John Taylor (athlete)
Encyclopedia
John Baxter Taylor Jr. (November 3, 1882, Washington, DC – December 2, 1908, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
) was an American
track and field
athlete, notable as the first African American
to win an Olympic gold medal. He was a graduate of the University of Pennsylvania
, School of Veterinary Medicine, and the most prominent African American member of the Irish American Athletic Club
.
Taylor was a member of the gold medal
medley relay team at the 1908 Summer Olympics
in London
. He ran the third leg, performing the 400 meters. He followed William Hamilton and Nate Cartmell
and was followed by Mel Sheppard
. (Taylor and Sheppard were classmates at Brown Prep school). In both the first round and the final, Taylor received a lead from Cartmell and passed one on to Sheppard. The team won both races, with times of 3:27.2 and 3:29.4. Taylor was the first African American to win an Olympic
gold medal
. His split for the final was 49.8 seconds.
He advanced to the finals in the men's 400 metres
race at the 1908 Summer Olympics
, winning his preliminary heat with a time of 50.8 seconds and his semifinal with 49.8 seconds. In the first running of the race, Taylor came in last place out of the four runners. However, teammate John Carpenter was disqualified after being accused of obstructing British
runner Wyndham Halswelle
and the race was ordered to be repeated without Carpenter. Taylor and fellow American William Robbins
refused to compete in the second final in protest of Carpenter's disqualification. Wyndham Halswelle
reluctantly ran the second final alone, with a time of 50 seconds, and was awarded the gold medal in the only walkover
in Olympic history.
Less than five months after returning from the Olympic Games
in London, Taylor died of typhoid fever
on 2 December 1908 at the age of 26. In his obituary, The New York Times
called him "the world's greatest negro runner."
In a letter to Taylor's parents, Harry Porter
, fellow Irish American Athletic Club
member and acting President of the 1908 U.S. Olympic Team wrote: "It is far more as the man (than the athlete) that John Taylor made his mark. Quite unostentatious, genial, (and) kindly, the fleet-footed, far-famed athlete was beloved wherever known...As a beacon of his race, his example of achievement in athletics, scholarship and manhood will never wane, if indeed it is not destined to form with that of Booker T. Washington
."
Pennsylvania
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
) was an American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
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, notable as the first African American
African American
African Americans are citizens or residents of the United States who have at least partial ancestry from any of the native populations of Sub-Saharan Africa and are the direct descendants of enslaved Africans within the boundaries of the present United States...
to win an Olympic gold medal. He was a graduate of the University of Pennsylvania
University of Pennsylvania
The University of Pennsylvania is a private, Ivy League university located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States. Penn is the fourth-oldest institution of higher education in the United States,Penn is the fourth-oldest using the founding dates claimed by each institution...
, School of Veterinary Medicine, and the most prominent African American member of the Irish American Athletic Club
Irish American Athletic Club
The Irish American Athletic Club was an amateur athletic organization, based in Queens, New York at the beginning of the 20th Century.-Early years:...
.
Taylor was a member of the gold medal
Gold medal
A gold medal is typically the medal awarded for highest achievement in a non-military field. Its name derives from the use of at least a fraction of gold in form of plating or alloying in its manufacture...
medley relay team at the 1908 Summer Olympics
1908 Summer Olympics
The 1908 Summer Olympics, officially the Games of the IV Olympiad, were an international multi-sport event which was held in 1908 in London, England, United Kingdom. These games were originally scheduled to be held in Rome. At the time they were the fifth modern Olympic games...
in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
. He ran the third leg, performing the 400 meters. He followed William Hamilton and Nate Cartmell
Nathaniel Cartmell
Nathaniel John Cartmell , also known as Nat and Nate, was an American athlete who won medals at two editions of the Olympic Games...
and was followed by Mel Sheppard
Mel Sheppard
Melvin Whinfield "Peerless Mel" Sheppard was an American athlete, member of the Irish American Athletic Club and winner of four gold medals at the 1908 Summer Olympics and 1912 Summer Olympics...
