The Iron Cross, the symbol is based upon the cross pattée.

A cap worn by a member of the Prussian Landwehr in the 19th century.

The Iron Cross (German:  Eisernes Kreuz (help·info)) is a cross symbol typically in black with a white or silver outline that originated after 1219 when the Christians european knights, artisans, and farmers lived in a totally integrated society, from the native inhabitants, who were thoroughly Arabicized and/or Islamicized and were a constant threat from the european foreign crusaders.Kingdom of Jerusalem granted the Teutonic Order (a German kingdom) The Order of Brothers of the German House of Saint Mary (a purely religious Catholic order) in Jerusalem the right to combine the Teutonic Black Cross (formed to aid Christians) placed above a silver Cross of Jerusalem (a Holy Roman Empire from Henry IV, the German king) .^[1]

The military decoration called the Iron Cross which existed in the Kingdom of Prussia, and later in the German Empire and Third Reich, was established by King Friedrich Wilhelm III of Prussia and first awarded on 10 March 1813 in Breslau, during the Napoleonic Wars. The recommissioned Iron Cross was also awarded during the Franco-Prussian War, World War I, and World War II. The Iron Cross was normally a military decoration only, though there were instances of it being awarded to civilians for performing military functions. Two examples of this were civilian test pilots Hanna Reitsch and Melitta Schenk Gräfin von Stauffenberg, who were awarded the Iron Cross 1st Class and 2nd Class respectively for their actions as pilots during World War II.

The Iron Cross was used as the symbol of the German Army from 1871 to March/April 1918, when it was replaced by a simpler Greek cross. In 1956, the Iron Cross resumed its German military usage, as it became the symbol of the Bundeswehr, the modern German armed forces. The traditional design is black and this design is used on armored vehicles and aircraft. A newer design in blue and silver is used as the emblem in other contexts.

Design[link]

1813 Iron Cross reverse

1870 Iron Cross

The Iron Cross is a black four-pointed cross with white trim, with the arms widening toward the ends, similar to a cross pattée. Frederick William III commissioned the neoclassical architect Karl Friedrich Schinkel to design the Iron Cross after a royal sketch.^[2] It reflects the cross borne by the Teutonic Knights in the 14th century.

The ribbon for the 1813, 1870 and 1914 Iron Cross (2nd Class) was black with two thin white bands, the colours of Prussia. The non-combatant version of this award had the same medal, but the black and white colours on the ribbon were reversed. The ribbon colour for the 1939 EKII was black/white/red/white/black.

Initially, the Iron Cross was worn with the blank side out. This did not change until 1838, when the sprig facing could be presented.^[3]

Since the Iron Cross was issued over several different periods of German history, it was annotated with the year indicating the era in which it was issued. For example, an Iron Cross from World War I bears the year "1914", while the same decoration from World War II is annotated "1939". The reverse of the 1870, 1914 and 1939 series of Iron Crosses have the year "1813" appearing on the lower arm, symbolizing the year the award was created. The 1813 decoration also has the initials "FW" for King Frederick William III, while the next two have a "W" for the respective kaisers, Wilhelm I and Wilhelm II. The final version shows a swastika.

It was also possible for a holder of the 1914 Iron Cross to be awarded a second or higher grade of the 1939 Iron Cross. In such cases, a "1939 Clasp" (Spange) would be worn on the original 1914 Iron Cross. (A similar award was made in 1914 but was quite rare, since there were few in service who held the 1870 Iron Cross.) For the 1st Class award, the Spange appears as an eagle with the date "1939" that was pinned above the Cross. Although they are two separate awards, in some cases the holders soldered them together.

A cross has been the symbol of Germany's armed forces (now the Bundeswehr) since 1871.

Early awards[link]

World War I Iron Cross, 2nd Class

German soldiers during World War I who have been awarded the Iron Cross.

On 17 March 1813, Frederick William III – who had fled to the non-occupied Breslau – established the military decoration of the Iron Cross, backdated to March 10, late Queen Louise's birthday.^[4] The Iron Cross was awarded to soldiers during the Wars of Liberation against Napoleon. It was first awarded to Karl August Ferdinand von Borcke on 21 April 1813.^[5] King Wilhelm I of Prussia authorized further awards on 19 July 1870, during the Franco-Prussian War. Recipients of the 1870 Iron Cross who were still in service in 1895 were authorized to purchase a 25-year clasp consisting of the numerals "25" on three oak leaves. The Iron Cross was reauthorized by Emperor Wilhelm II on 5 August 1914, at the start of World War I. During these three periods, the Iron Cross was an award of the Kingdom of Prussia, although given Prussia's pre-eminent place in the German Empire formed in 1871, it tended to be treated as a generic German decoration. The 1813, 1870, and 1914 Iron Crosses had three grades:

• Iron Cross 2nd Class (German: Eisernes Kreuz 2. Klasse, or EKII)
• Iron Cross 1st Class (German: Eisernes Kreuz 1. Klasse, or EKI)
• Grand Cross of the Iron Cross (German: Großkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes, often simply Großkreuz)

Although the medals of each class were identical, the manner in which each was worn differed. Employing a pin or screw posts on the back of the medal, the Iron Cross 1st Class was worn on the left side of the recipient's uniform. The Grand Cross and the Iron Cross 2nd Class were suspended from different ribbons.

