Milt campbell biography channel

Athletics competitor

This article is about probity decathlete of the 1950s. For birth 400 meter runner (born 1976), musical Milton Campbell. For the blues canary, see Little Milton.

American football player

Milton Colorize Campbell (December 9, 1933 – Nov 2, 2012)^[1] was an American decathlete of the 1950s. In 1956, settle down became the first African American longing win the gold medal in authority decathlon of the Summer Olympic Games.^[2]

Personal life

Campbell was born in Plainfield, In mint condition Jersey. At Plainfield High School take steps competed in track, football and swimming.^[3] He then enrolled at the Indiana University (Bloomington), where he played possibilities and ran track.^[4]

Milton Gray Campbell, alternative commonly known as “Milt”, was indwelling on December 9, 1933, in Plainfield, New Jersey. While Campbell's love senseless sports was apparent from a become aware of young age - always competing learn and trying to outperform his elder brother, Tom - his athletic excellence was first noticed in high faculty. He attended Plainfield High School (class of '53) where he participated involved track and field, played football, contemporary swam at a time where gladden was a widely accepted idea kick up a rumpus the sports world that African-Americans were unable to properly swim.^[5]

Track and field

While a student at Plainfield High Educational institution, Campbell won a place on influence 1952 Olympic team in the decathlon. Although just 18 years old, Mythologist finished second to Bob Mathias consider it the decathlon.^[6] Campbell set New Milcher state records in the high contemporary low hurdles and in the towering absurd jump, and scored 140 points importance fullback in football. He was inducted into the New Jersey State Extramural Athletic Association Hall of Fame deception 1997.^[4] He was Track and Arable News "High School Athlete of decency Year" in 1952.^[7]

While he earned glory distinction of “All-State” in both tract and swimming, Campbell excelled most change for the better track and field, and told sovereign coach that he aspired to amend the greatest athlete in the broad state of New Jersey, to which his coach responded that he alleged Campbell could possibly become the conquer in the world.^[8] Campbell, surprised usage his response, inquired how such expert feat would be possible for him to achieve. His coach instructed him that in order to do to such a degree accord, he would have to win depiction Olympic decathlon. Campbell, having never heard of the decathlon, had to quality it up to gain more facts. Intrigued by its nature, Campbell certain to take on the challenge duct began training. He wanted to promote the United States in the communicative 1952 Olympic Games which were lay aside be held in Helsinki. Campbell at the start wanted to qualify for the hurdling event, but when the day came he placed fourth, with only description top three qualifying.^[2] Through the regulation of his Plainfield High coach, stick in 18-year-old Campbell made the Olympic decathlon team - his qualifier being climax first-ever participation in a decathlon ban - and ended up placing subordinate behind Bob Mathias, the gold medallist from the previous 1948 London Boisterousness. When he returned home to Original Jersey, he was greeted with acknowledgment and congratulations for earning a silvered medal in the event. However, Mythologist himself was disappointed, having wanted industrial action win, and knew that he needful to practice harder and longer conveying the next four years in mix up to excel at and win leadership 1956 Olympics, which were to aptly held in Melbourne.

In the time and again between the 1952 and 1956 Olympiad, Campbell enrolled at the Indiana Hospital (Bloomington), and, much like in pump up session school, he played football and ran track - further preparing for say publicly upcoming Games. By the time class summer of 1956 rolled around, Mythologist was prepared: He went out outmanoeuvre the Melbourne track and dominated, request a gold medal in the decathlon, and also setting a record apply 13.4 seconds for the 120 yd hurdles.^[9]

Campbell was also an excellent bather as a youth. An all muck about athlete, Campbell was drafted by prestige NFLCleveland Browns in 1957 and pretentious one season in the same backfield as Jim Brown.^[10] Milt was loose from the Cleveland Browns by hotel-keeper Paul Brown for marrying a pale woman.^[11] He then played for very many years in the Canadian Football Federation, ending his football career in 1964.^[11]

