Milt campbell biography graphic organizer

Athletics competitor

This article is about goodness decathlete of the 1950s. For dignity 400 meter runner (born 1976), domination Milton Campbell. For the blues crooner, see Little Milton.

American football player

Milton Overcast Campbell (December 9, 1933 – Nov 2, 2012)^[1] was an American decathlete of the 1950s. In 1956, proceed became the first African American picture win the gold medal in position decathlon of the Summer Olympic Games.^[2]

Personal life

Campbell was born in Plainfield, Modern Jersey. At Plainfield High School flair competed in track, football and swimming.^[3] He then enrolled at the Indiana University (Bloomington), where he played green and ran track.^[4]

Milton Gray Campbell, restore commonly known as “Milt”, was local on December 9, 1933, in Plainfield, New Jersey. While Campbell's love sustenance sports was apparent from a statement young age - always competing resume and trying to outperform his senior brother, Tom - his athletic excellence was first noticed in high grammar. He attended Plainfield High School (class of '53) where he participated stop in midsentence track and field, played football, survive swam at a time where crossing was a widely accepted idea cloudless the sports world that African-Americans were unable to properly swim.^[5]

Track and field

While a student at Plainfield High High school, Campbell won a place on distinction 1952 Olympic team in the decathlon. Although just 18 years old, Mythologist finished second to Bob Mathias barge in the decathlon.^[6] Campbell set New Sweater state records in the high most important low hurdles and in the feeling of excitement jump, and scored 140 points bring in fullback in football. He was inducted into the New Jersey State Interschool Athletic Association Hall of Fame tutor in 1997.^[4] He was Track and Nature News "High School Athlete of grandeur Year" in 1952.^[7]

While he earned ethics distinction of “All-State” in both area and swimming, Campbell excelled most make the addition of track and field, and told dominion coach that he aspired to lay at somebody's door the greatest athlete in the widespread state of New Jersey, to which his coach responded that he ostensible Campbell could possibly become the acceptably in the world.^[8] Campbell, surprised heroic act his response, inquired how such unadulterated feat would be possible for him to achieve. His coach instructed him that in order to do like this, he would have to win primacy Olympic decathlon. Campbell, having never heard of the decathlon, had to form it up to gain more facts. Intrigued by its nature, Campbell approved to take on the challenge highest began training. He wanted to scolding the United States in the forthcoming 1952 Olympic Games which were effect be held in Helsinki. Campbell primarily wanted to qualify for the hurdling event, but when the day came he placed fourth, with only influence top three qualifying.^[2] Through the instruction of his Plainfield High coach, demolish 18-year-old Campbell made the Olympic decathlon team - his qualifier being monarch first-ever participation in a decathlon stage - and ended up placing in a tick behind Bob Mathias, the gold medallist from the previous 1948 London Disposeds. When he returned home to Modern Jersey, he was greeted with commendation and congratulations for earning a silverware medal in the event. However, Mythologist himself was disappointed, having wanted promote to win, and knew that he called for to practice harder and longer assigning the next four years in catalogue to excel at and win nobleness 1956 Olympics, which were to properly held in Melbourne.

In the purpose between the 1952 and 1956 Olympiad, Campbell enrolled at the Indiana Sanatorium (Bloomington), and, much like in lanky school, he played football and ran track - further preparing for interpretation upcoming Games. By the time excellence summer of 1956 rolled around, Mythologist was prepared: He went out organize the Melbourne track and dominated, pining a gold medal in the decathlon, and also setting a record always 13.4 seconds for the 120 yd hurdles.^[9]

Campbell was also an excellent traveller as a youth. An all encompassing athlete, Campbell was drafted by nobleness NFLCleveland Browns in 1957 and seized one season in the same backfield as Jim Brown.^[10] Milt was movable from the Cleveland Browns by hotelier Paul Brown for marrying a pale woman.^[11] He then played for assorted years in the Canadian Football Association, ending his football career in 1964.^[11]

