Difference between revisions of "Jesse Owens"
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'''James Cleveland''' "'''Jesse'''" '''Owens''' (September 12, 1913-March 31, 1980) was an American [[track and field]] athlete and four-time Olympic gold medalist. | '''James Cleveland''' "'''Jesse'''" '''Owens''' (September 12, 1913-March 31, 1980) was an American [[track and field]] athlete and four-time Olympic gold medalist. | ||
| − | Owens | + | Owens was most accomplished in sprinting and long jump events; he was recognized in his lifetime as "perhaps the greatest and most famous athlete in track and field history".<ref>{{cite web|last= Litsky |first= Frank|year=1980 |title=Jesse Owens Dies Of Cancer at 66 |publication-place=''New York Times'' |url=http://www.nytimes.com/learning/general/onthisday/bday/0912.html |accessdate= March 23, 2014 }}</ref> He set three world records and tied another in less than an hour at the 1935 Big Ten track meet in Ann Arbor, Michigan; this has been called "the greatest 45 minutes ever in sport"<ref>{{cite web |url=http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2010/more/05/24/owens.record.day/ |title=Greatest 45 minutes ever in sports |last=Rothschild |first= Richard |date= May 24, 2010|website= Sports Illustrated.com |accessdate= March 23, 2014}}</ref> and has never been equaled. At the 1936 Summer Olympics in Berlin, [[Nazi Germany|Germany]], Owens won four gold medals: 100 meters, 200 meters, long jump, and 4 × 100 meter relay. He was the most successful athlete at the games and as was credited with "single-handedly crush[ing] [[Adolf Hitler|Hitler's]] myth of Aryan supremacy."<ref name=Schwartz>{{cite web|url=http://espn.go.com/sportscentury/features/00016393.html |title=Owens Pierced A Myth |last=Schwartz |first=Larry |publisher=ESPN Internet Ventures |work=ESPN |year=2000 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/20000706211910/http://espn.go.com:80/sportscentury/features/00016393.html |archivedate=July 6, 2000 }}</ref> |
| − | In 1976, | + | In 1976, President [[Gerald R. Ford]] awarded Owens the highest honor an American civilian can receive, the Medal of Freedom. [http://www.jesseowens.com/biography/] |
''"Perhaps no athlete better symbolized the human struggle against [[tyranny]], [[poverty]] and racial bigotry. His personal triumphs as a world-class [[athlete]] and record holder were the prelude to a career devoted to helping others. His work with young athletes, as an unofficial ambassador overseas, and a spokesman for [[freedom]] are a rich legacy to his fellow Americans".'' President [[James Carter]]. [http://www.jesse-owens.org/about5.html] | ''"Perhaps no athlete better symbolized the human struggle against [[tyranny]], [[poverty]] and racial bigotry. His personal triumphs as a world-class [[athlete]] and record holder were the prelude to a career devoted to helping others. His work with young athletes, as an unofficial ambassador overseas, and a spokesman for [[freedom]] are a rich legacy to his fellow Americans".'' President [[James Carter]]. [http://www.jesse-owens.org/about5.html] | ||
Revision as of 13:54, January 29, 2016
James Cleveland "Jesse" Owens (September 12, 1913-March 31, 1980) was an American track and field athlete and four-time Olympic gold medalist.
Owens was most accomplished in sprinting and long jump events; he was recognized in his lifetime as "perhaps the greatest and most famous athlete in track and field history".[1] He set three world records and tied another in less than an hour at the 1935 Big Ten track meet in Ann Arbor, Michigan; this has been called "the greatest 45 minutes ever in sport"[2] and has never been equaled. At the 1936 Summer Olympics in Berlin, Germany, Owens won four gold medals: 100 meters, 200 meters, long jump, and 4 × 100 meter relay. He was the most successful athlete at the games and as was credited with "single-handedly crush[ing] Hitler's myth of Aryan supremacy."[3]
In 1976, President Gerald R. Ford awarded Owens the highest honor an American civilian can receive, the Medal of Freedom. [1]
"Perhaps no athlete better symbolized the human struggle against tyranny, poverty and racial bigotry. His personal triumphs as a world-class athlete and record holder were the prelude to a career devoted to helping others. His work with young athletes, as an unofficial ambassador overseas, and a spokesman for freedom are a rich legacy to his fellow Americans". President James Carter. [2]
External links
Further reading
- Jeremy Schaap, Triumph: The Untold Story of Jesse Owens and Hitler's Olympics, (2007) 272 pp.
References
- ↑ Litsky, Frank (1980). Jesse Owens Dies Of Cancer at 66. Retrieved on March 23, 2014.
- ↑ Rothschild, Richard (May 24, 2010). Greatest 45 minutes ever in sports. Retrieved on March 23, 2014.
- ↑ Schwartz, Larry (2000). Owens Pierced A Myth. ESPN. ESPN Internet Ventures. Archived from the original on July 6, 2000.
