If we were to say that today’s Olympic Mystery concerned an American Olympic champion, frequent readers of this blog may not be all that surprised, being well aware how much data is missing from early editions of the Games. Yet if we were to say that the individual in question won his prize at the 1952 Helsinki Olympics, it may raise more than a few eyebrows. That is exactly the type of case that we will be discussing today, however, as we look into American sailor Everard “Ducky” Endt.

(Endt pictured at the Mystic Seaport Museum)

Endt was born April 7, 1893 in Zaandam, Netherlands, but emigrated to the United States and became a citizen in October 1933. A sailor by trade, he served in the United States Navy Reserve, but was best known as a yacht racer. His crowning achievement was winning the gold medal in the 6 metres class at the 1952 Helsinki Olympics alongside, among others, John Morgan, who recently turned 90 and is the grandson of industrialist J.P. Morgan.

There is plenty of evidence for activity in Endt’s later life, and he eventually settled in Florida. He was still alive in 1984 at the age of 91, appropriately enough for being featured on Oldest Olympians, but after that he disappears from the public record. He had a Social Security Number, yet does not feature in the Death Index. He had a rather unique name (and nickname), yet we cannot locate an obituary.

We would love to conclude the story of a great Olympian with a complete record of his life. Our best guess is that he perhaps returned to the Netherlands and died there. Unfortunately, unless and until someone can locate more information about his final years, Endt will remain an Olympic mystery.