Sidney Shepherd BOWMAN

Shortly after graduating from high school in Hammond, Louisiana, Sid Bowman made the US Olympic team by placing second at the 1928 AAU meet, which doubled as the US Olympic Trials. He later competed for LSU in both track and football, starring as a football player, particularly in the 1929 LSU homecoming victory over Sewanee, when he gained 193 yards rushing, and earned the sobriquet “Snaky” because of his running style. In 1931 Bowman signed a professional baseball contract with the St. Louis Cardinals, and played for two weeks that summer for their Sioux City, Iowa minor league club. He later would play semi-pro baseball for several years. Despite the professional contract, which was not revealed at the time, Bowman competed at the 1932 Olympics after winning the triple jump at the AAU meet, the Penn Relays, and the US Olympic Trials. After the Olympics he returned to Louisiana where he worked for the State Department of Revenue. He is a member of the LSU Sports Hall of Fame.

Personal Bests: LJ – 7.29 (23-11) (1932); TJ – 15.19 (49-10) (1934).