Richard Schauffele

Richard "Molly" Schauffele (26 January 1903 in Cannstatt – 5 February 1983 in Stuttgart) was a German track athlete, football player, politician and sports personality.

In his youth up to his mid-twenties the civil engineer by trade played football for the VfB Stuttgart.

At the age of 25, Schauffele switched over to track & field and never looked back.

From 1919 to 1927 Schauffele played football on the first squad of the VfB Stuttgart.

1927 Schauffele won the Southern German championship title with the VfB Stuttgart.

However, the team failed to reach the finals for the German championships.

1927 marked the end of Schauffele's football career, who from hereon in focused on developing his talents in the throwing disciplines of track and field.

At a height of 6'8" Schauffele was a giant of his time and an exceptionally gifted athlete. He successfully competed in national championships up to the age of 40 and was able to garner 32 state and regional championship titles in discus, javelin, shot-put and ball throwing (now no longer a competitive discipline). In 1935 Schauffele's efforts were rewarded when winning the German national team title with the Stuttgarter Kickers.

Schauffele's great-grandson, Xander, won the gold medal in men's golf at the 2020 Tokyo Summer Olympics in 2021.