Harrison Smith "Harry" Glancy 

Born: September 17, 1904 in Bens Run, West Virginia
Died: September 22, 2002 in New Orleans, Louisiana
Affiliations: Penn Athletic Club 



HARRISON GLANCY (USA)
1990 Honor Pioneer Swimmer
FOR THE RECORD: OLYMPIC GAMES: 1924 gold (relay) AAU NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS: 3 (220yd, 1 mile freestyle; 300yd individual medley; 1 relay); WORLD RECORDS: 3 (relays); PAN PACIFIC GAMES: 1927 gold (relay); Member of the 1928 Olympic Team. Harry Glancy has never left the sport of swimming since 1920. Raised in Kentucky, he moved to Pittsburgh in 1919, won his first novice race in 1920 and his National (Scholastic Championship) at Mercersburg Academy in 1924. Glancy made the 1924 Olympic team out of high school and won the gold relay at Paris when his freestyle relay (Ralph Brain, Wally O'Connor, Harry Glancy and Johnny Weissmuller) set an Olympic and world record. He also made the 1928 Olympic team on leave of absence from the Gulf Oil Company. In between, Glancy swam for the Pittsburg Athletic Association, the Penn Athletic Club and the Cincinnati YMCA for Hall of Famer, Stan Braminger. The Cincinnati team, starring Hall of Famers, Wally Laufer and Harry, won the 1926 Indoor AAU Nationals in Chicago with a four man team and without a breaststroker or diver. They beat the Illinois Athletic Club, setting a new world record in the 400 yard freestyle relay. Harry had his personal best AAU championships, the Outdoors in Seattle, when he was the high point scorer. At the 1927 Outdoors in Honolulu, Harry was picked to captain the first U.S. team to Japan and the Pan Pacific Championships. His wife, Irma Mae Lucas was the first foreign female athlete and swimmer to compete in Japan. Harry had met and married her after the 1926 Nationals in San Francisco. They have been married ever since (65 years). He has served the Olympic Swimming Committee, organized the Havalanta Games with Carlos de Cuba, played water polo at Penn Aquatic Club with the Jack Kelley's father and generally promoted everything and everybody within his reach who wears a swimsuit. Like we said, "Harry has never left the sport of swimming. Right, Irma Mae?"
Here is some genealogical info on Mr. Glancy provided by Glen Haney: SARAH ELIZABETH LUSK (HARRISON3, SAMUEL2, SAMUEL1) married WILLIAM JACKSON SMITH. (Source: Mike Smith; Ohio Triciasmom@email.msn.com, A Grandson of Elizabeth Lusk, "Harrison Smith Glancy", won a gold medal in the 1924 Olympics, he was the oldest living medal winner when the Olympics were held in Atlanta. He was also on the Kodac commerical at that time. He lived to be 97 years old.) was born October 7, 1852 in Boyd County, Kentucky, and died August 12, 1941 in Wilson Creek, Carter County, Kentucky. Children of SARAH LUSK and WILLIAM SMITH are: i. HARRISON SMITH, b. April 04, 1871. ii. SAMUEL PARKER SMITH, b. May 23, 1873. iii. AMY ELLEN SMITH, b. October 28, 1875. iv. WILLIAM JACKSON SMITH, b. December 12, 1876. v. ESTHER VELMA SMITH, b. February 06, 1879. vi. CHARLES WORTHINGTON SMITH, b. February 03, 1880. vii. NANCY MARY SMITH, b. October 03, 1884. viii. GEORGE WASHINGTON SMITH, b. February 06, 1886. ix. ALMARINDA SMITH, b. May 13, 1888. x. ANNA LILLIAN SMITH, b. September 07, 1891. Harrison Smith Glancy must have been the son of one of the above Smith daughters. (ed.) Note that Wilson Creek is now known as Smith Creek.

Submitted by: Glen Haney

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