Although his only shot at Olympic competition was stopped short following the cancellation of tumbling from the games in 1948, Irvin Bedard’s hall of fame career was impressive enough to earn him the reputation as the world’s best tumbler in the late 1940s by fans and peers. Following his athletics career, Bedard coached and judged boys’ and girls’ gymnastics. The four-time NCAA Champion went on to become the founder and inaugural president of the Illinois High School Coaches Association as well as the National Coaches Association.