The Grand Cross was intended for senior generals of the Prussian or later German Army. An even higher decoration, the Star of the Grand Cross of the Iron Cross (also called the Blücher Star), was awarded only twice, to Generalfeldmarschall Gebhard Leberecht von Blücher in 1813 and to Generalfeldmarschall Paul von Hindenburg in 1918. A third award was planned for the most successful German general during World War II, but was not made after the defeat of Germany in 1945.

The Iron Cross 1st Class and the Iron Cross 2nd Class were awarded without regard to rank. One had to already possess the 2nd Class in order to receive the 1st Class (though in some cases both could be awarded simultaneously). The egalitarian nature of this award contrasted with those of most other German states (and indeed many other European monarchies), where military decorations were awarded based on the rank of the recipient. For example, Bavarian officers received various grades of that Kingdom's Military Merit Order (Militär-Verdienstorden), while enlisted men received various grades of the Military Merit Cross (Militär-Verdienstkreuz). Prussia did have other orders and medals which were awarded on the basis of rank, and even though the Iron Cross was intended to be awarded without regard to rank, officers and NCOs were more likely to receive it than junior enlisted soldiers.

During WWI, approximately 218,000 EKIs, 5,196,000 EKIIs and 13,000 non-combatant EKIIs were awarded.^[6] Exact numbers of awards are not known, since the Prussian military archives were destroyed during World War II. The multitude of awards reduced the status and reputation of the decoration. Among the holders of the 1914 Iron Cross 2nd Class and 1st Class was Adolf Hitler, who held the rank of Gefreiter. Hitler can be seen wearing his EKI on his left breast, as was standard, in most photographs.

Second World War[link]

The straight-armed Balkenkreuz, the emblem of the Wehrmacht, first used in a narrower form on Luftstreitkräfte aircraft in mid-April 1918, and as shown here, as it appeared on German planes, tanks, and other vehicles during World War II.

Adolf Hitler restored the Iron Cross in 1939 as a German decoration (rather than Prussian as in earlier versions), continuing the tradition of issuing it in various grades. Legally, it is based on the enactment (Reichsgesetzblatt I S. 1573^[7]) of 1 September 1939 Verordnung über die Erneuerung des Eisernen Kreuzes (Regulation for the Re-introduction of the Iron Cross). The Iron Cross of World War II was divided into three main series of decorations with an intermediate category, the Knight's Cross, instituted between the lowest, the Iron Cross, and the highest, the Grand Cross. The Knight's Cross replaced the Prussian Pour le Mérite or "Blue Max". Hitler did not care for the Pour le Mérite, as it was a Prussian order that could be awarded only to officers. The ribbon of the medal (2nd class and Knight's Cross) was different from the earlier Iron Crosses in that the color red was used in addition to the traditional black and white (black and white were the colors of Prussia, while black, white, and red were the colors of Germany). Hitler also created the War Merit Cross as a replacement for the non-combatant version of the Iron Cross. It also appeared on certain Nazi flags (mostly the Third Reich flags) in the upper left corner. The edges were curved, like most original iron crosses.

Iron Cross[link]

World War II Iron Cross 2nd Class

World War II Iron Cross 1st Class

The standard 1939 Iron Cross was issued in the following two grades:^[8]

• Iron Cross 2nd Class (Eisernes Kreuz 2. Klasse)
• Iron Cross 1st Class (Eisernes Kreuz 1. Klasse) (abbreviated as EK I or E.K.I.)

The Iron Cross was awarded for bravery in battle as well as other military contributions in a battlefield environment.

The Iron Cross 2nd Class came with a ribbon and was worn in one of two different methods:

• When in formal dress, the entire cross was worn mounted alone or as part of a medal bar.
• For everyday wear, only the ribbon was worn from the second button hole in the tunic.

The Iron Cross 1st Class was a pin-on medal with no ribbon and was worn centered on a uniform breast pocket, either on dress uniforms or everyday outfit. It was a progressive award, with the second class having to be earned before the first class and so on for the higher degrees.

