A teammate from the University of Southern California, Duncan McNaughton, won the gold medal representing Canada.

With the bar at 1.97m, Van Osdel approached McNaughton and advised him on improving his technique.

Van Osdel served in Europe in World War II in the Army Corps of Dentists.

He and his wife, Ruth, had two daughters, the elder of whom, Virginia, now owns the dentistry practice.

This article about a track and field Olympic medalist of the United States is a stub.