The greatest Olympic athlete from every U.S. state

Delaware: Frank Masley

Sport: Luge

Olympics: Lake Placid 1980, Sarajevo 1984, and Calgary 1988

It may take people by surprise that a man from a state like Delaware became a successful luger, but Frank Masley beat the odds quite often in his life. Masley stumbled into the sport by accident when he traveled to Lake Placid and immediately fell in love. He joined a juniors program and that set his path to becoming an Olympic athlete.

Not only did Masley compete in three separate Olympics, he was one of the driving forces in helping to create the United States luge team. In the early 1970s, the group that would eventually become the luge team was being led by Masley, among others. It’s an impressive feat to make the Olympics once. What is truly incredible is to help build a program from scratch and then appear three times. Masley was so well liked among his colleagues that he was voted as the flag bearer for the 1984 Games. When Masley was asked how he felt about being bestowed that honor, he said that it was his proudest moment.

Masley was also instrumental to the United States armed forces after his Olympic career. His company manufactured specifically tailored gloves for extreme environments that have been used by the military in Afghanistan. He may never have won a medal but the impact Masley left behind is indelible in many facets.

Honorable Mention: Vicki Huber, track and field in Seoul 1988 and Atlanta 1996