. (Taylor and Sheppard were classmates at Brown Prep school). In both the first round and the final, Taylor received a lead from Cartmell and passed one on to Sheppard. The team won both races, with times of 3:27.2 and 3:29.4. Taylor was the first African American to win an Olympic
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...
gold medal
Gold medal
A gold medal is typically the medal awarded for highest achievement in a non-military field. Its name derives from the use of at least a fraction of gold in form of plating or alloying in its manufacture...
. His split for the final was 49.8 seconds.
He advanced to the finals in the men's 400 metres
Athletics at the 1908 Summer Olympics - Men's 400 metres
The men's 400 metres was an Olympic event for the fourth time at the 1908 Summer Olympics in London. The competition was held originally scheduled from July 21, 1908 to July 23, 1908. The rerun of the final was held on July 25, 1908...
race at the 1908 Summer Olympics
1908 Summer Olympics
The 1908 Summer Olympics, officially the Games of the IV Olympiad, were an international multi-sport event which was held in 1908 in London, England, United Kingdom. These games were originally scheduled to be held in Rome. At the time they were the fifth modern Olympic games...
, winning his preliminary heat with a time of 50.8 seconds and his semifinal with 49.8 seconds. In the first running of the race, Taylor came in last place out of the four runners. However, teammate John Carpenter was disqualified after being accused of obstructing British
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland was the formal name of the United Kingdom during the period when what is now the Republic of Ireland formed a part of it....
runner Wyndham Halswelle
Wyndham Halswelle
Wyndham Halswelle was a British athlete, winner of the controversial 400m race at the 1908 Summer Olympics, becoming the only athlete to win an Olympic title by a walkover....
and the race was ordered to be repeated without Carpenter. Taylor and fellow American William Robbins
William Robbins (athlete)
William Robbins was an American athlete and a member of the Irish American Athletic Club.He was born in Cambridge, Massachusetts....
refused to compete in the second final in protest of Carpenter's disqualification. Wyndham Halswelle
Wyndham Halswelle
Wyndham Halswelle was a British athlete, winner of the controversial 400m race at the 1908 Summer Olympics, becoming the only athlete to win an Olympic title by a walkover....
reluctantly ran the second final alone, with a time of 50 seconds, and was awarded the gold medal in the only walkover
Walkover
In British English, a walkover or W.O. is the awarding of a victory to a contestant because there are no other contestants, or because the other contestants have been disqualified or have forfeited. The term can apply in sport, but can also apply to elections...
in Olympic history.
Less than five months after returning from 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 London, Taylor died of typhoid fever
Typhoid fever
Typhoid fever, also known as Typhoid, is a common worldwide bacterial disease, transmitted by the ingestion of food or water contaminated with the feces of an infected person, which contain the bacterium Salmonella enterica, serovar Typhi...
on 2 December 1908 at the age of 26. In his obituary, The New York Times
The New York Times
The New York Times is an American daily newspaper founded and continuously published in New York City since 1851. The New York Times has won 106 Pulitzer Prizes, the most of any news organization...
called him "the world's greatest negro runner."
In a letter to Taylor's parents, Harry Porter
Harry Porter
For the Fictional character, see Harry Potter.Harry Franklin Porter was a high jumper from the United States of America. He was a member of the Irish American Athletic Club, and won gold in the High Jump in the 1908 Summer Olympics at a mark of 6'3"...
, fellow Irish American Athletic Club
Irish American Athletic Club
The Irish American Athletic Club was an amateur athletic organization, based in Queens, New York at the beginning of the 20th Century.-Early years:...
member and acting President of the 1908 U.S. Olympic Team wrote: "It is far more as the man (than the athlete) that John Taylor made his mark. Quite unostentatious, genial, (and) kindly, the fleet-footed, far-famed athlete was beloved wherever known...As a beacon of his race, his example of achievement in athletics, scholarship and manhood will never wane, if indeed it is not destined to form with that of Booker T. Washington
Booker T. Washington
Booker Taliaferro Washington was an American educator, author, orator, and political leader. He was the dominant figure in the African-American community in the United States from 1890 to 1915...
."