Founder of U.S. Gymnastics Federation dies

This article was originally on a blog post platform and may be missing photos, graphics or links. See About archive blog posts.

Glenn Sundby of Carlsbad, one of the founders of the U.S. Gymnastics Federation, now known as USA Gymnastics, died Wednesday. He was 87.

After a career as an acrobatic performer, Sundby created Modern Gymnast, a publication that is now called International Gymnast and is considered by gymnastics fans as the place to go to find information not only about American gymnasts but also about the best gymnasts from around the world.

A memorial service is scheduled for March 28 at 10 a.m. at the Coastline Baptist Church in Oceanside.

Sundby first started gymnastics at 14. He created a hand-balance act with former wrestler and body builder George Wayne Long, whom Sundby met at Muscle Beach in Santa Monica. Their act was called Rhapsody in Balance, and the pair performed at carnivals, theaters and nightclubs. In 1949 Sundby walked down the 858 steps of the Washington Monument on his hands. He also founded the International Gymnastics Hall of Fame in Oceanside in 1986. It has since been moved to Oklahoma City.

-- Diane Pucin