1936 Olympic 800m Gold Medallist John Woodruff to Be Honored at SMU from: SMU February 2007
John Woodruff,
the first black runner to win a gold medal at the 1936 Olympics, completing the 800-meter
run in 1:52.9 minutes at the 1936 Olympics, will be honored during a
ceremony at noon Wednesday, Feb. 21, the Hughes-Trigg Student Center.
All students, faculty and staff are invited.
In 1937, he broke
the world record in the 800-meter at a race in Dallas only to have the
Amateur Athletic Union rule the track was six feet short of regulation.
Recently, students at Ronald Reagan Middle School in Grand Prairie set
up a mathematical equation showing that Mr. Woodruff would have broken
the record even if the track had been extended to regulation length.
SMU
will announce a scholarship named for Mr. Woodruff to be granted to a
student from the Dallas area who has demonstrated outstanding academic,
athletic and leadership achievement. Also, a Texas Senate Resolution
in his honor will be presented. Students from Ronald Reagan Middle
School will be in attendance.
Mr. Woodruff, now 91, and his
wife, Rose, reside in Fountain Hills, Arizona. Unfortunately, his
health will not permit him to attend, but the program is being
videotaped for him to watch at home.