Jack Sinclair (physiologist)
{{Short description|New Zealand physiologist and middle-distance athlete}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2022}}
{{Use New Zealand English|date=January 2022}}
{{Infobox sportsperson
| name = Jack Sinclair
| image =
| alt =
| caption =
| birth_name = John Desmond Sinclair
| birth_date = {{Birth date|1927|03|14|df=y}}
| birth_place = Auckland, New Zealand
| death_date = {{Death date and age|2018|02|11|1927|03|14|df=y}}
| death_place = Auckland, New Zealand
| occupation =
| spouse = {{marriage|Pat Dunn|1952}}
| children = 4
| country = New Zealand
| sport = Track and field
| club =
| nationals = 1 mile champion (1948, 1950)
| pb = 1 mile – 4:13.5
| module = {{Infobox scientist | embed = yes
| relatives = Keith Sinclair (brother)
Harry Sinclair (nephew)
Stephen Sinclair (nephew)
Raewyn Dalziel (sister-in-law)
| fields = Neurophysiology
| workplaces = University of Auckland
| education = Mount Albert Grammar School
| alma_mater = University of Otago
| thesis_title = The effect of breathing exercises in chronic pulmonary emphysema
| thesis_url = https://otago.hosted.exlibrisgroup.com/permalink/f/q5v1tf/OTAGO_ALMA2193778520001891
| thesis_year = 1955
}}
}}
John Desmond Sinclair (14 March 1927 – 11 February 2018) was a New Zealand neurophysiologist and middle-distance athlete who represented his country at the 1950 British Empire Games. He was involved in the establishment of the medical school at the University of Auckland in 1968, and was the school's foundation professor of physiology.
Early life and family
Born in Auckland on 14 March 1927, Sinclair was the fourth of 10 children of Ernest Duncan Sinclair and Florence Pyrenes Sinclair (née Kennedy).{{cite book |editor-last=Traue |editor-first=J. E. |editor-link=Jim Traue |title=Who's Who in New Zealand |edition=11th |year=1978 |publisher=Reed |location=Wellington |isbn=0-589-01113-8 |page=250}}{{DNZB |title=Sinclair, Keith |first=Tony |last=Ballantyne |id=6s5 |accessdate=8 January 2022}}{{cite web |url=https://www.physoc.org.nz/2018/02/22/obituary-professor-jack-sinclair-by-prof-bruce-smail/ |title=Obituary: Professor Jack Sinclair |first=Bruce |last=Smail |date=21 February 2018 |publisher=Physiology Society of New Zealand |access-date=8 January 2022}} His siblings included the historian Keith Sinclair and the journalist and talkback radio host Geoff Sinclair.{{cite web |url=https://fmhs-history.blogs.auckland.ac.nz/home/origins/ |title=The origins |publisher=University of Auckland |access-date=8 January 2022}}{{cite news |url=https://www.stuff.co.nz/auckland/local-news/5334612/Talkback-star-Geoff-Sinclair-dies |title=Talkback star Geoff Sinclair dies |first=Michael |last=Field |date=25 July 2011 |work=Stuff |access-date=8 January 2022}} Jack Sinclair was educated at Mount Albert Grammar School, and went on to study at the University of Otago, from where he graduated Bachelor of Medical Sciences in 1948{{cite news |url=https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/ODT19480512.2.75 |title=Degrees conferred at university ceremony |date=12 May 1948 |work=Otago Daily Times |page=6 |issue=26769 |access-date=8 January 2022}} and MB ChB.
In 1952, Sinclair married Patricia Colleen Dunn, and the couple went on to have four children.
