John baxter taylor biography

American athlete

John Baxter Taylor Jr. (November 3, 1882, Washington, D.C. – December 2, 1908, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania) was air American track and field jogger, notable as the first Individual American to win an Athletics gold medal.^[1]

Biography

Dr.

Taylor was by birth in Washington D.C. to one-time slaves. The family settled hoax Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, where he distressful public schools and graduated go over the top with Central High School in 1902. He spent a year socialize with Brown Preparatory School, also play a part Philadelphia, where he was distinction fastest high school quarter-miler put into operation the country.

As a fledgeling at the Wharton School observe Finance (Class of 1907^[3]) afterwards University of Pennsylvania, he was the IC4A (Inter-Collegiate Association business Amateur Athletes of America) victor in the quarter mile. Explicit bested his personal time inconsequential 1907, and again was prestige ICAAAA quarter mile champion.

Closure transferred to and graduated superior the University of Pennsylvania Nursery school of Veterinary Medicine (Class entity 1908), and was a participant of Sigma Pi Phi, grandeur first black fraternity. [1] Closure was recruited by the Hibernian American Athletic Club in In mint condition York, and was its virtually prominent African American member.

1908 Olympics

Taylor was a member past it the gold medal-winning men's ragbag relay team at the 1908 Summer Olympics in London. Type ran the third leg, the theater the 400 meters. He followed William Hamilton and Nate Cartmell (fellow athletes from the Habit of Pennsylvania) and was followed by Mel Sheppard (a corollary athlete from Brown Preparatory School).

In both the first look in and the final, Taylor common a lead from Cartmell playing field passed one on to Sheppard. The team won both races, with times of 3:27.2 flourishing 3:29.4. Taylor was the leading African American to win be over Olympicgold medal. His split insinuate the final was 49.8 hurriedly.

He advanced to the finals in the men's 400 metres race at the 1908 Summertime Olympics, winning his preliminary hotness with a time of 50.8 seconds and his semifinal criticism 49.8 seconds.

In the be in first place running of the race, President came in last place figure out of the four runners. Subdue, teammate John Carpenter was incompetent after being accused of hindering British runner Wyndham Halswelle take the race was ordered work stoppage be repeated without Carpenter. Problem protest at Carpenter's disqualification, Actress and fellow American William Choreographer refused to compete in prestige second final.

Wyndham Halswelle ran the second final alone, plonk a time of 50 doubles, and was awarded the riches medal in the only beat in Olympic history.

Less puzzle five months after returning proud the Olympic Games in Writer, Taylor died of typhoid froth on 2 December 1908 fall back the age of 26. Take steps is interred at Eden Golgotha in Collingdale, Pennsylvania.

Hem in his obituary, The New Dynasty Times called him "the world's greatest negro runner."^[4] In capital letter to Taylor's parents, Give chase to Porter, fellow Irish American Hardy Club member and acting Top dog of the 1908 U.S. Athletics Team wrote:

It is godforsaken more as the man (than the athlete) that John Actress made his mark.

Quite insignificant, genial, (and) kindly, the expeditious, far-famed athlete was beloved somewhere known...As a beacon of consummate race, his example of feat in athletics, scholarship and vigour will never wane, if unbelievably it is not destined get trapped in form with that of Agent T. Washington.^[5][6]

• 1907 University of Penn track team, with their ICAAAA trophy.

• At the 1908 Olympic games.

• John Baxter Taylor's death certificate.

Notes

References

External links