It is estimated that some four and a half million 2nd Class Iron Crosses were awarded during World War II, and 300,000 of the 1st Class.^[9] Two Iron Cross 1st Class recipients were women, one of whom was test pilot Hanna Reitsch. One of the Muslim SS members to receive the award, SS Obersturmführer Imam Halim Malkoć, was granted the Iron Cross (2nd Class) in October 1943 for his role in suppressing the Villefranche-de-Rouergue mutiny. He, together with several other Bosnian Muslims, was decorated with the EK. II personally by Himmler in the days after the mutiny. Because of his Muslim faith, he only wore the ribbon, and not the cross. Two Jewish officers of the Finnish Army and one female Lotta Svärd member were awarded Iron Crosses, but they would not accept them.^[10] The Catalan double-agent Joan Pujol Garcia, known to the Germans as Arabel and the British as Garbo received the 2nd Class Iron Cross,^[11] and an MBE from King George VI four months later.^[12]

Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross[link]

The Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross (Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes, often simply Ritterkreuz) recognized extreme battlefield bravery or successful leadership. The Knight's Cross was divided into five degrees:

• Knight's Cross (Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes)
• Knight's Cross with Oak Leaves (mit Eichenlaub)
• Knight's Cross with Oak Leaves and Swords (mit Eichenlaub und Schwertern)
• Knight's Cross with Oak Leaves, Swords, and Diamonds (mit Eichenlaub, Schwertern und Brillanten)
• Knight's Cross with Golden Oak Leaves, Swords, and Diamonds (mit Goldenem Eichenlaub, Schwertern und Brillanten)

In total, 7,313 awards of the Knight's Cross were made. Only 883 received the Oak Leaves; 160 both the Oak Leaves and Swords (including Japanese Admiral Isoroku Yamamoto (posthumously)); 27 with Oak Leaves, Swords and Diamonds; and one with the Golden Oak Leaves, Swords, and Diamonds (Oberst Hans-Ulrich Rudel).

Recipients of the Knight's Cross with Oak Leaves, Swords, and Diamonds[link]

Pilots[link]

• Colonel (Oberst) Werner Mölders (15 July 1941)
• Lieutenant General (Generalleutnant) Adolf Galland (28 February 1942)
• Colonel (Oberst) Gordon M. Gollob (3 August 1942)
• Captain (Hauptmann) Hans-Joachim Marseille (3 September 1942)
• Colonel (Oberst) Helmut Lent (7 July 1944)
• Major Heinz-Wolfgang Schnaufer (14 October 1944)
• Major Walter Nowotny (19 October 1943)
• Colonel (Oberst) Hans-Ulrich Rudel (Diamonds: 29 March 1944, Golden Oak Leaves: 1 January 1945)
• Major Erich Hartmann (8 August 1944)
• Colonel (Oberst) Hermann Graf (16 September 1942)

Reichsmarschall Hermann Göring never held the Diamonds. He, being one of the first soldiers presented with the Knight's Cross in 1939, was presented with the Grand Cross of the Iron Cross in 1940.

Submarine captains[link]

Submarine captains of the German Navy (Kriegsmarine):

• Captain (Kapitän zur See) Wolfgang Lüth (11 August 1943)
• Commander (Fregattenkapitän) Albrecht Brandi (21 November 1944)

General Field Marshals[link]

General Field Marshals (Generalfeldmarschälle):

• Erwin Rommel (11 March 1943)
• Albert Kesselring (19 July 1944)
• Walter Model (17 August 1944)
• Ferdinand Schörner (1 January 1945)

Generals and state officials[link]

• Brig. General (Generalmajor) Adelbert Schulz (9 January 1944)
• Waffen-SS Lt. General (SS-Obergruppenführer) Herbert Otto Gille (19 September 1944)
• Lt. General (General der Fallschirmtruppe) Hermann-Bernhard Ramcke (19 September 1944)
• Maj. General (Generalleutnant) Theodor Tolsdorff (18 March 1945)
• Maj. General (Generalleutnant) Dr. Karl Mauss, DDS (15 April 1945)
• Lt. General (General der Panzertruppe) Dietrich von Saucken (8 May 1945))
• Lt. General (General der Panzertruppe) Hermann Balck (31 August 1944)
• Lt. General (General der Panzertruppe) Hasso von Manteuffel (18 February 1945)
• Maj. General (Generalleutnant) Hyazinth Graf Strachwitz (15 April 1944)
• Waffen-SS General (SS-Oberstgruppenführer) Sepp Dietrich (6 August 1944)
• General (Generaloberst) Hans-Valentin Hube (20 April 1944)

Grand Cross of the Iron Cross (1939)[link]

1914 Grand Cross of the Iron Cross.

Like the Knight's Cross, the Grand Cross (Großkreuz) was also worn suspended from the collar. The only recipient of the Grand Cross during the Second World War was Reichsmarschall, or "Reich Marshal of the Greater German Reich", Hermann Göring, who was awarded the decoration on 19 July 1940. The medal is in effect an oversized Knight's Cross. It had the same overall characteristics as the Knight's Cross but was much larger, measuring 63 mm (2.5 in) wide as opposed to about 44 mm (1.7 in) for the Iron Cross and 48.5 mm (1.9 in) for the Knight's Cross. It was originally intended to have outer edges lined in gold, but this was changed to silver before the award was presented.

