Pub. 11 2016-2017 Issue 2

www.nebankers.org 26 Extraordinary Service for Extraordinary Members. Paul Amen, 1916-2005: A LEGEND IN BANKING & BASEBALL Penny Rafferty Hamilton, Ph.D. P AUL AMEN WAS BORN IN 1916 TO GERMANS FROM Russia. His immigrant parents arrived in Nebraska in the 1880s. They worked hard in their Lincoln grocery store to build the American dream. Their lessons in determination and honesty served Amen well in both banking and sports. By the turn of the century, sports had become highly im- portant to America and the world was rapidly changing. The 1921 World Series was the first World Series to be broadcast on radio. In 1927, Babe Ruth hit his record-setting 60th home run. That same year, Europe and America were connected through the historic transatlantic flight of adventurer Charles Lindbergh and his Spirit of St. Louis. For Paul Amen, adventure awaited him in Europe as an Olympic baseball star. Although his neighbors were still re- covering from the Great Depression, they successfully raised enough money to allow him to compete in Germany. Eighty years ago, Nazi leaders spared no expense to impress the global audience with the 11thOlympic Games. Their sprawling new campus was 325 acres. Imagine the emotions Amen felt as a 20-year-old walk- ing into the gigantic, new Reichssportfeld stadium. Built of natural stone, themassive structure held 110,000 spectators. (Back then, our own University of Nebraska Memorial Stadium held only 31,000 people.) It was head-spinning for the young American baseball players. To add even more excitement, these Olympics were going to be the first sporting event to be televised live. After days of storm clouds, the Berlin sky was clear on Wednesday, Aug. 12, 1936, for the summer Olympic events. Jesse Owens, America’s sensational track star, had already won four gold medals. Two U.S. teams took the diamond to great fanfare following a 24-year absence of baseball at the Olym- pics. The young players understood the game’s importance for our nation and for baseball. The exhibition game began at 8:00 p.m. with the U.S. Olympic team first up. That meant Paul Amen, a key player for the “World Champions,” would defend first base. Ideally, the first baseman is tall with quick reflexes and great flexibility because he receives throws from everyone. That description fit Amen to a T. He already had earned let- ters in baseball, basketball, and football for the University of Nebraska. Fortunately, the weather was cool because the baseball game was a scorcher. The two teams battled to the end of the sixth inning, with Amen’s team leading by a razor-thin margin of 5-4. Then, at the top of the seventh, it happened. The U.S. Olympic team scored to tie the game. Amen’s “World Champions” scored to win the game 6-5, and sports history was made. Amen’s game uniform is now in the Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, N.Y. Baseball and sports continued to play a large role in Amen’s future. After the Olympics, he returned to graduate from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, again lettering in baseball, Above: Paul Amen lettered at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln in baseball, basketball, and football. He returned to Nebraska as an assistant football coach for the 1939-1940 season. Amen also coached football for West Point’s Army Knights and Wake Forest. (Courtesy Amen Family Archive) Below: Nebraska’s Paul Amen was inducted posthumously into the Nebraska High School Sports Hall of Fame in 2012. (Courtesy Amen Family Archive)