger represented the United States in the Olympics in 1952 in Helskinki and 1956 in Melbourne.

Education/Training

Krieger was born in Detroit, Michigan and graduated from Northwestern High School where he had been a member of the school fencing club under the direction of his English teacher, Beatrice Merriam. The teacher encouraged the boy to start training at Salle de Tuscan Fencing Club. Byron's talent for the sport showed quickly at at age 16 he became the youngest fencer to reach the State Championship finals where he placed 3rd in foil. Byron attended Wayne State University in Michigan, where de Tuscan coached. Krieger began fencing all 3 weapons and captained the varsity team in 1940-42. He was Wayne State's first NCAA champion in foil in 1942. He was 62–7 in dual meets at WSU, including 30–0 in foil. He was named WSU's All-American.

Fencing career

Krieger established himself as a top-ranked fencer competing in an All Star Midwest team against Canada, Mexico, Cuba, and the U.S. Sectional teams. He also represented the United States in the British-American matches in Toronto where he was undefeated in the U.S. victory.

Krieger won gold medals in team foil and team sabre and the team silver in épée at the 1951 Pan American Games in Beunos Aires, Argentina. He came in 6th in both the individual foil and sabre events. He fenced 113 bouts in 10 days—more than any fencer from any other country. Krieger was the only American to defeat the Argentine National Champion. In 1957 Krieger won the individual saber championship; a gold medal in the foil team, and a second place in individual foil at the Maccabiah Games in Israel. He was the lone Michigan athlete to represent the United States at the game.

In addition to winning 31 state and midwest titles, Krieger cometed twice for the United States at the Olympics. He competed in the team foil event at the 1952 Summer Olympics, reaching the quarterfinals. At the 1956 Summer Olympics, he was eliminated in the opening round, and reached the final round in team foil with the American team, placing fourth. Krieger competed in the matches against France and Italy and was the first American fencer to beat the French two-time Olympic champion Christian Doriola.

Halls of Fame and awards

Krieger received the Detroit Sports Guild Outstanding Fencer of the Year Award in 1951. He was elected to the Michigan Amateur Sports Hall of Fame in 1974, the Wayne State University Athletic Hall of Fame in 1976, (one of six original inductees), and the Michigan Jewish Sports Hall of Fame in 1986 in West Bloomfield, Michigan. Krieger's Olympic Jacket and warm-up suit is on loan at the Museum of Fencing.

Later life

Krieger was selected to referee Olympia style Latin American Games in Venezuela and Guatemala. He served for many years as both President of the Michigan Division of the Amateur Fencers' League and the Salle de Tuscan Fencing Club, and devoted many years to officiating at State and Intercollegiate matches. He had a long career with the Internal Revenue Service in Detroit and retired in 1979 as Associate Chief Appeals. He then opened a full-time private practice.

Krieger met his wife actress/writer Jocelyn Ruth, also from Detroit, in 1956 while they were both training for the Olympics. They were founding members of the Young Israel of Southfield and involved with the Detroit Chabad community. In 2015 they celebrated their 57th wedding anniversary. They had six children, 16 grandchildren, and 3 great-grandchildren. His grandson, Sam Larson, fenced for the Yeshiva University NCAA team 2012-15. Krieger died at age 95 on November 9, 2015 from injuries from a house fire. His wife was with him at the time, but survived.

See also

• List of select Jewish fencers

External links

• Wayne State University Athletic Hall of Fame bio
• Pan American Game results
• Jews in Sports bio
• Museum of American Fencing bio