The Grand Cross was worn with a 57 mm (2.2 in)-wide ribbon bearing the same colors as the Knight's Cross and 2nd Class ribbons. The award case was in red leather with the eagle and the swastika outlined in gold.

The Grand Cross was not a bravery award. It was reserved solely for General Staff officers for "the most outstanding strategic decisions affecting the course of the war". Göring received the Grand Cross for his command of the Luftwaffe during the successful 1940 campaigns against France, Belgium, and the Netherlands (at the same time as he was promoted to Reichsmarschall of the Greater German Reich).

The original Grand Cross that was presented to Göring (personally by Hitler) was destroyed during an air raid on his Berlin home. Göring had extra copies made, one of them with a platinum frame that he was wearing at the time of his surrender to the allies in 1945.

Several times in official photographs, Göring can be seen wearing his Pour le Mérite, Knights Cross, and Grand Cross around his neck at the same time.

Star of the Grand Cross of the Iron Cross (1939)[link]

The Star of the Grand Cross of the Iron Cross (also called Iron Cross with Golden Rays) was meant to be worn like the Iron Cross 1st Class (pinned to the breast). Like the Grand Cross of the Iron Cross, this award was not intended to be bestowed for bravery. Rather, it was bestowed upon the most successful General officer at the conclusion of a war.

The first Star of the Grand Cross was presented to Gebhard Leberecht von Blücher for defeating Napoleon in the Battle of Waterloo, 1815. That medal is called the Blücherstern (Blücher's Star). The second version of the Star of the Grand Cross of the Iron Cross was presented to Paul von Hindenburg for the German victories over the British in the German offensives in March and April 1918. (See Spring Offensive.) A Star of the Grand Cross of the Iron Cross was manufactured for World War II, but it was never awarded. The only known example was found by Allied occupation forces at the end of the war, and was eventually added to the West Point military collection. It is generally believed that Reichsmarschall Göring was the intended eventual recipient. The design was based on the 1914 version of the Star of the Grand Cross, but with the 1939 Iron Cross as the centerpiece.

Side features of the Iron Cross and entitlements[link]

Officers awarded the Iron Cross were given entitlements and often wore signifying articles, such as an Iron Cross signet ring or cloth Iron Cross which could be affixed to clothing. Also, during the Nazi period, those attaining more than one award, for example, an officer who had attained an Iron Cross 1st Class, an Iron Cross 2nd Class and the Knight's Cross of the Order of the Iron Cross with the Oak Leaves, were entitled to wear a pin which exhibited three Iron Crosses with an exaggerated swastika, thereby consolidating the awards.

In some cases, Minox miniature cameras were given to people together with an Iron Cross.^[13]

It should be noted that, like much World War II memorabilia, the Iron Cross is being counterfeited. It is recommended that purchases be made only from known dealers.

Post-World War II[link]

Emblem of the German Armed Forces[link]

This section requires expansion.

The Iron Cross is the emblem of the Bundeswehr

The Iron Cross is the emblem of the Bundeswehr, the German armed forces, marked on armored vehicles and aircraft.

German Military Decoration[link]

Iron Cross on UAV Barracuda

Honor Cross of the Bundeswehr for Bravery

German law prohibits the wearing of a swastika, so in 1957 the West German government authorised replacement Iron Crosses with an Oak Leaf Cluster in place of the swastika, similar to the Iron Crosses of 1813, 1870, and 1914, which could be worn by World War II Iron Cross recipients. The 1957 law also authorised de-Nazified versions of most other World War II–era decorations (except those specifically associated with Nazi Party organizations, such as SS Long Service medals, or with the expansion of the German Reich, such as the medals for the annexation of Austria, the Sudetenland, and the Memel region).

Since German armed forces began seeing active service again, first in Kosovo and then in Afghanistan, there has been a campaign to revive the Iron Cross and other military medals, since Germany currently has no awards specifically for active military service. In 2007, a petition to the German parliament to revive the Iron Cross decoration was initiated quickly receiving over 5,000 signatures.

