Bob Beamon
Encyclopedia
Robert "Bob" Beamon (born August 29, 1946) is an American
former track and field
athlete, best known for his world record
in the long jump
at the Mexico Olympics in 1968
, which remained the world record for almost 23 years until it was broken in 1991 by Mike Powell
. This is the second longest holding of this record, as Jesse Owens
held the record for 25 years, 1935-1960. Powell's record has stood for over 20 years.
, New York
. He was raised by his grandmother, who told him about his mother who died at 25 from tuberculosis, when Beamon was only 8 months old. He later found out that his mother was physically abused by his father. He was sent to his grandmother's because his father threatened to kill Beamon if his mother took him home.
When he was attending Jamaica High School he was discovered by Larry Ellis, a renowned track coach. Beamon later became part of the All-American track and field team. In 1965, he ranked second in the long jump in the United States, and received a track and field scholarship to the University of Texas at El Paso
.
Beamon was suspended from the University of Texas at El Paso
, for refusing to compete against Brigham Young University
, alleging it had racist policies. This left him without a coach, and fellow Olympian Ralph Boston
began to coach him unofficially.
in Mexico City
, Beamon set a world record
for the long jump
with a jump of 8.90 m (29 ft. 2½ in.), bettering the existing record by 55 cm (21¾ in.). When the announcer called out the distance for the jump, Beamon — unfamiliar with metric measurements — wasn't affected by it. When his teammate and coach Ralph Boston told him that he broke the world record by nearly 2 feet, an astonished Beamon collapsed to his knees and placed his hands over his face in shock. In one of the more enduring images of the games, his competitors then helped him to his feet. One journalist called Beamon "the man who saw lightning". Sports journalist Dick Schaap
wrote a book about the leap, The Perfect Jump. Prior to Beamon’s jump, the world record had been broken thirteen times since 1901, with an average increase of 6 cm (2½ in) and the largest increase being 15 cm (6 in). Beamon's record stood for 23 years until Mike Powell
broke it in 1991.
The defending Olympic champion, Lynn Davies
of Great Britain
, told Beamon, "You have destroyed this event", and in sports jargon, a new adjective — Beamonesque — came into use to describe spectacular feats. Beamon landed his jump near the far end of the sand pit but the optical device which had been installed to measure jump distances was not designed to measure a jump of such length. This forced the officials to measure the jump manually which added to the jump's aura. Shortly after Beamon's jump a major rainstorm blew through making it more difficult for his competitors to try to match Beamon's feat. None were able to do so. Klaus Beer
finished second with a jump of 8.19 m.
In making his record jump, Beamon enjoyed a number of advantageous environmental factors. At an altitude of 2240 m (7349 ft), Mexico City's air had less resistance than air would have at sea level. This allows runners to run faster and jumpers to jump farther. In addition to Beamon's record, world records were broken in most of the sprinting and jumping events at the 1968 Olympic Games. Beamon also benefited from a trailing wind of 2 meters per second on his jump, the maximum allowable for record purposes. It has been estimated that the trail wind and altitude may have improved Beamon's long jump distance by 31 cm (12.2 inches). During the same hour Lee Evans
set the world record for 400 metres that lasted for almost 20 years.
Beamon entered the Olympic games as the favorite, having won 22 of the 23 meets he had competed in that year, including a career best of 8.33 m (27 ft. 4 in.). After winning the gold medal in Mexico City, he never again jumped over 8.22 m (26 ft. 11¾ in.)
Beamon's world-record jump was named by Sports Illustrated
magazine as one of the five greatest sports moments of the 20th century. Beamon's world record was finally broken in 1991 when Mike Powell
jumped 8.95 m (29 ft. 4-3/8 in.) at the World Championship
s in Tokyo
, but Beamon's jump is still the Olympic record and more than 40 years later remains the second longest wind legal
jump of all time.
basketball team.
In 1972 he graduated from Adelphi University
with a degree in sociology
He currently works for Chicago State University as an Associate Athletic Director and lives in Chicago, Illinois.
, and when the United States Olympic Hall of Fame
started to induct athletes in 1983, Beamon was one of the first inductees.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
former track and field
Track and field
Track and field is a sport comprising various competitive athletic contests based around the activities of running, jumping and throwing. The name of the sport derives from the venue for the competitions: a stadium which features an oval running track surrounding a grassy area...
athlete, best known for his world record
World record
A world record is usually the best global performance ever recorded and verified in a specific skill or sport. The book Guinness World Records collates and publishes notable records of all types, from first and best to worst human achievements, to extremes in the natural world and beyond...
in the long jump
Long jump
The long jump is a track and field event in which athletes combine speed, strength, and agility in an attempt to leap as far as possible from a take off point...
at the Mexico Olympics in 1968
1968 Summer Olympics
The 1968 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XIX Olympiad, were an international multi-sport event held in Mexico City, Mexico in October 1968. The 1968 Games were the first Olympic Games hosted by a developing country, and the first Games hosted by a Spanish-speaking country...
