David James "Dave" Wottle (born August 7, 1950) is a former American athlete, winner of 800 m at the 1972 Summer Olympics.
Born in Canton, Ohio, Dave Wottle is probably better known for wearing his old golf headgear while competing than for his track exploits.
As a student at Bowling Green State University in Ohio, Wottle finished second in the NCAA championships mile in 1970. His next season was hampered by injuries but a year later won the NCAA 1,500 m and the AAU 800 m before equalling a world record in 800 m of 1:44.3 at the Olympic Trials.
In the Olympic 800 m final, Wottle immediately dropped to the rear of the field, and stayed there for the first 600 m, at which point he started to pass runner after runner up the straight, and finally grabbing the lead in the final metres to win by just 0.03 seconds. This gained him the nickname of "The Head Waiter". At the victory ceremony, Wottle had unconsciously forgotten to remove his golf cap. This was interpreted as a form of protest, but it solved well, when Wottle apologized. He also competed in the 1500 m at Munich but he was eliminated in the semi-finals.
Wottle won the NCAA mile in 1973, but then turned professional and retired quite soon after that. Later he became a college track coach. Presently, Wottle is Dean of Admissions and Financial Aid at Rhodes College in Memphis, Tennessee.
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Last updated: 05-14-2005 14:17:33
