Frank Wykoff
Encyclopedia
Frank Clifford Wyckoff (October 29, 1909 – January 1, 1980) was an American
athlete, triple gold medal winner in 4x100 m relay
at the Olympic Games
.
Born in Des Moines, Iowa
, Frank Wyckoff has a place in track and field history by being the first man to ever win three Olympic relay gold medals, all in world record
time.
Wyckoff made his debut at the Olympic Games
in Amsterdam
, where he finished fourth in the 100 m and ran an opening leg in the American 4x100 m relay team, which equalled the world record of 41.0 seconds in the final.
After the Olympics, in 1929, Wyckoff enrolled at Glendale Community College
. He enrolled for one year to be able to train one more season with his Glendale High School coach, Normal Hayhurst. He was close to death the previous fall with a severe throat infection but recovered enough in the spring to tie the world record four times as a sprinter for Glendale. He then transferred to the University of Southern California
where he came under the tutelage of the famous coach Dean Cromwell
. He won the AAU
championships in 100 yd
in 1928 and 1931 and NCAA
championships in 100 yd in 1930 and 1931. He ran a new world record in 100 yd of 9.4 s in May, 1930 and repeated it a month later. In 1931, as an anchor of the University of Southern California 4x100 m relay team, he set a new world record of 40.8.
At the 1932 Summer Olympics
, Wyckoff ran the fourth leg in a world record (40.0 s) setting American 4x100 m relay team. At the 1936 Summer Olympics
he again finished fourth in 100 m and again anchored the American 4x100 m relay team to gold with a new world record of 39.8.
Following his graduation from USC in 1932 Wyckoff earned a master's degree in 1936 and became a teacher and administrator. Wykoff worked for the Los Angeles County
school system until retiring in 1972. Frank Wyckoff died in Altadena, California
, aged 70.
A slogan of Wyckoff's, "Clean Speech, Clean Sport, Clean Scholarship, Clean Life," was adopted by the YMCA
in 1938.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
athlete, triple gold medal winner in 4x100 m relay
Relay race
During a relay race, members of a team take turns running, orienteering, swimming, cross-country skiing, biathlon, or ice skating parts of a circuit or performing a certain action. Relay races take the form of professional races and amateur games...
at the Olympic Games
Olympic Games
The Olympic Games is a major international event featuring summer and winter sports, in which thousands of athletes participate in a variety of competitions. The Olympic Games have come to be regarded as the world’s foremost sports competition where more than 200 nations participate...
.
Born in Des Moines, Iowa
Des Moines, Iowa
Des Moines is the capital and the most populous city in the US state of Iowa. It is also the county seat of Polk County. A small portion of the city extends into Warren County. It was incorporated on September 22, 1851, as Fort Des Moines which was shortened to "Des Moines" in 1857...
, Frank Wyckoff has a place in track and field history by being the first man to ever win three Olympic relay gold medals, all in 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...
time.
Wyckoff made his debut at the Olympic Games
Olympic Games
The Olympic Games is a major international event featuring summer and winter sports, in which thousands of athletes participate in a variety of competitions. The Olympic Games have come to be regarded as the world’s foremost sports competition where more than 200 nations participate...
in Amsterdam
Amsterdam
Amsterdam is the largest city and the capital of the Netherlands. The current position of Amsterdam as capital city of the Kingdom of the Netherlands is governed by the constitution of August 24, 1815 and its successors. Amsterdam has a population of 783,364 within city limits, an urban population...
, where he finished fourth in the 100 m and ran an opening leg in the American 4x100 m relay team, which equalled the world record of 41.0 seconds in the final.
After the Olympics, in 1929, Wyckoff enrolled at Glendale Community College
Glendale Community College (California)
Glendale Community College is a community college in Glendale, California, USA. It was founded to serve the needs of the people in the Glendale Union High School District which at the time included La Crescenta, Glendale, and Tujunga...
. He enrolled for one year to be able to train one more season with his Glendale High School coach, Normal Hayhurst. He was close to death the previous fall with a severe throat infection but recovered enough in the spring to tie the world record four times as a sprinter for Glendale. He then transferred to the University of Southern California
University of Southern California
The University of Southern California is a private, not-for-profit, nonsectarian, research university located in Los Angeles, California, United States. USC was founded in 1880, making it California's oldest private research university...
where he came under the tutelage of the famous coach Dean Cromwell
Dean Cromwell
Dean Bartlett Cromwell , nicknamed "Maker of Champions", was an American athletic coach in multiple sports, principally at the University of Southern California...
. He won the AAU
Amateur Athletic Union
The Amateur Athletic Union is one of the largest non-profit volunteer sports organizations in the United States. A multi-sport organization, the AAU is dedicated exclusively to the promotion and development of amateur sports and physical fitness programs.-History:The AAU was founded in 1888 to...
championships in 100 yd
Yard
A yard is a unit of length in several different systems including English units, Imperial units and United States customary units. It is equal to 3 feet or 36 inches...
in 1928 and 1931 and NCAA
National Collegiate Athletic Association
The National Collegiate Athletic Association is a semi-voluntary association of 1,281 institutions, conferences, organizations and individuals that organizes the athletic programs of many colleges and universities in the United States...
championships in 100 yd in 1930 and 1931. He ran a new world record in 100 yd of 9.4 s in May, 1930 and repeated it a month later. In 1931, as an anchor of the University of Southern California 4x100 m relay team, he set a new world record of 40.8.
At the 1932 Summer Olympics
1932 Summer Olympics
The 1932 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the X Olympiad, was a major world wide multi-athletic event which was celebrated in 1932 in Los Angeles, California, United States. No other cities made a bid to host these Olympics. Held during the worldwide Great Depression, many nations...
, Wyckoff ran the fourth leg in a world record (40.0 s) setting American 4x100 m relay team. At the 1936 Summer Olympics
1936 Summer Olympics
The 1936 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XI Olympiad, was an international multi-sport event which was held in 1936 in Berlin, Germany. Berlin won the bid to host the Games over Barcelona, Spain on April 26, 1931, at the 29th IOC Session in Barcelona...
he again finished fourth in 100 m and again anchored the American 4x100 m relay team to gold with a new world record of 39.8.
Following his graduation from USC in 1932 Wyckoff earned a master's degree in 1936 and became a teacher and administrator. Wykoff worked for the Los Angeles County
Los Angeles County, California
Los Angeles County is a county in the U.S. state of California. As of 2010 U.S. Census, the county had a population of 9,818,605, making it the most populous county in the United States. Los Angeles County alone is more populous than 42 individual U.S. states...
school system until retiring in 1972. Frank Wyckoff died in Altadena, California
Altadena, California
Altadena is an unincorporated area and census-designated place in Los Angeles County, California, United States, approximately from the downtown Los Angeles Civic Center, and directly north of the city of Pasadena, California...
, aged 70.
A slogan of Wyckoff's, "Clean Speech, Clean Sport, Clean Scholarship, Clean Life," was adopted by the YMCA
YMCA
The Young Men's Christian Association is a worldwide organization of more than 45 million members from 125 national federations affiliated through the World Alliance of YMCAs...
in 1938.