Harrison Dillard
The only man in Olympic history to own gold medals as the world's fastest sprinter and its fastest hurdler.
1923–2019 (age 96)·American athlete·Birthday: July 8·The Greatest Generation
Biography
Harrison Dillard, nicknamed 'Bones' for his slender frame, turned a childhood stumble into a historic stride. As a boy in Cleveland, he fell while running an errand and broke his collarbone; during recovery, he practiced walking along a crack in the sidewalk, a discipline that forged his legendary straight-line speed. At Baldwin Wallace College, he became a hurdles phenom, but his dream of hurdling gold in the 1948 London Olympics evaporated when he hit a hurdle at the trials. Undeterred, he qualified in the 100-meter dash instead. In a stunning upset, he won, becoming the 'World's Fastest Man.' Four years later in Helsinki, he finally claimed his destined gold in the 110-meter hurdles. This unique double—sprint and hurdles gold—remains unmatched by any male athlete, a testament to his versatility, resilience, and pure, explosive talent.
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.
Harrison was born in 1923, 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 Harrison Was Born
The biggest hits of 1923
#1 Movie
The Covered Wagon
Harrison's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1923Born
The Great Kanto earthquake devastates Tokyo
President: Calvin Coolidge"Yes! We Have No Bananas" — Billy Jones
1928Started school
Alexander Fleming discovers penicillin; Mickey Mouse debuts
President: Calvin Coolidge"Ol' Man River" — Paul WhitemanBest Picture: Wings
1936Became a teenager
Jesse Owens wins four golds at the Berlin Olympics
Gas: $0.19/galPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"The Way You Look Tonight" — Fred AstaireBest Picture: The Great Ziegfeld
1939Could drive
World War II begins; The Wizard of Oz premieres
Gas: $0.19/galMin wage: $0.30/hrPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"Over the Rainbow" — Judy GarlandBest Picture: Gone with the Wind
1941Could vote
Pearl Harbor attack brings the US into WWII
Gas: $0.19/galHome: $3,060Min wage: $0.30/hrPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"Chattanooga Choo Choo" — Glenn MillerBest Picture: How Green Was My Valley
1944Turned 21
D-Day: Allied forces land at Normandy
Gas: $0.21/galHome: $3,400Min wage: $0.30/hrPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"Swinging on a Star" — Bing CrosbyBest Picture: Going My Way
1953Turned 30
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 40
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 50
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 60
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 70
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
2003Turned 80
US invades Iraq; Human Genome Project completed
Gas: $1.59/galHome: $146,000Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"In Da Club" — 50 CentBest Picture: The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King
2019Died at 96
First image of a black hole; Hong Kong protests
Gas: $2.60/galHome: $224,400Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Donald Trump"Old Town Road" — Lil Nas XBest Picture: Parasite
Key Achievements
- The only male athlete to win Olympic gold medals in both the 100-meter dash (1948) and the 110-meter hurdles (1952).
- Won four total Olympic gold medals, including victories in the 4x100 meter relay in 1948 and 1952.
- Set the world record in the 110-meter hurdles in 1948 with a time of 13.6 seconds.
- Won 82 consecutive hurdle races between 1947 and 1948, a dominant streak in the event.
Did You Know?
He was a childhood neighbor and friend of Jesse Owens, who inspired him to pursue track and field.
He served in an all-Black artillery unit in Europe during World War II and continued to train on makeshift tracks while deployed.
His first pair of running shoes were a gift from his junior high school principal.
He missed making the 1948 Olympic team in his signature event, the hurdles, by hitting a hurdle at the trials, forcing him to qualify in the 100m.
“The hurdles are like life. You have to get over them, and keep running.”