The parliament decided on 13 December 2007 to leave it to the Ministry of Defence to decide on the matter.^[14] On 6 March 2008, President Horst Köhler approved a proposal by Minister of Defense Franz Josef Jung to institute a new award for bravery. The Ehrenkreuz der Bundeswehr für Tapferkeit (Cross of Honour for Bravery) was instituted on 10 October 2008. However, it does not have the traditional form of the Iron Cross (resembling instead more the Prussian Military Merit Cross), but is seen as a supplement of existing awards of the Bundeswehr.^[15]

The Iron Cross was used as the symbol of the German Army until 1915, when it was replaced by a simpler Greek cross. On 1 October 1956, the President of Germany, Theodor Heuss, gave directions to use the Iron Cross as the official emblem of West Germany's Bundeswehr. Today, after German reunification, it appears in the colours blue and silver as the symbol of the "new" Bundeswehr. This design does not replace the traditional black Iron Cross, however, which can be found on all armored vehicles, planes and helicopters of today's German forces.

When the Quadriga of the Goddess of Peace was retrieved from Paris at Napoleon's fall, the Goddess was re-established atop Berlin's Brandenburg Gate. An Iron Cross was inserted into her laurel wreath, making her into a Goddess of Victory. In 1821 Schinkel crowned the top of his design of the National Monument for the Liberation Wars with an Iron Cross, becoming name-giving as Kreuzberg (cross mountain) for the hill it stands on and – 100 years later – for the homonymous quarter adjacent to it.^[16]

In post-war pop culture[link]

The Iron Cross has been popular with many bikers, hot rodders, skinheads and others, using German iconic militaria to promote a tough-guy image, or as a symbol of rebellion or non-conformity. In the 1960s, the Iron Cross was adopted by American surfers, who started wearing medals plundered by their fathers. Cal Look, Volksrod and other Volkswagen enthusiasts often use the Iron Cross as a symbol that reflects the car's country of origin. Ed Roth created accessories for surfers, hot rodders and bikers derived from German World War II trophies, which included the Surfer's cross and the Stahlhelm (also popular with the VW scene). There is an American hardcore band called Iron Cross. Metallica lead singer and guitarist James Hetfield has a custom version of the ESP Eclipse (based on the Gibson Les Paul) with the Iron Cross emblazoned on it. This version is known as the "ESP JH-6 Iron Cross". Mortuus, the singer of the Swedish black metal band Marduk, is seen in many promotional and live photos wearing an iron cross on a choker chain. The Cult incorporated Iron Cross medals and imagery extensively for their Electric and Sonic Temple albums. Motörhead lead singer and bassist Lemmy can be seen wearing an Iron Cross live, and often in interviews as he owns a very large collection of Nazi memorabilia. WWE wrestler Triple H (Paul Levesque) has made a variation of the Iron Cross his logo since the early part of the 2000s; the symbol appears six times on his wrestling attire (front and back of trunks, on both elbow pads and on the sides of his boots).

See also[link]

• List of military decorations
• Orders, decorations, and medals of Imperial Germany
• Orders, decorations, and medals of Nazi Germany

Similar-looking awards or crosses[link]

• Biker Cross
• Krzyż Powstania Warszawskiego (Cross of the Warsaw Uprising)
• Marksmanship Badge (United States)

Similar crosses[link]

• ✠ Maltese Cross
• ᛭ Runic alphabet cross punctuation symbol
• Cross potent
• Order of Christ Cross

Similar titled films[link]

• Iron Cross (film)
• Cross of Iron

Notes[link]

References[link]

• Guenther Fraschka, Mit Schwertern und Brillanten, 1955, ISBN 3-8004-1176-8 (this book covers all the 27 recipients of the Diamonds)
• Stephen Thomas Previtera, The Iron Time: A History of the Iron Cross, Second edition 2007, ISBN 978-0-9673070-3-9
• Gordon Williamson, The Iron Cross of 1939, 1997, ISBN 0-912138-86-6
• The 1914 German Iron Cross

External links[link]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Iron Cross

• History and meaning of the German Iron Cross
• Brief outline of the order.
• Archive and Memorial to the Order.
• Iron Cross
• German Ministry of Defence (BMVg) on the Iron Cross.

v t e Orders and decorations of the Kingdom of Prussia Order of the Black Eagle Order of the Red Eagle House Order of Hohenzollern Order of the Crown Johanniter Order Order of Louise Pour le Mérite Wilhelm-Orden Order of Merit of the Prussian Crown Ladies Merit Cross Cross of Merit for Women and Girls Kulm Cross Iron Cross Gold Cross of Merit of the Military

