Harold Davis (sprinter)
Harold Davis (born January 5, 1921, in Salinas, California, died August 12, 2007) was an American Track and Field athlete. He was a World Record holder in the 100 metres. In 1974, he was elected to the USA Track & Field National Track and Field Hall of Fame.
Athletic career
Nicknamed the "California Comet", he tied Jesse Owens world record running into a headwind at the Compton Relays on June 6, 1941, and was regarded as the fastest sprinter in the world for a four-year period. Unfortunately for Davis, this was during World War II and the Olympics were cancelled, depriving him of an opportunity for international recognition.
During the period 1940–43, Davis never lost a race over 220 y and only one over 100 y. This last race was a loss to the only man who could be considered his equal, Barney Ewell. The loss happened in the 1941 United States 100 y championship race. Even here, after a poor start, Davis nearly caught Ewell at the finish.[1] In these years when Davis was the man to beat he won 3 United States championships at 100 m (1940,1942–43) and 4 at 200 m (1940–43).[2]
On 6 June 1941, he equalled Jesse Owen's world record for 100 m of 10.2 s (the time was achieved in a heat, he won the final in 10.4 s). On 16 May 1942, he equalled the 100 y record of 9.4 s but this time was never accepted by the world governing body the IAAF because Davis used starting blocks of a type not officially approved.[3]
Davis also ran two wind-aided 220 y/ 200 m races in 20.2 s when the then world record was 20.3 s. The first occurred on 17 May 1941, the second in the United States championship final on 20 June 1943.[4]
At the peak of his career Davis, the "California Comet", was famous throughout the United States not just California, with the simple fact that Davis had submitted an entry to a meet being newsworthy.[5][6]
Early life
Davis was a talented runner at Live Oak High School, just north of his birthplace in a rural town named Morgan Hill, California – as a 17-year-old he ran 100 y in 9.7 s and 220 y (straight course) in 21.0 s (the then world records were 9.4 s and 20.3 s respectively by Jesse Owens).[1]
After graduation, he went to Salinas Junior College (now Hartnell College). Here he was coached by Hall of Fame coach Lloyd (Bud) Winter, then later at the University of California by Hall of Fame coach Brutus Hamilton.[7]
The depth of Davis's talent was first seen in a race he did not win. On May 7, 1940, he finished fourth in the NCAA 100 y race championship race against some of the best sprinters of the day. He stumbled at the start but made up 4–7 m of deficit in 65 m of the race. Davis was always renowned as a poor starter but this was exceptionally poor even for him.[1] Davis went on to win NCAA 100 and 220-yard titles in 1942 and 1943 representing the University of California.[8]
Later life
Davis suffered a hamstring injury in 1946 that ended his track career.[7]
Davis died in Lakeport, California, in 2007.[9]
Further reading
- Progression of IAAF World Records 2011 Edition, Editor Imre Matrahazi, IAAF Athletics.
- R L Quercetani & G Pallicca, "A World History of Sprint Racing 1850-2005", SEP Editrice Srl, 2006.
References
- ^ a b c R L Quercetani & G Pallicca, "A World History of Sprint Racing 1850-2005", SEP Editrice Srl, 2006, p. 67.
- ^ http://www.trackandfieldnews.com/archive/usa-nat-champs-history.html Archived 2013-06-09 at the Wayback Machine A History Of The Results Of The National Track & Field Championships Of The USA From 1876 Through 2003, Track and Field News. Retrieved 17 March 2012
- ^ Progression of IAAF World Records 2011 Edition, p 14, 25 and 467.
- ^ Progression of IAAF World Records 2011 Edition, p 39.
- ^ https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1499&dat=19410128&id=OgIaAAAAIBAJ&sjid=eCMEAAAAIBAJ&pg=6392,5113797 Archived April 22, 2016, at the Wayback Machine "California Comet Sends Entry for Sprints at Boston", The Milwaukee Journal, January 28, 1941.
