About Jean Shiley
Lived 1911 – 1998 (aged 86). Jean Shiley was an American athletics competitor.
Jean Shiley Newhouse (November 20, 1911 – March 11, 1998) was an American high jumper. She was born Jean Shiley in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, and later moved to Havertown, a Philadelphia suburb, where she joined the team at Haverford High School.
Shiley tied with Babe Didrikson in the trials for the 1932 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles. In the games, both cleared and failed at . In the jump-off, they tied again at a world record height of ; however, Shiley was awarded the gold medal, as Didrikson's Western roll technique was deemed "diving".
Didrikson was also given a share in the world record and this, though equalled a few times, stood until 1939. Shiley was ruled ineligible for the 1936 Games as she had worked as a swimming instructor.
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Important facts
Contemporaries
People whose lives overlapped Jean Shiley's
Frequently asked questions
Who was Jean Shiley?
American athletics competitor
When was Jean Shiley born?
Jean Shiley was born on 20 November 1911 in Harrisburg.
When did Jean Shiley die?
Jean Shiley died on 11 March 1998 in Los Angeles.
What was Jean Shiley's occupation?
Jean Shiley was an athletics competitor.
What nationality was Jean Shiley?
Jean Shiley was American.
Sources & further reading
Cite this page
APA: Biography.guide. (2026). Jean Shiley. https://biography.guide/jean-shiley/
MLA: "Jean Shiley." Biography.guide, https://biography.guide/jean-shiley/.
Chicago: "Jean Shiley." Biography.guide. https://biography.guide/jean-shiley/.
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