Charlie Greene passed away March 14, 2022. He was an incredibly talented sprinter from the University of Nebraska in the late 1960's. I remember him as brash and outspoken but able to back up his words with outstanding performances. He was not shy and would introduce himself in case you didn't know who he was. "Hi, I'm Charlie Greene." He wasn't tall and long limbed, but my God he had turnover. Always wore sunglasses when competing, his 're-entry goggles'. He kinked a muscle in the Olympic final of the 100 and still came in third (10.0) behind Jim Hines and Lennox Miller at Mexico City. Then he went on to run lead off on the 4x100 and earn the gold without disclosing his injury until years later. He won the NCAA 100 three times and the 60 3 times. At one time ran 9.1 for 100 yards. Served in the US Army and retired as a Major. He coached at West Point and eventually returned to Lincoln where he worked and volunteered with children and athletes at the University of Nebraska.
Mexico City 100 Meters Final link. This is the complete 1968 Olympic film. You can see the 100 meters at 18:25 on the film.
From the Omaha World-Herald March 14, 2022 by Evan Bland
Do your job. All the time.
Such was the challenge from Charlie Greene to anyone who would listen. He did it as a six-time national champion sprinter at Nebraska and when he became the first Husker to claim an Olympic gold medal in 1968. He lived it for nearly a quarter century in the ROTC, where he rose to the rank of major. He shared it with NU student-athletes for years as a volunteer in the athletic department’s Life Skills program.
Greene died Monday at age 76.
The former Husker's 100-yard dash time of 9.21 seconds at the 1967 NCAA championships remained the fastest electronic mark for the distance until Jamaica’s Asafa Powell clocked a 9.07 43 years later. Greene was on track to win gold at the ’68 Olympics the following year but pulled a hamstring at the 70-meter mark and took bronze with a 10.07.
Greene kept the injury to himself for years. A day after the disappointing finish, he pushed through discomfort and helped the U.S. 400 relay team to a gold-winning time of 38.24 seconds.
The Mexico City Final Miller 2, Greene 3 , Hines 1
1967 AAU Meet
“If you tell people you didn’t win because you got injured, it’s sour grapes," Greene told the Seattle Post-Intelligencer in 2008. “Everybody knew when we had to race. Everybody knew we had to do the best we could. That’s part of running if you can't keep your legs together. It’s tough luck.”
The Arkansas native who grew up in Seattle performed in style, becoming the first prominent sprinter to wear sunglasses while competing. He came to Nebraska on a track scholarship in 1963 at his mother’s insistence; she wanted Greene to get away from racial tensions elsewhere in the country. He became a seven-time All-American in Lincoln and the first Husker to successfully defend an NCAA title with his six crowns — three indoor 60-yard events and three outdoor 100-yard events. Then-assistant football coach Tom Osborne approached him about considering trying another sport, though Greene politely declined.
Greene took his disciplined approach to the Army soon after while serving in the branch’s equal opportunity and race relations program. He was also an executive for Special Olympics International in Washington, D.C., before later returning to Lincoln for six years in student affairs at Nebraska.
The former sprinter often said that even after his speed had left him behind, he had much left to do.
“Generals give orders," Greene told Huskers.com in 2015. “Colonels, majors and captains relay those orders to the sergeants, who operate the Army. Good soldiers mean everything, save their spouses, their children and God. That's how you win and how you become successful in life.”
Greene in the late 2000s attracted Nebraska student-athletes across sports as a Life Skills volunteer. Running back Roy Helu was among many frequent visitors who stayed in touch even as Greene dealt with health complications.
A reputation as a passionate Husker supporter followed him wherever he went. His answering machine used to have the message, “No one’s home, Go Big Red!” He regularly attended Nebraska sporting events and got to know many of the participants.
“I’d come down and pick him up at Tabitha and take him to track meets,” said Denny Walker, a teammate of Greene’s at Nebraska from 1965-67, in a release from the athletic department. “He just loved it so much. We had talked about going to a football game this fall. He had the will to live and still wanted to go. If Nebraska lost a football game, he'd be thinking of a way they could do better and win. He was endless about Nebraska.”
Charlie Greene winning a 60 yard race in Lincoln, NB 1966. The U. of Oklahoma (OU) runner is Phil Aldridge.
Greene is a hall of famer for USA Track and Field, U.S. Olympics and Nebraska Athletics as well as University of Nebraska Army ROTC. He and his wife, Linda — who was a Philadelphia Inquirer reporter he met on a blind date at the 1968 Games — have two grown daughters, Mercedes and Sybil.
I watched a lot of the 1968 Olympics on your video. Brought back lots of great memories although the memorable closing ceremonies were not there nor were the boos for Smith & Carlos. Bill Schnier
We were hosting Big 8(at Norman, Oklahoma) and the cinder track exceptionally dry and loose. Charlie complained in an interview about It being too dry. That night and the next day it rained 6 inches and the meet was postponed till Sunday. J.D. Martin , OU coach
| Wed, Mar 23, 8:03 PM (10 hours ago) |  | ||
from Roy Mason: What is happening to the heroes of our youth? As the years pass, there are fewer of them, right George?..... ....George?.......George?
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