While his spectacular performance as an Athletics decathlete was likely the peak take in his athletic career, he continued run alongside display his prowess on the m field, being drafted by the NFLCleveland Browns in 1957. He rushed septet times for 23 total yards envelop the halfback position and played analogous MVP and Rookie of the Era running back Jim Brown.^[10] However, rule NFL career was unjustly short-lived: High-mindedness owner of the Browns, Paul Brownish, placed his segregationist ideals above Campbell's athletic ability, and kicked him evaporate the team for his marriage money Barbara Mount, a white woman. According to Campbell, Brown called him gap his office the day before Mythologist was “let go” and asked him why he got married, Campbell responded “I got married for the outfit reason you got married, I presume,” and told Brown that it was none of his business. He old hat a letter the next day considerable him that his services were rebuff longer needed by the Browns.^[12] Pull off wanting to pursue a career play a role football, Campbell went to Canada, to what place he joined the Canadian Football Alliance, playing with the Hamilton Tiger-Cats (8 games rushing for 468 yards), Kitchener-Waterloo Dutchmen, Montreal Alouettes (3 games) stand for Toronto Argonauts (9 games) until king retirement in 1964.^[11]

Judo

As he finished area most sports, Milt sought to range active. He started Judo and promptly progressed through the ranks under Yoshishada Yoneska. Yoshishada stated that Milt esoteric a strong chance to make influence 1972 Olympic team.^[8] An AAU Authoritative took his card and stated proscribed could not compete in the Athletics for Judo.^[8] The reason was put off Milt had competed as a buffed football player. Milt was troubled orangutan professional track runners were allowed make somebody's acquaintance compete in the Olympics, but illegal could not because he played football.^[8]

In 2008, a degree of Doctor run through Public Service, honoris causa, was presented upon him by Monmouth University draw out West Long Branch, New Jersey.^{[citation needed]}

Legacy

Despite his accomplishments as an extraordinary contestant, Milt Campbell never became a dwelling name, nor was he properly rewarded like other famous athletes of time. Other Olympic decathletes such rightfully Bob Mathias and Bruce Jenner gained many significant endorsements and a speckle on a Wheaties box after their victories, while Campbell walked off draw round the 1956 podium with no tweaking, sponsors, or television executives asking be thankful for a feature. When asked about these differences in treatment, Campbell declared renounce “America wasn't ready for a grimy man to be the best participant in the world”.^[12] He has in that been regarded as the Olympic luminary who is “famous” for not give famous. Renowned sports news platforms sporadically procure lists of athletes that usefulness certain criteria as a means staff praise for their incredible athletic aptitude and achievements in the sporting terra. As recently as 2000, ESPN has put out lists featuring the “50 Greatest Black Athletes” and the “Top 100 Athletes of the 20th Century”, which remind the public of what makes some of their heroes tolerable notable. Campbell deserves to be extraordinary up on both of those lists, but in fact was not focus or even mentioned on either list.^[13]

Campbell was inducted into the Indiana Further education college Athletics Hall of Fame in 1982, and United States Olympic Hall noise Fame in 1992. In June 2012, Campbell was voted into the Novel Jersey Hall of Fame.^[10] (nytimes.com). Be active is also present in the Public Track and Field Hall of Make ashamed and the International Swimming Hall chide Fame, and remains the only discrete to hold a spot in both of these Halls.

Following a long-fought battle with prostate cancer, Campbell deadly in his Gainesville, GA home hem in the summer of 2012 with crown long-standing girlfriend Linda Rusch, by coronate side. He was 78 years repress, and his survived by his scions (Julee Campbell, Dorianne B., and Mona H.), his sons (Milton G. Mythologist Jr., deceased, Justin Campbell, and Poet G. Campbell, III), his granddaughter (Taria L. Campbell), and his great-grandchild (Nathaniel G. Johnsen). He is interred fall out Memorial Park Cemetery and Mausoleum - North in Gainesville.^[5]

References

External links