- ^ https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1928&dat=19410128&id=aDUjAAAAIBAJ&sjid=q2gFAAAAIBAJ&pg=5199,2242548 "California Comet Enters B.A.A. Games", The Lewiston Daily Sun, January 28, 1941.
- ^ a b http://www.legacy.usatf.org/HallOfFame/TF/showBio.asp?HOFIDs=41 USATF Bio
- ^ http://www.gocollegetrack.com/info/Knuth28.htm “The California Comet” , www.gocollegetrack.com. Retrieved 17 March 2013.
- ^ http://www.charliefrancis.com/community/showthread.php?14925-Hal-Davis-Wilbur-Ross-dead Archived 2013-04-10 at archive.today "Hal Davis dead", charliefrancis.com. Retrieved 17 March 2013.
External links
- Harold Davis at the USATF Hall of Fame (archived)
- v
- t
- e
New York Athletic Club
- 1876: Charles McIvor
- 10.5
- 1877: William Wilmer
- 10.5
- 1878: Fred Saportas
- 10.0w
NAAAA
- 1879: Beverly Value
- 10 3⁄8
- 1880-81: Lon Myers
- 10.4
- 10 1⁄4
- 1882-83: Arthur Waldron
- NT
- 10 1⁄4
- 1884-86ro: Malcolm Ford
- 10.8*
- 10.6
- 10.4
- 1887: Charles Sherrill
- 10.4
- 1888Note 1: Fred Westing
- 10.4
Amateur Athletic Union
- 1888Note 1: Fred Westing
- 10.0
- 1889-90: John Owen
- 10.4
- 9.8
- 1891: Luther Cary
- 10.2
- 1892: Harry Jewett
- 10.0
- 1893: Charles Stage
- 10.2
- 1894: Tom Lee
- 10.2
- 1895-97: Bernie Wefers
- 10.0w
- 10.2
- 9.8
- 1898: Frank Jarvis
- 10.0
- 1899: Arthur Duffey
- 10.0
- 1900: Maxie Long
- 10.0
- 1901: Frank Sears
- 9.8
- 1902: Pat Walsh
- 10.0
- 1903: Archie Hahn
- 10.2
- 1904: Lawson Robertson
- 10.5
- 1905: Charles Parsons
- 9.8
- 1906: Charles Seitz
- 10.2
- 1907: Harold Huff
- 10.2
- 1908: William Hamilton
- 10.2
- 1909: William Martin
- 10.2
- 1910: James Rosenberger
- 10.2
- 1911: Gwin Henry
- 10.0
- 1912-13: Howard Drew
- 10.0
- 10.4
- 1914-15: Jo Loomis
- 10.2
- 9.8w
- 1916-17: Andy Ward
- 10.0
- 10.2
- 1918: Arthur Henke
- 10.0
- 1919: William Hayes
- 10.2
- 1920OT: Loren Murchison
- 10.0
- 1921: Charley Paddock
- 9.6
- 1922: Robert McAllister
- 10.0
- 1923: Loren Murchison
- 10.1
- 1924: Charley Paddock
- 9.6
- 1925: Frank Hussey
- 9.8
- 1926: Charley Borah
- 9.8
- 1927: Chester Bowman
- 9.6
- 1928OT: Frank Wykoff
- 10.6
- 1929-30: Eddie Tolan
- 10.0
- 9.7
- 1931: Frank Wykoff
- 9.5
- 1932OT: Ralph Metcalfe
- 9.5
- 1933-34: Ralph Metcalfe
- 10.5
- 10.4
- 1935: Eulace Peacock
- 10.2w
- 1936: Jesse Owens
- 10.4
- 1937: Perrin Walker
- 10.7
- 1938: Ben Johnson
- 10.7
- 1939: Clyde Jeffrey
- 10.2w
- 1940: Harold Davis
- 10.3
- 1941: Barney Ewell
- 10.3
- 1942-43: Harold Davis
- 10.5
- 10.3
- 1944: Buddy Young
- 10.5
- 1945: Barney Ewell
- 10.3
- 1946-47: Bill Mathis
- 10.7
- 10.5
- 1948: Barney Ewell
