Ralph Metcalfe | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Illinois's 1st district | |
| In office January 3, 1971 – October 10, 1978 | |
| Preceded by | William Dawson |
| Succeeded by | Bennett Stewart |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Ralph Harold Metcalfe May 29, 1910 Atlanta, Georgia, U.S. |
| Died | October 10, 1978 (aged 68) Chicago, Illinois, U.S. |
| Resting place | Holy Sepulchre Cemetery |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Spouses | Gertrude Pemberton
(m. 1937; div. 1943)Madalynne Young (m. 1947) |
| Children | 1 son |
| Education | Marquette University (BPhil) University of Southern California (MA) |
| Military service | |
| Allegiance | United States |
| Branch/service | United States Army |
| Years of service | 1942–1945 |
| Rank | First Lieutenant |
| Battles/wars | World War II |
| Medal record | ||
|---|---|---|
| Men's Athletics | ||
Representing the  United States
| ||
| Olympic Games | ||
 |
1936 Berlin | 4×100 m relay |
 |
1932 Los Angeles | 100 meters |
|
1936 Berlin | 100 meters |
 |
1932 Los Angeles | 200 meters |
Ralph Harold Metcalfe Sr. (May 29, 1910 – October 10, 1978) was an American track and field sprinter and politician. He jointly held the world record in the 100-meter dash and placed second in that event in two Olympics, first to Eddie Tolan in 1932 at Los Angeles and then to Jesse Owens at the 1936 Olympics in Berlin, Germany. Metcalfe won four Olympic medals and was regarded as the world's fastest human in 1934 and 1935.[1]
He later went into politics in the city of Chicago and served in the United States Congress for four terms in the 1970s as a Democrat from Illinois.
- ^ Bochat, Rel (October 11, 1978). "Marquette track got Metcalfe off 'n' running". Milwaukee Sentinel. p. 1, part 2.