Stories by Bruce Davis

The coaches, gymnasts and teachers who built American gymnastics

Long before gymnastics was on prime-time television, a small group of athletes, coaches and judges kept the sport alive in turnvereins, YMCAs and college gyms. Bruce Davis knew many of them. These are their stories.

Vincent “Vinnie” D’Autorio
Two-time Olympian (1948, 1952), coach, judge and the oldest male gymnast to compete in the Olympics for the United States

Kurt Thomas
The Miamian who put American gymnastics on the world map, 1978 World Champion