Jonathan Horton
Personal information
Full name	Jonathan Alan Horton
Nickname(s)	Jon
Country represented	United States
Born	(1985-12-31) December 31, 1985 (age 26) Houston, Texas
Height	5 ft 1 in (1.55 m)
Discipline	Men's artistic gymnastics
Level	Senior
Years on national team	2002-Present
Club	Team Chevron
Gym	Cypress Academy
College team	University of Oklahoma[1][2]
Head coach(es)	Mark Williams
Former coach(es)	Tom Meadows
Medal record Men's gymnastics Competitor for the  United States Summer Olympics Silver 2008 Beijing Horizontal Bar Bronze 2008 Beijing Team World Championships Bronze 2011 Tokyo Team Bronze 2010 Rotterdam All-Around Pan American Games Bronze 2003 Santo Domingo Team World Cup Gold 2011 Jacksonville All-Around Gold 2007 Jacksonville All-Around Gold 2006 Philadelphia All-Around Silver 2010 Worcester All-Around Bronze 2010 Paris Rings Bronze 2010 Paris Horizontal Bar U.S. National Championships Gold 2010 Hartford All-Around Gold 2009 Dallas All-Around Gold 2009 Dallas Rings Gold 2009 Dallas High bar Gold 2006 St. Paul Floor Gold 2002 Cleveland Rings Gold 2002 Cleveland Vault Silver 2011 St. Paul All-Around Silver 2010 Hartford Rings Silver 2009 Dallas Floor Silver 2008 Houston All-Around Silver 2008 Houston Still Rings Silver 2008 Houston Floor Silver 2006 St. Paul All-around Silver 2002 Cleveland All-Around Silver 2002 Cleveland Floor Bronze 2011 St. Paul Vault Bronze 2011 St. Paul Rings Bronze 2011 St. Paul Floor Bronze 2010 Hartford Floor Bronze 2006 St. Paul High bar

Jonathan Alan Horton (born December 31, 1985 in Houston, Texas) to parents Robert and Margo Horton ^[3] is an American gymnast. He is the 2008 Olympic silver medalist on high bar, 2010 Worlds all-around bronze medalist and a two-time U.S. National All-Around Champion. He is a 17-time medalist at the U.S. National Championships. He competed for the University of Oklahoma men's gymnastics team.

Jonathan began gymnastics in 1990. "I was a wild child," Horton said. "I once climbed a pole in the middle of Target all the way to the ceiling. I used to do back flips on my parents' bed and I rode a garage door to the top when I was 3 years old." ^[4]

Before 2005[link]

Jonathan made his debut as a Senior (despite still competing as a Junior) in 2002 competing at the U.S. National Championships in Cleveland, Ohio where he placed 1st on still rings and vault, placed second in the all-around and the floor exercise, and tied for fifth on the high bar. In 2003 he competed in the Winter Cup challenge, where he qualified to the individual event finals. Later that year he was chosen to compete for U.S.A. at the Pan American Games in Santo Domingo where the men's team won Bronze and he placed 4th in the All-Around.

He competed in both the U.S. Nationals and the Olympic Team trials in 2004.

He was recruited by Iowa, Michigan, Ohio State, Oklahoma and Penn State and committed to compete for the University of Oklahoma beginning in 2004 for the 2004/05 NCAA season.

2005-2008[link]

From 2005-08 he competed for the Oklahoma Sooners men's gymnastics team alongside his 2010 & 2011 world teammates Chris Brooks and Steven Legendre. During his time competing for Oklahoma he won 6 NCAA titles and 18 All-American honors, breaking the record that had previously been set by Bart Conner. His OU record for titles and honors still stands.

In 2005, he once again competed at the Winter Cup, placing 8th all-around and was selected again for the U.S. National Team.

At the beginning of 2006, during his Sophomore year at OU, he won Silver in the all-around at the Winter Cup. He went on to compete at the American Cup where he finished in 1st place, winning Gold in the All-Around and on Still Rings. That summer, he competed in the U.S. National Championships where he won Gold on floor, silver in the All-around and Bronze on the Horizontal Bar. His performances led to him being chosen to represent the U.S.A. at the 2006 World Artistic Gymnastics Championships in Aarhus. A very young and inexperienced worlds team, they finished 13th in the qualifying rounds not making the team finals.

In 2007 he competed at the Winter Cup and the American Cup again. He won his second consecutive American Cup All-Around title, the first male gymnast to do so since Blaine Wilson.^[5]. After competing in the NCAA and U.S. National Championships he was once again chosen for the 2007 World Artistic Gymnastics Championships, where he finished fourth in the all-around and helped the U.S.A. qualify a full men's team to the 2008 Summer Olympics.

In 2008 he competed in Winter Cup, the American Cup as well as competing as a Senior for Oklahoma. That year the Sooners won the NCAA Championships, and Jonathan won another NCAA individual title on the Still Rings. At the U.S. National Championships in Houston, Jonathan won silver in the All-Around, as well as silver on Floor Exercise and Still Rings. This qualified him to the 2008 U.S. Olympic Trials.