Athletics
Sinclair was prominent as a middle-distance athlete during his time as a student at the University of Otago. At the 1946 New Zealand University Easter tournament in Christchurch, he won the one mile, finished second in the 880 yards and third in the three miles.{{cite news |url=https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/ODT19460502.2.8.8 |title=Stars of the meeting |date=2 May 1946 |work=Otago Daily Times |page=2 |issue=26141 |access-date=8 January 2022}}{{cite news |url=https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/CHP19460423.2.14 |title=Athletics |date=23 April 1946 |work=The Press |page=3 |volume=82 |issue=24857 |access-date=8 January 2022}} In 1947, he won the Otago 880 yards championship in a time of 2:02.2, defeating Arch Jelley,{{cite news |url=https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/ESD19470217.2.17 |title=Otago athletic titles |date=17 February 1947 |work=Evening Star |page=4 |issue=26028 |access-date=8 January 2022}} and was the New Zealand University champion for both the 880 yards and one mile.{{cite news |url=https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/ODT19480306.2.88 |title=Record six mile run |date=6 March 1948 |work=Otago Daily Times |page=8 |issue=26713 |access-date=8 January 2022}} The following year, representing Otago, Sinclair won the first of his two New Zealand national one-mile titles, defeating Maurice Marshall in a time of 4:23.4 at the national championships in Dunedin, and also finished second in the 880 yards. A few weeks later, he broke Jack Lovelock's university record of 4:28.0 for the mile, running 4:23.6 at the Otago University sports.{{cite news |url=https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/ODT19480313.2.26 |title=Brilliant mile |date=13 March 1948 |work=Otago Daily Times |page=5 |issue=26719 |access-date=8 January 2022}} Also in 1948, Sinclair retained his New Zealand University 880 yards and one-mile titles.{{cite news |url=https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/ODT19480402.2.9 |title=Sports commentary |date=2 April 1948 |work=Otago Daily Times |page=2 |issue=26735 |access-date=8 January 2022}}
In 1949, the first ever official athletic test between New Zealand and Australia was held at Athletic Park, Wellington, on 5 March, with Sinclair representing New Zealand in the one mile. He finished second, behind Australian national champion John Marks.{{cite news |url=https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/GISH19490307.2.131 |title=Australians win first athletic test ever held |date=7 March 1949 |work=Gisborne Herald |page=7 |volume=76 |issue=22888 |access-date=8 January 2022}} A week later, Sinclair placed third in the mile at the national amateur athletic championships in Christchurch, behind Neil Bates and Maurice Marshall.{{Cite news |url=https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/GISH19490314.2.117 |title=Dead head in mile relay concludes N.Z. championships |date=14 March 1949 |work=Gisborne Herald |page=7 |volume=76 |issue=22894 |access-date=8 January 2022}} At the 1949 New Zealand University Easter tournament, Sinclair retained his one-mile title, lowering the New Zealand university record for the distance to 4:20.1,{{cite news |url=https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/CHP19490418.2.17 |title=N.Z. university tournament |date=18 April 1949 |work=The Press |page=3 |volume=85 |issue=25781 |access-date=8 January 2022}} and he was subsequently named in the New Zealand Universities squad to travel to Sydney to compete against Australian university teams.{{Cite news |url=https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/ODT19490420.2.87 |title=Otago's shield |date=20 April 1949 |work=Otago Daily Times |page=6 |issue=27060 |access-date=8 January 2022}} Competing against Combined Australian Universities, Sinclair placed second behind Australian Don MacMillan in the one mile,{{cite news |url=https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/NA19490530.2.77 |title=Athletics |date=30 May 1949 |work=Northern Advocate |page=7 |access-date=8 January 2022}} but he won the same event at a meeting with Sydney University Athletic Club a few days later.{{cite news |url=https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/ODT19490602.2.85 |title=Sydney wins athletic tournament against the New Zealand University |date=2 June 1949 |work=Otago Daily Times |page=7 |issue=27096 |access-date=8 January 2022}} At the Auckland athletic championships held in December 1949, Sinclair dead-heated for first with Neil Wilson in the men's 880 yards, both recording a time of 1:53.6.{{cite news |url=https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/NA19491219.2.104 |title=Golder wins mile title at Auckland |date=19 December 1949 |work=Northern Advocate |page=11 |access-date=8 January 2022}}
