The great Jesse Owens was born on this day in 1913- 99 years ago.  This blog featured Owens in our Olympic Histories 6 weeks ago. Jesse Owens 4 Gold Medals at the 1936 Berlin Games. The Hitler Olympics.

Ten notes on Jesse Owens.

1. He was born James Cleveland Owens. He got the name Jesse when he was a kid. He was from the south, when his family moved north to Cleveland he went to school. The teacher asked him what his name was and he said “J.C’ it sounded to the teacher due to his southern accent like “Jesse”.

2. Jesse Owens supported Alf Landon for the 1936 Presidential Election.

3. In his athletic prime Jesse Owens was 5’10 165 pounds.

4. This is as mind blowing as his Olympic achievements. At a Big Ten meet while he was at Ohio State in a 45 minute period he set 3 world records and tied a 4th. He equalled the world record in the 100 yard dash, set a world record in the long jump that would last for 25 years and set the record in the 220 yard sprint and 220 yard low hurdles.

5. Jesse Owens was a pack a day smoker for 35 years and got an aggressive form of lung cancer. He died at the age of 66 in 1980.

6. In 1976 POTUS Jerry Ford awarded Jesse Owens the Presidential Medal of Freedom.

7. Just months before his death he tried unsuccessfully to convince the worst president of the 20th century Jimmy Carter not to boycott the 1980 Moscow Olympics. He said that the Olympic ideal was a break from war and above politics. As usual when given a choice Carter chose the wrong path.

8. Owens said regarding untrue legend that he was snubbed by Hitler said “Hitler didn’t snub me, it was FDR who snubbed me. He didn’t even send me a telegram.

9. Jesse Owens was the first African-American  athlete to get a sponsorship. The founder of Adidas convinced him to use their shoes in the 36 Olympics.

10. In 1936 Jesse Owens was named the Associated Press Athlete of the Year. No one would match the 4 gold medals Jesse Owens had until 1984 when Carl Lewis won 4 in the Los Angeles Games.