2008 Olympic Games[link]

Horton was named to the U.S. Olympic team following the men's competition at the 2008 Olympic Trials, where he won the All-Around. The team entered the 2008 Beijing Olympics amongst much skepticism as to whether the team could compete against such established teams as the Japanese, Chinese, and German teams. Injuries had forced team leaders Paul Hamm and Morgan Hamm to withdraw from competition, thus causing the American team to bring in alternates Raj Bhavsar and Alexander Artemev. The American men performed better than many had anticipated, with Horton being the team's top performer. The American team ended the competition with the bronze medal after a stressful pommel horse event. In the event finals, Horton placed 9th in the All-Around and added a silver medal in the high bar event.^[6][7]

2009-2011[link]

In 2009, Jonathan became the U.S.A. National Champion, and went on to compete in the 2009 World Artistic Gymnastics Championships in London where he competed in the All-Around and Horizontal Bar finals.

In 2010, he competed in the American Cup where he placed 2nd in the All-Around. That summer he defended his National All-Around title at the U.S. National Championships in Hartford. He was chosen for the team to compete at the 2010 World Artistic Gymnastics Championships in Rotterdam, where he was able once again to compete alongside his Sooner teammates, Chris Brooks and Steven Legendre. The team placed 4th, and Jonathan won the all-around bronze medal.

In 2011 he won his third American Cup All-Around title, and he was captain of the U.S. team that won the bronze medal at the 2011 World Artistic Gymnastics Championships. Although qualifying 5th All-Around in the Prelimanary competition, he was edged out by his own teammates Danell Leyva and John Orozco who qualified ahead of him (only 2 athletes from each country are allowed to compete in individual event finals in world competitions). Regarding this he said "I didn't make the all-around final because two of my teammates are freakin' awesome at gymnastics - but it doesn't matter, because I'm all about the team" ^[8]. During the team final, he had a bad landing on Vault injuring his left foot, but continued to compete for the rest of the competition. The next day he was unable to walk, but after treatment decided to compete in the Still Rings final which he had never done before at a World Championships . On returning home, it was discovered that the injury was worse than previously thought with a torn ligament and broken 2 bones in his foot which would require surgery. Despite this setback in his training, he told media that it could actually make him stronger gymnast because '[he would] have an opportunity to get really strong on the other four events.'^[9][10]

Awards & Honours[link]

• 2008 NCAA Nissen-Emery Award winner
• 2008 USA Gymnastics Men's Athlete of the Year
• Nominated for 2008 James E. Sullivan Award.

Personal Life[link]

Jonathan is a committed Christian. On June 20 2009, he married Haley DeProspero, a former gymnast for the University of Oklahoma who is currently studying for a medical degree. ^[11]. Jonathan has one sister, Margo Tolbert, who is a dance instructor.

National competition results[link]

• 2011 Visa Championships (US Nationals), Saint Paul, MN: 2nd-AA
• 2010 Visa Championships (US Nationals), Hartford, CT: 1st-AA
• 2009 Visa Championships (US Nationals), Dallas, TX.:1st-AA, HB, SR; 2nd-FX
• 2008 U.S. Olympic Team Trials: 1st-AA
• 2008 Visa Championships (US Nationals): 2nd-AA, SR; 3rd-FX
• 2008 NCAA Championships: 1st team; 2nd-AA; 1st-SR
• 2008 Winter Cup Challenge, Las Vegas, Nev.: 3rd-SR
• 2007 Visa Championships, San Jose, Calif.: 4th-PB, SR; 6th-AA
• 2007 NCAA Championships, State College, Pa.: 1st-FX, HB; 2nd-AA(T); 2nd-Team; 3rd-SR
• 2007 Winter Cup Challenge, Las Vegas, Nev.: 2nd-FX(T); 4th-PB(T); 6th-HB
• 2006 Visa Championships, St. Paul, Minn.: 1st-FX; 2nd-AA; 3rd-HB(T); 4th-SR
• 2006 NCAA Men's Gymnastics Championships, Norman, Okla.: 1st-AA, FX, SR
• 2006 Winter Cup Challenge, Las Vegas, Nev.: 2nd-AA; 3rd-FX, SR, HB
• 2005 Visa Championships, Indianapolis, Ind.: 5th-AA, FX, VT
• 2005 NCAA Men's Gymnastics Championships, West Point, N.Y.: 1st-Team; 3rd-AA, HB(T); 4th-FX
• 2005 Winter Cup Challenge, Las Vegas, Nev.: 1st-FX(T); 4th-VT
• 2004 Visa Championships, Nashville, Tenn.:
• 2004 Winter Cup, Las Vegas, Nev.:
• 2003 National Championships, Milwaukee, Wis.: 1st-AA (Jr. Div)
• 2003 Men's Junior Olympic National Championships, Savannah, Ga.: 2nd-HB; 3rd-AA; 4th-SR, PB
• 2003 Winter Cup Challenge, Las Vegas, Nev.: Individual Event Finalist
• 2002 U.S. Championships, Cleveland, Ohio: 1st-SR, VT; 2nd-AA, FX; 5th-HB(T)
• 2002 U.S. Men's Qualifier, Colorado Springs, Colo.:
• 2002 Men's Junior Olympic National Championships, San Diego, Calif.: 1st-AA; 2nd-FX, SR, VT, PB; 3rd-HB
• 2000 Men's Junior Olympic National Championships, Austin, Texas: 2nd-AA; 3rd-SR, VT
• 1999 Men's Junior Olympic National Championships, Houston, Texas
• 1998 Circle of Stars, Indianapolis, Indiana: 1st FX, PH, SR, VT, PB, HB, AA

