Lord Killanin

sixth president of the International Olympic Committee who guided the organization through the turbulent tragedies of the 1970s between the reigns of Avery Brundage and Juan Antonio Samaranch; his eight-year term began in 1972, shortly after the massacre of Israeli athletes and coaches at the Munich Olympics; his moderate views on amateurism were a refreshing change from Brundage and led to eligibility reforms; began as Ireland's representative to the IOC in 1952 and moved up to senior vice president to Brundage in 1968; began his career as a journalist and political columnist in London from 1935-39; served in WWII and discharged as a major in 1945.