George Quam is honored by the Minnesota Sports Hall of Fame for great accomplishments under a great handicap which proved him to be a remarkable athlete. He lost his left arm in a railroad accident when seven years old.
Nevertheless he took up handball.
He won 25 consecutive Minneapolis Athletic Club singles championships and eight doubles championships. He also won many North Central championships.
During one national tour he competed against club and regional champions and won 140 out of 156 mtches. He defeated George Nelson, the year after Nelson had won the national singles title. That victory earned Quam an invitation to the White House where he met with President Herbert Hoover.
"I've had more fun playing handball than any other activity," Quam told U.S. Handball, "handball has been the vehicle by which I won my way out of darkness and despair...I don't believe that having one hand has been a handicap...everyone is given more natural ability, equipment and talent than we will ever use. Success is not going to be determined by what you have to work with, but how you use what you have."
GEORGE QUAM
Class: 1963.
Sport: Handball.
