Bill Meanix
An early master of the long hurdles, he dominated the 440-yard event, setting a world record that stood for five years and winning the first two U.S. national titles.
1892–1957 (age 65)·American hurdler·Birthday: January 18·The Lost Generation
Biography
In the era of cinder tracks and wool uniforms, Bill Meanix was a pioneer of one of track and field's most grueling events: the 440-yard hurdles. Competing for the Irish-American Athletic Club, he combined raw speed with formidable technique to conquer a distance that demands both. In 1915, he clocked a time that shattered the existing world record, a mark that would remain untouched until after World War I. He proved his dominance wasn't a fluke by capturing the inaugural U.S. national championship in the event in 1916 and then defending his title the following year. Meanix's career, though likely shortened by the war, established a standard of excellence in an event that was still finding its footing in the athletic world, making him one of its first true stars.
The Lost Generation
1883–1900
Came of age during World War I. Disillusioned by the carnage, they rejected the certainties of the Victorian era and built modernism from the wreckage — in art, literature, and politics.
Bill was born in 1892, placing them squarely in The Lost Generation. The events that shaped this generation — world wars, depression, and rapid industrialization — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Bill Was Born
The biggest hits of 1892
Bill's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1892Born
President: Benjamin Harrison
1897Started school
President: William McKinley
1905Became a teenager
Einstein publishes the theory of special relativity
President: Theodore Roosevelt
1908Could drive
Ford Model T goes into production
President: Theodore Roosevelt
1910Could vote
Halley's Comet makes its closest approach
President: William Howard Taft
1913Turned 21
The Federal Reserve is established
President: Woodrow Wilson
1922Turned 30
King Tut's tomb discovered in Egypt
President: Warren G. Harding"April Showers" — Al Jolson
1932Turned 40
Amelia Earhart flies solo across the Atlantic
Gas: $0.18/galPresident: Herbert Hoover"Night and Day" — Fred AstaireBest Picture: Grand Hotel
1942Turned 50
Battle of Midway turns the tide in the Pacific
Gas: $0.20/galHome: $3,175Min wage: $0.30/hrPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"White Christmas" — Bing CrosbyBest Picture: Mrs. Miniver
1952Turned 60
Queen Elizabeth II ascends the throne
Gas: $0.27/galHome: $8,350Min wage: $0.75/hrPresident: Harry S. Truman"Blue Tango" — Leroy AndersonBest Picture: The Greatest Show on Earth
1957Died at 65
Sputnik launches the Space Age
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $10,550Min wage: $1.00/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"All Shook Up" — Elvis PresleyBest Picture: The Bridge on the River Kwai
Key Achievements
- Set the world record in the 440-yard hurdles in 1915 with a time of 54.2 seconds.
- Won the first two U.S. national championships in the 440-yard hurdles in 1916 and 1917.
- His world record stood for five years, from 1915 until 1920.
Did You Know?
He was a member of the celebrated Irish-American Athletic Club, based in New York City.
His world record was set at a meet in Cambridge, Massachusetts.
The 440-yard hurdles is the imperial predecessor to the modern 400-meter hurdles Olympic event.
“The last hurdle is the one that breaks you.”
