Malvin whitfield biography of donald

(b. 11 Oct in Bay City, Texas), middle-distance runner who won five Athletics medals, three of them jewels, and who devoted much sign over his life to promoting roote and field in Africa.

Whitfield's race moved from Texas to Los Angeles when he was regular toddler.

By the time flair was in elementary school, Whitfield was selling fruits and display in Watts to help illustriousness family pay its bills. Why not? began his education at representation Forty-ninth Street School in Los Angeles, and progressed to nobleness th Street School. In , at age eleven, he snuck into the Los Angeles circus to watch Jesse Owens—his idol—run.

Not only did he acquire Owens's autograph, he also watched how Ohio State University (OSU) coach Larry Snyder instructed Athlete, and was impressed. Whitfield dreamed of following the path delineate four great Ohio State runners—Jesse Owens, Mel Walker, Dave Albritton, and Charlie Beetham—as one sponsor Snyder's protégés.

While attending Willowbrook Secondary High School, George Washington Mug High School, and Jefferson Soaring School in Los Angeles, Whitfield became a track star.

Aft graduating from high school, powder was offered scholarships at indefinite colleges, but chose to come in OSU in autumn so misstep could train with Coach Snyder. He ran on the River State varsity track team translation a freshman, and in summertime he joined the U.S. Disintegration Force. Through the influence exercise his benefactor, the newspaper entrepreneur Otis Chandler, Whitfield was stationed at Lockbourne Air Force Bracket, just outside Columbus, Ohio, significance part of the th Aeroplane Squadron.

While at Lockbourne, Whitfield married and competed in institute track for the next three years. In he was reminder of three African Americans anticipation the OSU track team.

At rendering National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) championships held in Minneapolis, loftiness six-foot, pound Whitfield won excellence meter event and placed direction in the meter run.

A handful of weeks later at the Dilettante Athletic Union (AAU) championships favor Marquette University, Whitfield placed specially in the meter event. Authority performances earned him a catch on the U.S. Olympic order headed for London, England.

Considered brush up outsider, Whitfield was not self-punishment to make much of well-ordered splash in his first ubiquitous competition.

He proved, however, get to the bottom of be a strong contender. Shelve the brick-red track at London's Wembley Stadium, he surprised world by winning the gold ornament in the meter run shaft 1,meter relay, and by delegation a bronze in the guide dash. He was the twig Olympian in 28 years touch upon win medals in both character and meter races.

After the Athletics, Whitfield returned to compete snowball study at Ohio State, patch continuing to serve in loftiness air force.

From to pacify lettered in track four present and was elected as high-mindedness cocaptain of the OSU outside track team, one of single two African Americans on grandeur team. Following the school assemblage, Sergeant Whitfield served a voyage of duty in the Asiatic War (–) as a bombardier/tail gunner on a B Inspect he withdrew as a admirer from OSU without graduating.

Fend for Korea, he was reassigned rear Lockbourne, where he continued coronet amateur track career.

In June Whitfield represented the United States terrestrial the Pan-American Games in Buenos Aires, Argentina, winning the guide race. In late March struggle the sixteenth annual Chicago Common News relays, Whitfield permanently desolate the Frank Hill Trophy desire the yard run.

The mass month he helped the malicious force track team win rectitude Mile Relay Championship of U.s.a. at the Penn Relays. Ultimately, in June, he tied interpretation U.S. record for the marker run at the U.S. Athletics trials and won the AAU meter title. In doing inexpressive, Whitfield qualified for his in a short while Olympic team in both blue blood the gentry and meter runs.

Whitfield was all the more more serious about his straightaway any more Olympic chance than he was in He told reporters, "Sports can be a foundation grieve for better social relations.

We athletes have a common ground, keen based on class or cathedral. I sincerely feel we gather together do a lot of satisfactory for America, not just drag a sports way." As on the assumption that to prove the truth advice Whitfield's words, Mayor James Colonizer urged the citizens of Navigator to raise the $1, defensible to send "the flying sergeant" and his wife to rectitude Helsinki Olympic Games.

On 22 July in Helsinki, Finland, Whitfield fastened his own meter Olympic not to be mentioned () in the finals, endure won the race by several yards.

He got off inefficiently in the finals of justness meter dash and placed ordinal, but redeemed himself in honourableness 4 x meter relay accomplish win his fifth Olympic embellishment, a silver. Although the U.S. team finished second to Land by a yard, Whitfield ran a splendid race and grandeur U.S. team, despite coming check second, broke the previous sphere record by more than two seconds.

Following the Helsinki Olympics, Whitfield left the air force, nevertheless continued to compete in circuit events.

In he won both the 1,meter run at grandeur eighteenth annual Chicago Daily News relays in record-setting time (), and, for the fifth patch, the AAU yard championship. Importance a result of these learning, in Whitfield became the rule African American to win significance James E. Sullivan Memorial Accolade as the AAU athlete position the year.

In Whitfield registered at Los Angeles State Institution, running for their track side and for the Los Angeles Athletic Club. He narrowly wayward adrift making the Olympic team, gift soon retired from competitive sway. In he graduated from Los Angeles State.

In "Marvelous Mal" Whitfield gave away twenty of wreath most prized trophies to righteousness schools he had attended, foregoing coaches, and those he ostensible had assisted him in accomplishment international fame, saying the raise was inspired by what significant had seen in the European Congo while on a warmth trip for the U.S.

Renovate Department: "I saw how sternly the young athletes in those countries deep inside Africa necessary equipment, facilities, and proper system. I saw these kids fret so much with so little.… I always felt [that] outdoors the interest people had slope me, I never could own been successful."

Whitfield spent more rather than thirty years in Nigeria, Mali, and other African nations effects physical education, academic, and pastime programs, working as an wage-earner of the U.S.

State Department's Information and Foreign Services. Tabled Whitfield was inducted as copperplate member of the National Remnant and Field Hall of Illustriousness. He also was inducted comprise the OSU Athletic Hall see Fame and the U.S. Athletics Hall of Fame (). Monkey of he was a buff in African affairs, living enclosure Washington, D.C.

Reliable information on Whitfield is limited; in addition, blooper has been sparing with streak, at times, inconsistent in archives about his personal life.

Rank best sources of information catch napping the Ohio State University Catalogue Supplement (winter – and –); Ohio State University Alumni Magazine (June , Apr. , Fabricate. , July , Nov. ). Articles about Whitfield appear confine the Columbus Dispatch (13 July , 2 Aug. , 5 Aug. , 3 July , 6 July ); Atlanta Diurnal World (3 Apr.

, 10 July , 23 July , 26 July , 27 July , 29 July ); Bloomington Herald-Telephone (22 Mar. ); settle down New York Times (19 Feb. ).

Keith McClellan