Alex Oakley – Athlete

Inducted November 4, 1988

Alex Oakley was born in St. John’s in 1926 but lived most of his life in Oshawa, Ontario. He returned to Newfoundland several years ago and resides in Bay Bulls.

He has represented Canada in more Olympics than any other male athlete. On five occasions he has carried Canadian colors in race walking competitions at Olympic Games. It was his own decision not to compete in a sixth Olympics.

He first entered Olympic competition at Melbourne, Australia in 1956 when he was disqualified in his race walking event. He placed ninth in the 20 kilometer race at Rome in ’60 and finished 14th in the 50 kilometer event at Tokyo in ’64.

After a brief retirement from his sport in 1968, Mr. Oakley was 31st in the 50 kilometer race at Munich, Germany in ’72 and, at the age of 50, was 35th in the 20 kilometer race at Montreal in ’76.

He won a gold medal for Canada in the 20 kilometer race at the 1963 Pan-American Games in San Paulo, Brazil and took a gold medal in both the five and 25 kilometer events at the 1975 World Masters Games. He was a member of the Canadian Team at both the 1966 and ’70 Commonwealth Games.

In 1986, he was inducted into the Oshawa Sports Hall of Fame. NHL star Bobby Orr and NHL Manager Harry Sinden were inducted at the same time.