Talk:Myer Prinstein

Meyer or Myer?
Can anybody definitively say how he spelt his first name? This article is headed "Meyer Prinstein" but begins "Myer Prinstein". In Google, 'Meyer' gets more hits but the ones for 'Myer' seem to be of better quality. (Retrospectively signed by Scolaire 17:58, 1 May 2006)


 * The USATF, EB , and the IOC ( - search for "Prinstein") all give it as "Meyer". Sorry I didn't catch this earlier, not sure how this article isn't on my watchlist. "Myer" definitely appears enough that there needs to be a redirect, though. -- Jonel | Speak 19:55, 19 July 2006 (UTC)

I have moved the article to 'Myer Prinstein' and done a good bit of editing. Scolaire 00:23, 20 July 2006 (UTC)


 * The move is unfortunate, as the name is Meyer. The rest of the editing looks great. -- Jonel | Speak 02:56, 20 July 2006 (UTC)

I hasten to add that I moved the page before you posted the above. Despite the unimpeachable sources you have quoted, I still believe 'Myer' is the correct spelling. It is used by many other, equally reputable organisations such as the International Jewish Sports Hall of Fame, whom you would expect to want to get it right, it is used by author Mark Quinn in The King of Spring, which I used for the Peter O'Connor article, and it was used in contemporary newspaper reports of the 1906 Olympics - Irish papers, admittedly, but presumably using international news services. Thanks for your complimentary remarks on my edit. Scolaire 18:01, 20 July 2006 (UTC)


 * Huh. Considering the strong sources using both spellings, I'm going to blame Webster and Johnson (though I doubt they had anything to do with this specific spelling difference).  As long as WP is consistent and there's a redirect (and you appear to have done the footwork for that), either spelling is fine. Good work! -- Jonel | Speak 19:06, 20 July 2006 (UTC)

The correct spelling is almost certainly Myer. Myer Prinstein was my grandmother's older brother. Although "Meyer" was probably the originaal spelling of his name (since it's the correct spelling), every contemporary newspaper article and obituary I've seen spells it "Myer"; "Myer" is how it was always spelled within the family; and, most importantly, in the two documents I have copies of that bear his signature -- the page from the 1900 U.S. census for Syracuse NY listing his family (since he was a census enumerator for that district and signed each page), and his World War I draft registration card -- he spelled his name "Myer."

Donna Levinsohn 24 September 2006


 * Thanks for that, Donna. I hope you approve of the article. Scolaire 21:14, 26 September 2006 (UTC)

I can definitively report that the man's name was 'Myer' and so say all family records, legal documents largely, and gravestone. Mr Prinstein's name was never 'Meyer' except by typo misinterpretation. — Preceding unsigned comment added by 98.14.58.128 (talk) 15:48, 8 November 2014 (UTC)