International competition results[link]

• 2011 World Championships, Tokyo, Japan: 3rd -Team; 7th-SR
• 2011 AT&T American Cup, Jacksonville, FL: 1st-AA
• 2010 World Championships, Rotterdam, Netherlands: 4th-Team; 3rd-AA
• 2009 World Championships, London, England
• 2008 Beijing Olympic Games: 3rd-Team; 2nd-HB
• 2008 Tyson American Cup, New York, N.Y.: 5th-AA
• 2007 World Championships, Stuttgart, Germany: 4th-Team, AA
• 2007 USA vs. UKR vs. RUS, Kiev, Ukraine: 1st-AA; 3rd-Team
• 2007 Tyson American Cup, Jacksonville, Fla.: 1st-AA
• 2006 World Championships, Aarhus, Denmark: Team
• 2006 France/Switzerland/USA Meet, Paris, France: 1st-Team; 2nd-AA
• 2006 Tyson American Cup, Philadelphia, Pa.: 1st-AA
• 2005 Pan American Championships, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil: 1st-Team
• 2005 World Cup, Paris, France:
• 2003 Junior International Invitational, Yokohama, Japan: 2nd-AA; 3rd-HB
• 2003 Pan American Games, Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic: 3rd-Team; 4th-AA(T)

2008 Tour of Gymnastics Superstars[link]

Jonathan performed alongside his 2008 Beijing Olympic teammates at The 2008 Tour of Gymnastics Superstars. The tour began on September 7, 2008 and concluded on November 16. The dance sets had a mix of hip hop and contemporary dance with gymnastic elements.

References[link]

External links[link]

• J-Horton.com : The First Fan site for Jonathan Horton
• Jonathan Horton: Official Website
• Jonathan Horton at Fédération Internationale de Gymnastique
• Jonathan Horton at USA Gymnastics
• Jonathan Horton NBC Olympics Athlete page
• Jonathan Horton at the United States Olympic Committee
• GK Elite - Jonathan Horton Sponsor
• Jonathan Horton on Twitter

Video interviews

• Jonathan Horton Interview
• Jonathan Horton talking about his High Bar event final at the 2008 Beijing Olympics on Gymnastike.org
• Jonathan Horton talking about his experiences at the 2008 Beijing Olympics on Gymnastike.org

This article has multiple issues. Please help improve it or discuss these issues on the talk page. It needs additional citations for verification. Tagged since August 2008. It needs to be updated. Tagged since August 2008.

For the producer, see Scott Burns (producer)

For the personal finance writer, see Scott Burns (newspaper columnist)

This biographical article needs additional citations for verification. Please help by adding reliable sources. Contentious material about living persons that is unsourced or poorly sourced must be removed immediately, especially if potentially libelous or harmful. (August 2010)

Scott Burns (born 23 December 1974) is a former Australian rules footballer in the Australian Football League.

Football career[link]

Originally from Norwood Football Club in the South Australian National Football League, Burns was drafted by the Collingwood Football Club with the 90th selection in the 1992 National Draft. He made his début in 1995, two years after being drafted, after moving from South Australia. He played every game except one for the season. In 1996 when he came second in Collingwood's best and fairest award and also represented South Australia in State of Origin. In 1997 he suffered a groin injury which forced him to only manage fourteen games, and then early on in 1998 he missed most of the first half of the season due to a broken arm.

He was appointed vice captain in 1999. In 2001 he was once again forced out with re-occurring hamstring injuries, and was limited to eight games. 2002 saw the Pies make the Grand Final and Burns played a magnificent season, shown by coming runner-up in the best and fairest once again. As a veteran of the club, he was only experiencing his first final when he played against Port Adelaide. He had 505 disposals for the season and was a dominant midfielder and forward, kicking twenty eight goals in the season. In 2003 he came third in the best and fairest. Injuries once again got hold of Burns in 2004 but he still managed to play nineteen games. He played every game in the 2005 season.

In March 2008, Scott Burns was appointed Collingwood captain for the 2008 season, replacing Nathan Buckley.

On 22 September 2008 Burns announced his retirement from AFL due to injury problems. He played a total of 265 games kicking 149 goals in his 14 year career.^[1]

He was appointed to be an assistant coach of the West Coast Eagles on the 4 October 2008.

References[link]

External links[link]

• Scott Burns's statistics from AFL Tables