- 10.6
- 1949: Andy Stanfield
- 10.3
- 1950: Art Bragg
- 10.4
- 1951: Jim Golliday
- 10.3
- 1952: Dean Smith
- 10.5
- 1953-54: Art Bragg
- 9.5
- 9.5
- 1955-56: Bobby Morrow
- 9.5
- 10.3
- 1957: Leamon King
- 9.7
- 1958: Bobby Morrow
- 9.4
- 1959-60: Ray Norton
- 10.5
- 10.5
- 1961: Frank Budd
- 9.2
- 1962-64: Bob Hayes
- 9.3
- 9.1w
- 10.3
- 1965: George Anderson
- 9.3
- 1966: Charles Greene
- 9.4
- 1967: Jim Hines
- 9.3
- 1968: Charles Greene
- 10.0w
- 1969-70: Ivory Crockett
- 9.3
- 9.3
- 1971: Del Meriwether
- 9.0w
- 1972: Robert Taylor
- 10.2
- 1973-74: Steve Williams
- 9.4
- 9.9
- 1975G1: Steve Williams
- 10.21
- 1976G2: Robert Woods
- 10.44
- 1977G1: Steve Williams
- 10.24
- 1978: Clancy Edwards
- 10.14w
- 1979: James Sanford
- 10.07
The Athletics Congress
- 1980: Stanley Floyd
- 10.19
- 1981-83: Carl Lewis
- 10.13
- 10.11
- 10.27
- 1984: Sam Graddy
- 10.28
- 1985: Kirk Baptiste
- 10.11
- 1986: Carl Lewis
- 9.91w
- 1987: Mark Witherspoon
- 10.04
- 1988: Emmit King
- 10.04
- 1989: Leroy Burrell
- 9.94
- 1990: Carl Lewis
- 10.05
- 1991: Leroy Burrell
- 9.90
- 1992OT: Dennis Mitchell
- 10.09
USA Track & Field
- 1993: Andre Cason
- 9.85w
- 1994: Dennis Mitchell
- 10.13
- 1995: Michael Marsh
- 10.23
- 1996OT: Dennis Mitchell
- 9.92
- 1997: Maurice Greene
- 9.90
- 1998: Tim Harden
- 9.88w
- 1999: Dennis Mitchell
- 9.97w
- 2000OT: Maurice Greene
- 10.01
- 2001: Bernard Williams
- 9.95w
- 2002: Maurice Greene
- 9.88w
- 2003: Bernard Williams
- 10.11
- 2004OT: Maurice Greene
- 9.91
- 2005: Justin Gatlin
- 10.08
- 2006-08OT: Tyson Gay
- 9.93
- 9.84
- 9.68w
- 2009: Mike Rodgers
- 9.91w
- 2010-11: Walter Dix
- 10.04
- 9.94
- 2012OT-13: Justin Gatlin
- 9.80
- 9.75
- 2014: Mike Rodgers
- 10.09
- 2015: Tyson Gay
- 9.87
- 2016OT: Justin Gatlin
- 9.80
- 2017: Justin Gatlin
- 9.95
- 2018: Noah Lyles
- 9.88
- 2019: Christian Coleman
- 9.99
- 20212020 OT: Trayvon Bromell
- 9.80
- 2022: Fred Kerley
- 9.77
- 2023: Cravont Charleston
- 9.95
- 2024: Noah Lyles
- 9.83
- Note 1: In 1888 both the NAAAA and the AAU held championships
- OT: The 1920, 1928, 1932, and since 1992, championships incorporated the Olympic Trials, otherwise held as a discrete event.
- 2020 OT: The 2020 Olympic Trials were delayed and held in 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
- Distance: Until 1927 the event was over 100 yards, and again from 1929-31
- ro: In 1886 the event was won after a run-off
- *: Penalized one yard for false start
- G1: Race was won by Don Quarrie (Jamaica) competing as a guest
- G2: Race was won by Chris Garpenborg (Sweden) competing as a guest