Ralph Cook Craig (June 21, 1889 – July 21, 1972) was an American track and field athlete. He was the winner of the sprint double at the 1912 Summer Olympics.[1]
 Ralph Craig c. 1912 | |||||||||||||||
| Personal information | |||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Born | June 21, 1889 Detroit, Michigan, United States | ||||||||||||||
| Died | July 21, 1972 (aged 83) Lake George, New York, United States | ||||||||||||||
| Height | 1.82 m (6 ft 0 in) | ||||||||||||||
| Weight | 73 kg (161 lb) | ||||||||||||||
| Sport | |||||||||||||||
| Sport | Sprint running | ||||||||||||||
| Club | Detroit Athletic Club | ||||||||||||||
Medal record
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Craig began his track career as a hurdler at Detroit Central High School, and only later developed into a sprinter at the University of Michigan.[2] In 1910, he won the IC4A 220 y championship, repeating this the following year.
In 1912, Craig qualified for the Olympic team and went to Sweden, where he reached the final of the 100m. A big favorite was his compatriot Donald Lippincott, who had set a world record of 10.6 in the heats. After no less than seven false starts, Craig won the race in 10.8 – Lippincott only finished third. Craig fought out another battle with Lippincott in the 200m, edging him to win the 200 m title. Craig was not a part of the American 4 × 100 m relay team, which was disqualified.[3]
Immediately after the Olympics, Craig retired from the sport. His younger brother, James B. Craig, also ran track at Michigan and starred for the Michigan Wolverines football team, earning a consensus selection to the 1913 College Football All-America Team.
In 1948, Craig made a return to the Olympics as an alternate on the US yachting team. Although he did not actually compete, Craig (59) carried the American flag at the opening ceremonies in London.[1][4]
Craig was employed for many years as an administrator with the New York State Unemployment Bureau.[5] He died at Lake George, New York.
In 2010 he was inducted into the National Track and Field Hall of Fame.[6]
Competitions
edit- In March 1911, Craig set a new record by running the 40-yard high hurdles in 5.2 seconds, breaking the prior record held by Forrest Smithson.[7]
- In May 1911, at his last competition wearing the Michigan uniform, Craig helped the Wolverines to a third-place finish in the inter-collegiate meet. He tied the inter-collegiate record in the 100-yard dash with a time of 9.8 seconds. He also tied the world record in the 220-yard dash with a time of 21.2 seconds. The Wolverines finished the meet with 24 points, trailing only Cornell (30 points) and Yale (24-1/2 points).[8]
References
edit- ^ a b Ralph Craig. sports-reference.com.
- ^ "Ralph Craig and John Paul Jones Should Win The Olympic Championships". The Pittsburg Press. December 17, 1911. p. 5.
- ^ "Ralph Craig". Olympedia. Retrieved April 17, 2021.
- ^ "Ralph Craig To Be Feted By Mich. Alumni". The Evening News, Providence, R.I. April 3, 1912. p. 4.
- ^ "Former Olympic Champ Won't Make Comparison". Spartanburg Herald. April 28, 1966. p. 37.
- ^ USATF announces Class of 2010 Hall of Fame Inductees. usatf.org. November 4, 2010.
- ^ "Cornell Defeats Michigan". Michigan Alumnus. 1911. p. 441.
- ^ "Michigan Third in Inter-Collegiate". Michigan Alumnus. 1911. p. 529.
External links
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