, which remained the world record for almost 23 years until it was broken in 1991 by Mike Powell
Mike Powell (athlete)
Michael Anthony Powell born is a former American track and field athlete, and the holder of the long jump world record.Mike Powell was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania....
. This is the second longest holding of this record, as Jesse Owens
Jesse Owens
James Cleveland "Jesse" Owens was an American track and field athlete who specialized in the sprints and the long jump. He participated in the 1936 Summer Olympics in Berlin, Germany, where he achieved international fame by winning four gold medals: one each in the 100 meters, the 200 meters, the...
held the record for 25 years, 1935-1960. Powell's record has stood for over 20 years.
Early life
Bob Beamon was born in South Jamaica, QueensSouth Jamaica, Queens
South Jamaica, known colloquially as Southside & Southside Jamaica Queens, is a neighborhood in the New York City borough of Queens, located south of downtown Jamaica, the Long Island Rail Road tracks Jamaica Avenue and Liberty Avenue. The western border is the Van Wyck Expressway, and it...
, New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
. He was raised by his grandmother, who told him about his mother who died at 25 from tuberculosis, when Beamon was only 8 months old. He later found out that his mother was physically abused by his father. He was sent to his grandmother's because his father threatened to kill Beamon if his mother took him home.
When he was attending Jamaica High School he was discovered by Larry Ellis, a renowned track coach. Beamon later became part of the All-American track and field team. In 1965, he ranked second in the long jump in the United States, and received a track and field scholarship to the University of Texas at El Paso
University of Texas at El Paso
The University of Texas at El Paso is a four-year state university, and is a component institution of the University of Texas System. Its campus is located on the bank of the Rio Grande in El Paso, Texas. The school was founded in 1914 as The Texas State School of Mines and Metallurgy,...
.
Beamon was suspended from the University of Texas at El Paso
University of Texas at El Paso
The University of Texas at El Paso is a four-year state university, and is a component institution of the University of Texas System. Its campus is located on the bank of the Rio Grande in El Paso, Texas. The school was founded in 1914 as The Texas State School of Mines and Metallurgy,...
, for refusing to compete against Brigham Young University
Brigham Young University
Brigham Young University is a private university located in Provo, Utah. It is owned and operated by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints , and is the United States' largest religious university and third-largest private university.Approximately 98% of the university's 34,000 students...
, alleging it had racist policies. This left him without a coach, and fellow Olympian Ralph Boston
Ralph Boston
Ralph Harold Boston is an American athlete. He was an all around athletic star, but he is best remembered for his successes in the long jump during the 1960s....
began to coach him unofficially.
1968 Summer Olympics
On October 18 at the 1968 Summer Olympics1968 Summer Olympics
The 1968 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XIX Olympiad, were an international multi-sport event held in Mexico City, Mexico in October 1968. The 1968 Games were the first Olympic Games hosted by a developing country, and the first Games hosted by a Spanish-speaking country...
in Mexico City
Mexico City
Mexico City is the Federal District , capital of Mexico and seat of the federal powers of the Mexican Union. It is a federal entity within Mexico which is not part of any one of the 31 Mexican states but belongs to the federation as a whole...
, Beamon set a world record
World record
A world record is usually the best global performance ever recorded and verified in a specific skill or sport. The book Guinness World Records collates and publishes notable records of all types, from first and best to worst human achievements, to extremes in the natural world and beyond...
for the long jump
Long jump
The long jump is a track and field event in which athletes combine speed, strength, and agility in an attempt to leap as far as possible from a take off point...
with a jump of 8.90 m (29 ft. 2½ in.), bettering the existing record by 55 cm (21¾ in.). When the announcer called out the distance for the jump, Beamon — unfamiliar with metric measurements — wasn't affected by it. When his teammate and coach Ralph Boston told him that he broke the world record by nearly 2 feet, an astonished Beamon collapsed to his knees and placed his hands over his face in shock. In one of the more enduring images of the games, his competitors then helped him to his feet. One journalist called Beamon "the man who saw lightning". Sports journalist Dick Schaap
Dick Schaap
Richard Jay Schaap was an American sportswriter, broadcaster, and author.-Early life and education:...
wrote a book about the leap, The Perfect Jump. Prior to Beamon’s jump, the world record had been broken thirteen times since 1901, with an average increase of 6 cm (2½ in) and the largest increase being 15 cm (6 in). Beamon's record stood for 23 years until Mike Powell
Mike Powell (athlete)
Michael Anthony Powell born is a former American track and field athlete, and the holder of the long jump world record.Mike Powell was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania....
broke it in 1991.
The defending Olympic champion, Lynn Davies
Lynn Davies
Lynn Davies CBE was a member of the Cardiff Amateur Athletic Club and captain of the British Olympic long jump team in 1964....
of Great Britain
Great Britain
Great Britain or Britain is an island situated to the northwest of Continental Europe. It is the ninth largest island in the world, and the largest European island, as well as the largest of the British Isles...