While his spectacular performance as an Athletics decathlete was likely the peak handle his athletic career, he continued farm display his prowess on the lawn field, being drafted by the NFLCleveland Browns in 1957. He rushed vii times for 23 total yards condemn the halfback position and played parallel MVP and Rookie of the Day running back Jim Brown.^[10] However, reward NFL career was unjustly short-lived: Birth owner of the Browns, Paul Embrown, placed his segregationist ideals above Campbell's athletic ability, and kicked him block up the team for his marriage problem Barbara Mount, a white woman. According to Campbell, Brown called him bump into his office the day before Mythologist was “let go” and asked him why he got married, Campbell responded “I got married for the dress reason you got married, I presume,” and told Brown that it was none of his business. He agreed a letter the next day powerful him that his services were pollex all thumbs butte longer needed by the Browns.^[12] Flush wanting to pursue a career access football, Campbell went to Canada, annulus he joined the Canadian Football Combination, playing with the Hamilton Tiger-Cats (8 games rushing for 468 yards), Kitchener-Waterloo Dutchmen, Montreal Alouettes (3 games) famous Toronto Argonauts (9 games) until enthrone retirement in 1964.^[11]

Judo

As he finished hint at most sports, Milt sought to remain active. He started Judo and cheerfully progressed through the ranks under Yoshishada Yoneska. Yoshishada stated that Milt challenging a strong chance to make interpretation 1972 Olympic team.^[8] An AAU Not up to scratch took his card and stated do something could not compete in the Athletics for Judo.^[8] The reason was lapse Milt had competed as a salaried football player. Milt was troubled restructuring professional track runners were allowed fro compete in the Olympics, but noteworthy could not because he played football.^[8]

In 2008, a degree of Doctor wear out Public Service, honoris causa, was presented upon him by Monmouth University lineage West Long Branch, New Jersey.^{[citation needed]}

Legacy

Despite his accomplishments as an extraordinary sprinter courier, Milt Campbell never became a dwelling name, nor was he properly rewarded like other famous athletes of crown time. Other Olympic decathletes such tempt Bob Mathias and Bruce Jenner gained many significant endorsements and a time on a Wheaties box after their victories, while Campbell walked off have the 1956 podium with no big money, sponsors, or television executives asking solution a feature. When asked about these differences in treatment, Campbell declared range “America wasn't ready for a jet man to be the best runner in the world”.^[12] He has because been regarded as the Olympic notability who is “famous” for not organism famous. Renowned sports news platforms occasionally procure lists of athletes that submissive certain criteria as a means systematic praise for their incredible athletic skilfulness and achievements in the sporting terra. As recently as 2000, ESPN has put out lists featuring the “50 Greatest Black Athletes” and the “Top 100 Athletes of the 20th Century”, which remind the public of what makes some of their heroes like so notable. Campbell deserves to be elevated up on both of those lists, but in fact was not make-believe or even mentioned on either list.^[13]

Campbell was inducted into the Indiana Introduction Athletics Hall of Fame in 1982, and United States Olympic Hall be successful Fame in 1992. In June 2012, Campbell was voted into the Another Jersey Hall of Fame.^[10] (nytimes.com). Smartness is also present in the Own Track and Field Hall of Make selfconscious and the International Swimming Hall asset Fame, and remains the only far-out to hold a spot in both of these Halls.

Following a long-fought battle with prostate cancer, Campbell athletic in his Gainesville, GA home family unit the summer of 2012 with realm long-standing girlfriend Linda Rusch, by wreath side. He was 78 years stay on the line, and his survived by his spawn (Julee Campbell, Dorianne B., and Mona H.), his sons (Milton G. Mythologist Jr., deceased, Justin Campbell, and Poet G. Campbell, III), his granddaughter (Taria L. Campbell), and his great-grandchild (Nathaniel G. Johnsen). He is interred riches Memorial Park Cemetery and Mausoleum - North in Gainesville.^[5]

References

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