Dave Albritton
An Olympic high jumper and legislator who broke barriers both on the track and in the halls of Ohio government.
1913–1994 (age 81)·American high jumper·Birthday: April 13·The Greatest Generation
Biography
Dave Albritton grew up in Alabama, where his athletic talent became a vehicle for change. At Ohio State University, he formed a historic rivalry with teammate Jesse Owens, pushing the boundaries of the high jump. At the 1936 Berlin Olympics, Albritton soared to a silver medal, his performance a quiet rebuttal to the Nazi ideology on display. He later turned to coaching and education, shaping young athletes for decades. In a second act, he served four terms in the Ohio House of Representatives, advocating for his community with the same determination he showed on the field.
The Greatest Generation
1901–1927
Grew up during the Depression, fought World War II, and built the postwar economic boom. Defined by shared sacrifice, institutional trust, and a belief that hard work and loyalty would be rewarded.
Dave was born in 1913, placing them squarely in The Greatest 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 Dave Was Born
The biggest hits of 1913
Dave's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1913Born
The Federal Reserve is established
President: Woodrow Wilson
1918Started school
World War I ends; Spanish flu pandemic kills millions
President: Woodrow Wilson
1926Became a teenager
Robert Goddard launches the first liquid-fueled rocket
President: Calvin Coolidge"Baby Face" — Jan Garber
1929Could drive
Wall Street crashes, triggering the Great Depression
Gas: $0.21/galPresident: Herbert Hoover"Singin' in the Rain" — Cliff EdwardsBest Picture: The Broadway Melody
1931Could vote
The Empire State Building opens as the world's tallest
Gas: $0.17/galPresident: Herbert Hoover"Minnie the Moocher" — Cab CallowayBest Picture: Cimarron
1934Turned 21
Gas: $0.19/galPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"Stars Fell on Alabama" — Jack TeagardenBest Picture: It Happened One Night
1943Turned 30
Allies invade Sicily; Battle of Stalingrad ends
Gas: $0.21/galHome: $3,290Min wage: $0.30/hrPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"I've Heard That Song Before" — Harry JamesBest Picture: Casablanca
1953Turned 40
DNA structure discovered by Watson and Crick
Gas: $0.27/galHome: $8,750Min wage: $0.75/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"Song from Moulin Rouge" — Percy FaithBest Picture: From Here to Eternity
1963Turned 50
JFK assassinated in Dallas; Martin Luther King's 'I Have a Dream' speech
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $13,100Min wage: $1.25/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"Sugar Shack" — Jimmy Gilmer & The FireballsBest Picture: Tom Jones
1973Turned 60
US withdraws from Vietnam; Roe v. Wade decided
Gas: $0.39/galHome: $22,100Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"Tie a Yellow Ribbon Round the Ole Oak Tree" — Tony Orlando & DawnBest Picture: The Sting
1983Turned 70
Internet adopts TCP/IP, creating the modern internet
Gas: $1.16/galHome: $57,700Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Every Breath You Take" — The PoliceBest Picture: Terms of Endearment
1993Turned 80
European Union officially established
Gas: $1.11/galHome: $86,600Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"I Will Always Love You" — Whitney HoustonBest Picture: Schindler's List
1994Died at 81
Nelson Mandela elected president of South Africa
Gas: $1.11/galHome: $90,400Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"The Sign" — Ace of BaseBest Picture: Forrest Gump
Key Achievements
- Won the silver medal in the high jump at the 1936 Summer Olympics in Berlin.
- Set a world record in the high jump (2.07 meters) in 1936, tying with Jesse Owens.
- Served as a Democratic member of the Ohio House of Representatives from 1979 to 1988.
- Coached track and field at Central State University for over twenty years.
- Was inducted into the Alabama Sports Hall of Fame in 1973.
Did You Know?
He was one of the first high jumpers to successfully employ the straddle technique, moving away from the older scissors style.
He and Jesse Owens were teammates and roommates at Ohio State University.
He served in the US Army during World War II.
His son, Dave Albritton Jr., also became a state legislator in Ohio.
He was a teacher and principal in Dayton, Ohio, public schools before entering politics.
“I jumped for Ohio State and for America, in a stadium that wished us silent.”
