George H. McGlynn, 92, a leading scholar in the field of kinesiology and exercise physiology passed away peacefully in the presence of his family following a brief illness.
McGlynn, who began teaching at USF in 1959 following his service in the USMC, was known for, among other things, his work with athletes, addressing topics such as oxygen intake, enhancing performance, and improving training methods. As an all-round scholar athlete at Syracuse University, starting in both basketball and baseball, turning professional for the St. Louis Cardinals in the latter, but also excelling in other sports, he coached both the varsity tennis and baseball teams his first years at USF next to his academic duties. As professor in the Dept. of Physical Education, which he founded in 1973, and later as Chair of Exercise and Sport Science until 1996, he was an invited scientist to various European countries, including past East Germany to learn about physical, mental and nutritional training methods for Olympic athletes.
McGlynn was the author of numerous scholarly books, articles and reports. His research focused on improving our understanding of fitness, muscle strength, and nutrition, not just in athletes but he also had a special interest in sports and fitness in elderly persons. As a mentor for both undergraduate and graduate students, he actively supported many generations of future scientists.
He was the architect of the Masters in Sports and Fitness Management in the College of Arts and Sciences. He was involved with the Continuing Education programs for persons of all walks of life who desired to finish their college degrees. He also taught in the Davies Forum, the Erasmus Program and the Freshman Seminar Program and was recipient of the CAS Research and Teaching award in 1989.
He served as an expert witness defending women’s right to serve on the SFPD during the 1970’s, showing that their physical capabilities more than qualified them to achieve highest standards required by the force. He was also an active defender and proponent of faculty rights, acting as a key representative in teacher’s union conflicts against the institutional establishment. Colleagues looked up to him as a faculty leader, and voice that could be trusted, especially in times of crisis or uncertainty.
Intellectually curious, McGlynn was a voracious reader with interests in world history, important historical figures and politics. He energetically sought to elucidate the motivations and consequences of present political activities here and abroad and was a fervent and vociferous critic of governmental injustice everywhere, and a proud dissident to the generally accepted commercial opinion. With a distinct desire not just to teach, but to inform and expand horizons, he felt compelled to instill his students, as he saw it, with the great benefits of inquisitiveness, thereby opening the door to new ideas outside the realm of the classroom.
In the years following his retirement in 1998, McGlynn remained active and enjoyed travelling, hiking and bike riding with his wife of 63 years Ingeborg, a former USF tennis instructor, and pursued his lifelong passion of oil painting. An ardent author, he wrote on a daily basis, spending hours researching for his latest editorial or essay. His contribution to the field of Kinesiology also continued and in 2016 he co-authored the textbook "Wellness for Older Adults 101", with present department Chair, Prof. Chris Thompson, who recently said it best in a few short words, “George was an impressive and extraordinary man who was intelligent, warm and welcoming”.
Please hold George's family (his wife, Ingeborg; his son, George) and friends in your thoughts and prayers at this time in gratitude for his life, his thirty-nine years in academe, his compassion, courage and lifelong curiosity. May he rest in peace.
A private family gathering was held to honor George’s life.
Notes of condolence can be sent to Ingeborg McGlynn: 85 Linares, S.F. CA 94116.