This Day In History

From runnersworld.com...

Jesse Owens, We Salute You

05/25/2010 8:31 AM Mark Remy
On this day in 1935, Ohio State runner Jesse Owens broke three world records and tied a fourth.
In the space of about 45 minutes.
Did I mention he was a college kid at the time?

Jesse Owens in 1936; from the Library of Congress

Many people know Owens more for his performance at the 1936 Berlin Olympics, but the feats he accomplished on May 25, 1935, at a Western Conference meet at the University of Michigan merit special attention.
On that day, Owens…

* equaled the world record for the 100-yard dash (9.4 seconds);
* broke the world record for the 220-yard dash (20.3 seconds);
* broke the world record for the 220-yard low hurdles (22.6 seconds);
* broke the world record for the long jump (8.13 meters, or 26.67 feet).

A few other fun Jesse Owens facts (well, as factual as they can be, considering most are from Wikipedia and couldn't immediately be verified):

* His birth name was James Cleveland Owens, and his family called him J.C. When he was 9, the Owens family moved to Ohio, where a schoolteacher misheard "J.C." as "Jesse," which is what she recorded in her roll book. The name stuck.
* At Ohio State, Owens had to live off-campus with other African-American athletes.
* Owens never got a scholarship. He worked part-time to pay for school.
* The story of Hitler's "snub" of Owens at those 1936 Games is untrue. (Read more here.) In fact, Owens said, "It was FDR who snubbed me. The president didn't even send me a telegram."

Asked about the secret behind his success, Owens once said, “I let my feet spend as little time on the ground as possible. From the air, fast down, and from the ground, fast up.”
Thanks for the tip, Jesse. And for the memories!
p.s. On a lighter note, today is also Towel Day. Don't forget your towel! (If you're a Douglas Adams fan, you may know what this means; if not, click here.)