Peter Ueberroth captained the water polo team at San Jose State University but was unsuccessful in his bid to make the U.S. Olympic Water Polo Team for the Melbourne 1956 Olympic Games.
Decades later, however, Ueberroth is one of the most influential figures in U.S. Olympic history.
After working in business for 20 years following his graduation from San Jose State, Ueberroth served as the president of the Los Angeles Olympic Organizing Committee for the Los Angeles 1984 Olympic Games, which were well regarded for their financial success.
Ueberroth developed a new financial model for The Olympics, with new sponsorship levels, a new model for the Olympic Torch Relay that included a fundraising component and was open to the public and renegotiated television contracts. The success of the Los Angeles Games earned Ueberroth the honor of Time magazine’s Man of the Year.
Upon the completion of The Games, Ueberroth was presented the Olympic Order for his contributions.
Ueberroth subsequently was hired as the commissioner of Major League Baseball and he later served as chairman of the U.S. Olympic Committee.
