Herbert Paul Douglas Jr. (born March 9, 1922) is an American former athlete who competed mainly in the long jump. He represented the U.S. in that event at the 1948 Summer Olympics in London, where he won the bronze medal with a jump of 24 feet 9 inches (7.54 m). Willie Steele of the United States won the gold medal with 25 feet 8 inches (7.82 m) and Australia's Theo Bruce took the silver medal with 24 feet 9.5 inches (7.56 m). Prior to the 2012 Summer Olympics Douglas was recognized as the oldest living African-American Olympic medalist.[1]
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Medal record | ||
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Men's athletics | ||
Representing ![]() | ||
Olympic Games | ||
![]() | 1948 London | Long jump |
Douglas graduated from Taylor Allderdice High School in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, in 1940 and was inducted into their alumni hall of fame in 2009.[2] He was Allderdice's first Black basketball player.[3] Douglas first attended Xavier University of Louisiana in 1942, and competed at the 48th Annual Penn Relays in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, helping Xavier University win the American Quarter-Mile Relay Championship. He competed in college at the University of Pittsburgh and was inducted into the inaugural class of their sports hall of fame in 2018. Douglas is a member of Alpha Phi Omega service fraternity. He turned 100 in March 2022.[4]
US National Championship winners in men's long jump | |
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1876–1878 New York Athletic Club |
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1879–1888 NAAAA |
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1888–1979 Amateur Athletic Union |
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1980–1992 The Athletics Congress |
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1993–onwards USA Track & Field |
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Notes |
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1948 USA Olympic track and field team | ||
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Qualification |
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Men's track and road athletes |
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Men's field athletes |
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Women's track athletes |
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Women's field athletes |
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Coaches |
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