Glenn Davis setting WR in 440 45.7
Glenn Davis Melbourne and Rome link to youtube
February 14 was Earl Young's 81st birthday and I'm sure all of you wish him a nice day yesterday. In looking over Earl's facebook comments and congrats I noticed a link to a youtube on Glenn Davis, Barberton, OH, Ohio State U., NCAA champ in the 440IH and two time winner of the gold in that event in 1956 at Melbourne and 1960 in Rome and sometimes wide receiver for the Detroit Lions.
Glenn and Earl were teammates on the 4x400 along with Jack Yerman and Otis Davis at Rome. Some of you were able to attend a zoom meeting at the launch of Jack's son Bruce Hamilton Yerman's second biography about his father, "Victory Lap". At that event Bruce read a chapter about a top secret track meet in Europe in the early 60s put on by some army generals to entertain a visiting Russian general, and Jack and his teammates being put under orders (they were already in the army) that they would run and the times were given to them in advance. I'm waiting to get the book and read that chapter again before reporting on it. Some other amazing stuff in there as well. We're also looking forward to a piece by Darryl Taylor former Long Beach State 880 runner. If any of you are budding writers and want to have a go at seeing your work in the 'big time', send it to me and I'll see what I can do. Please don't use an agent. We don't pay anything. I know all of you have some great stories whether about lesser knowns or better knowns. Take care and stay safe and sagacious. George
IAAF Bio of Glenn Davis
Glenn Davis, the 1956 and 1960 Olympic 400m Hurdles champion and a multiple World record breaker over the barriers and on the flat, died at the age of 74 on Wednesday 28 January 2009 at Summa Barberton Hospital in Barberton, Ohio, USA, after a long illness. He had pulmonary fibrosis.
Glenn Ashby "Jeep" Davis (Born 12 September 1934 in Wellsburg, West Virginia) won a total of three Olympic gold medals taking a 4x400m relay title as part of USA’s World record setting squad in Rome 1960 (3:02.2), the Games in which he retained his Olympic hurdles crown. Though only 25 at the time he retired from athletics after the Games.
In a glittering career he set a total of seven ratified World records, appeared on the cover of Sports Illustrated magazine and in 1958 won the James E. Sullivan Award as the country's top amateur athlete.
Davis showed exceptional range for a runner, competing in both flat races and hurdle events at distances from 50 to 600 yards. He also competed in the Long Jump and High Jump.
While at Ohio State University, Davis won 26 ‘Big Ten’ titles and was a four-time NCAA champion. In 1956, he took up the 400m Hurdles to prepare for the Olympic Games in Melbourne. In less than three months, at the US Olympic Trials in the Los Angeles Coliseum on 29 June, he set a World record of 49.5 seconds, the first time anyone had run the event in less than 50 seconds. At the Melbourne Olympics on 24 November he brought home a USA sweep of the medals winning in 50.1 sec, an Olympic record and the equal third fastest time ever on hand timing.
In 1958, Mr. Davis set World records in the 400m Hurdles (49.2 seconds), 440-yard Hurdles (49.9) and twice at the 440-yard flat dash (45.8 and 45.7). He tied the mark for the 200m Hurdles (22.5) in 1960.
At the 1960 Rome Olympics Davis led home another US medal sweep in the 400m Hurdles. His time of 49.3, an Olympic record, was the third fastest time in history and gave him six of the nine marks of 49.6 or better.
Davis, the ninth of 10 children, grew up in poverty and was nicknamed "Jeep" after a character in Popeye cartoons. After Davis' parents died on consecutive days when he was 15, he moved in with relatives in Barberton.
After his track career, Davis played two years as a wide receiver for the Detroit Lions of the National Football League, after which he became the track coach at Cornell University from 1963 to 1967. He returned to Barberton, where he coached and taught until the early 1990s. He is survived by his wife, Delores, three children, two sisters, six grandchildren and one great-grandchild.
George
The comment about Glenn Davis brought back memories from my high school days. In 1953 I stood on the sidelines watching Glenn get knocked out when he ran back the ball on the kickoff of the Cuyahoga Falls - Barberton football game. By the time he was carried to the sideline he was conscious, begging to get back in the game, but had no idea where he was. When he did return, he dominated the game, scoring several touchdowns for Barberton’s win. I was impressed, so i was not surprised when I read that he won the Ohio High School track and field Team championship all by himself. A great athlete. Dr. David Costill
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