, told Beamon, "You have destroyed this event", and in sports jargon, a new adjective — Beamonesque — came into use to describe spectacular feats. Beamon landed his jump near the far end of the sand pit but the optical device which had been installed to measure jump distances was not designed to measure a jump of such length. This forced the officials to measure the jump manually which added to the jump's aura. Shortly after Beamon's jump a major rainstorm blew through making it more difficult for his competitors to try to match Beamon's feat. None were able to do so. Klaus Beer
Klaus Beer
Klaus Beer is a former track and field athlete active in the 1960s for East Germany.Beer was born in Liegnitz , Province of Lower Silesia....
finished second with a jump of 8.19 m.
In making his record jump, Beamon enjoyed a number of advantageous environmental factors. At an altitude of 2240 m (7349 ft), Mexico City's air had less resistance than air would have at sea level. This allows runners to run faster and jumpers to jump farther. In addition to Beamon's record, world records were broken in most of the sprinting and jumping events at the 1968 Olympic Games. Beamon also benefited from a trailing wind of 2 meters per second on his jump, the maximum allowable for record purposes. It has been estimated that the trail wind and altitude may have improved Beamon's long jump distance by 31 cm (12.2 inches). During the same hour Lee Evans
Lee Evans (athlete)
Lee Edward Evans is a former American athlete, winner of two gold medals at the 1968 Summer Olympics....
set the world record for 400 metres that lasted for almost 20 years.
Beamon entered the Olympic games as the favorite, having won 22 of the 23 meets he had competed in that year, including a career best of 8.33 m (27 ft. 4 in.). After winning the gold medal in Mexico City, he never again jumped over 8.22 m (26 ft. 11¾ in.)
Beamon's world-record jump was named by Sports Illustrated
Sports Illustrated
Sports Illustrated is an American sports media company owned by media conglomerate Time Warner. Its self titled magazine has over 3.5 million subscribers and is read by 23 million adults each week, including over 18 million men. It was the first magazine with circulation over one million to win the...
magazine as one of the five greatest sports moments of the 20th century. Beamon's world record was finally broken in 1991 when Mike Powell
Mike Powell (athlete)
Michael Anthony Powell born is a former American track and field athlete, and the holder of the long jump world record.Mike Powell was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania....
jumped 8.95 m (29 ft. 4-3/8 in.) at the World Championship
1991 World Championships in Athletics
The 3rd World Championships in Athletics, under the auspices of the International Association of Athletics Federations, were held in the Olympic Stadium in Tokyo, Japan between August 23 and September 1 and athletes from 167 countries participated in the event.The event is best-remembered for the...
s in Tokyo
Tokyo
, ; officially , is one of the 47 prefectures of Japan. Tokyo is the capital of Japan, the center of the Greater Tokyo Area, and the largest metropolitan area of Japan. It is the seat of the Japanese government and the Imperial Palace, and the home of the Japanese Imperial Family...
, but Beamon's jump is still the Olympic record and more than 40 years later remains the second longest wind legal
Wind assistance
Wind assistance is a term in track and field, which refers to the wind level during a race or event as registered by a wind gauge. Wind is one of many forms of weather which can affect sport....
jump of all time.
Later life
Shortly after the Mexico City Olympics, Beamon was drafted by the Phoenix SunsPhoenix Suns
The Phoenix Suns are a professional basketball team based in Phoenix, Arizona. They are members of the Pacific Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association and the only team in their division not to be based in California. Their home arena since 1992 has been the US...
basketball team.
In 1972 he graduated from Adelphi University
Adelphi University
Adelphi University is a private, nonsectarian university located in Garden City, in Nassau County, New York, United States. It is the oldest institution of higher education on Long Island. For the sixth year, Adelphi University has been named a “Best Buy” in higher education by the Fiske Guide to...
with a degree in sociology
Sociology
Sociology is the study of society. It is a social science—a term with which it is sometimes synonymous—which uses various methods of empirical investigation and critical analysis to develop a body of knowledge about human social activity...
He currently works for Chicago State University as an Associate Athletic Director and lives in Chicago, Illinois.
Honors
Beamon is in the National Track and Field Hall of FameNational Track and Field Hall of Fame
The National Track and Field Hall of Fame located within the Armory Foundation at 216 Fort Washington Avenue, between 168th and 169th Streets, in Washington Heights, in the New York City borough of Manhattan, is a museum operated by The Armory Foundation in conjunction with USA Track & Field...
, and when the United States Olympic Hall of Fame
United States Olympic Hall of Fame
The United States Olympic Hall of Fame is an honor roll of the top American Olympic athletes.The Hall of Fame was established by the United States Olympic Committee in 1979; the first members were inducted in 1983. Between 1992 and 2003, the Hall of Fame went dormant, with no induction of new...
started to induct athletes in 1983, Beamon was one of the first inductees.
Further reading
- Beamon, Bob, and Milana Walter Beamon. (1999). The Man Who Could Fly: The Bob Beamon Story. Columbus, MS: Genesis Press. ISBN 1-885478-89-5.
- Schaap, Dick. (1976). The Perfect Jump. New York, NY: New American Library.