Quote:
Originally Posted by Michael B
There have been professionals in the Olympics since the 1896 Games. When they decided to include fencing in the Olympic program it was determined that they should allow fencing masters who made their living by teaching. By doing this they could attract the best fencers of the era. This was done in 1896 in Athens and 1900 in Paris. The first Greek to win an Olympic championship in the modern games was a fencing master, Leonidas Pyrgos.
Up until 1948 you needed to be a military officer to compete in equestrian events, thus a professional rider.
Many of the early competitors in shooting were also military. The whole 1912 U.S. rifle team were in the military - Navy, Army, Iowa National Guard and West Virginia National Guard. It was not limited to officers though. One member of this team as a hospital steward in the Navy. The U.S. Army still has a sharpshooting team in Ft. Benning, GA that produces Olympic shooters
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I was referring more to basketball and hockey. From personal experience all military personnel was also considered amateur athletes till at least the late 1980's. Not sure if it has changed since then.
EDIT: Very cool display Steve. Somewhere I have a Junior Olympic Gold medal I won back in the 80's for boxing. Back then the Junior Olympics was used to pick people to train for the Olympics. Sadly I never made it to Colorado Springs. I was one of those guys that could beat 99.99% of the people but the very top guys always beat me.