On 2 January 1950, at the national athletic championships held in Napier, Sinclair won what was at the time described as "the greatest mile ever run in New Zealand". His time of 4:13.5 in beating Maurice Marshall and Neil Bates in a closely contested race was a New Zealand resident record, narrowly eclipsing the 4:13.6 set by Randolph Rose in 1926 at Masterton.{{cite news |url=https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/ODT19500103.2.87 |title=Eleven records broken in national athletic championship meeting |date=2 January 1950 |work=Otago Daily Times |page=6 |volume=27278 |access-date=8 January 2022}} Sinclair then competed in the men's one mile at the 1950 British Empire Games in Auckland.{{cite web |url=http://www.olympic.org.nz/athletes/jack-sinclair/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170425073016/http://olympic.org.nz/athletes/jack-sinclair/ |url-status=dead |archive-date=25 April 2017 |title=Jack Sinclair |year=2018 |publisher=New Zealand Olympic Committee |accessdate=8 January 2022}} He finished third in his heat, recording a time of 4:19.8 in a close race, to progress to the final.{{cite news |url=https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/AG19500210.2.4 |title=Empire Games: Australians have good day |date=10 February 1950 |work=Ashburton Guardian |page=4 |volume=70 |issue=100 |access-date=8 January 2022}} In the final, he placed sixth in 4:20.0, with the winner, Canadian Bill Parnell, recording an Empire Games record of 4:11.0 and Maurice Marshall, the best-placed New Zealander, finishing third with a time of 4:13.2.{{cite news |url=https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/GISH19500213.2.24 |title=Placings in athletics of the final day |date=13 February 1950 |work=Gisborne Herald |page=4 |volume=77 |issue=23177 |access-date=8 January 2022}}
Medical and academic career
Sinclair's early research, as part of his Bachelor of Medical Science studies, was conducted in the laboratory of John Eccles—at that time a professor at the University of Otago and later a Nobel laureate—and was published in the Journal of Neurophysiology in 1949. In 1953, Sinclair began working at Green Lane Hospital in Auckland as a Medical Research Council fellow in chest diseases. He then undertook overseas postgraduate training in respiratory medicine, first at the Royal Brompton and Hammersmith Hospitals in London, and then at the Mayo Clinic in the United States, returning to New Zealand in 1960. Sinclair was awarded a Doctor of Medicine degree by the University of Otago on the basis of his research in respiratory medicine, with a thesis titled The effect of breathing exercises in chronic pulmonary emphysema.{{cite thesis |url=https://otago.hosted.exlibrisgroup.com/permalink/f/q5v1tf/OTAGO_ALMA2193778520001891 |title=The effect of breathing exercises in chronic pulmonary emphysema |year=1955 |location=University of New Zealand |first=John Desmond |last=Sinclair |type=MD |access-date=8 January 2022}}
Sinclair was appointed the head of the Department of Clinical Physiology at Green Lane Hospital in 1960, contributing to ground-breaking work there in cardiothoracic surgery and medicine. In 1964, he became a member of the University of Auckland's medical advisory committee, planning the establishment of the Auckland Medical School, which opened in 1968. In that year, he was appointed the inaugural professor of physiology at the Auckland Medical School. He remained head of the Department of Physiology until 1984, and later served in the same role from 1990 to 1993. He was also acting head of the Department of Biochemistry between 1972 and 1974.
Sinclair served as scientific secretary of the Medical Research Council in 1966, and was a Fellow of the Royal Australasian College of Physicians.
Later life and death
Sinclair retired in 1993 and was conferred the title of professor emeritus, although he continued some teaching duties until 1997. He died at his home in Auckland on 11 February 2018, and was survived by his wife and four children.{{cite news |url=https://notices.nzherald.co.nz/nz/obituaries/nzherald-nz/name/john-sinclair-obituary?pid=188151756 |title=John Sinclair obituary |date=13 February 2018 |work=New Zealand Herald |access-date=8 January 2022}}
References
{{reflist}}
{{1950 New Zealand British Empire Games team}}
{{Footer New Zealand NC 1500 m men}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Sinclair, Jack}}
Category:Athletes from Auckland
Category:Scientists from Auckland
Category:People educated at Mount Albert Grammar School
Category:University of Otago alumni
Category:New Zealand male middle-distance runners
Category:Athletes (track and field) at the 1950 British Empire Games
Category:Commonwealth Games competitors for New Zealand
Category:New Zealand physiologists
Category:Academic staff of the University of Auckland
Category:Fellows of the Royal Australasian College of Physicians