Eddie Tolan

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Thomas Edward "Eddie" Tolan (September 29, 1908

January 30/31, 1967),[3][4] nicknamed the "Midnight
Eddie Tolan
Express", was an American track and field athlete who
competed in sprints. He set world records in the 100-yard
dash and 100 meters event and Olympic records in the 100
meters and 200 meters events. He was the first non-Euro-
American to receive the title of the "world's fastest human"
after winning gold medals in the 100 and 200 meters events
at the 1932 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles. In March
1935, Tolan won the 75, 100 and 220-yard events at the
World Professional Sprint Championships in Melbourne to
become the first man to win both the amateur and
professional world sprint championships. In his full career as
a sprinter, Tolan won 300 races and lost only 7.

Contents
1 Early years Eddie Tolan in 1932
2 Cass Tech High School
3 University of Michigan Personal information
3.1 Football Born September 29, 1908
3.2 Big Ten and world sprint champion
Denver, Colorado, United States
4 Double gold medals at the 1932 Summer
Olympics Died January 30/31, 1967 (aged 58)
4.1 Lead-up to the Olympics Detroit, Michigan, United States
4.2 100 meters race
Height 1.70 m (5 ft 7 in)
4.3 200 meters race
4.4 Reaction to Tolan's Accomplishments Weight 65 kg (143 lb)
5 Vaudeville and hard times Sport
6 Professional sprinting career
7 Civil service and teaching career Sport Athletics
8 Death and family Event(s) 100 m, 200 m
9 Honors and awards
10 See also Achievements and titles
11 References Personal best(s) 100 m 10.38 (1932)
200 m 20.9y (1931)[1][2]
Medal record
Early years Representing the United States
Olympic Games
Tolan was born in Denver, Colorado, one of four children.
Tolan's father was Thomas Tolan. The family moved to Salt 1932 Los Angeles 100 meters
Lake City, Utah when Tolan was young, and moved again to 1932 Los Angeles 200 meters
Detroit, Michigan in 1924, when Tolan was 15 years old.[5]
Tolan later recalled, "My father read about better opportunities for Negroes here, so he packed up Mom and the
four kids and we came here."[5]

Cass Tech High School

Tolan attended Cass Technical High School in Detroit where he was an outstanding football player and sprinter.
While at Cass Tech, Tolan set state records in the 100 and 220-yard dashes.[5] While still in high school, Tolan
ran the 100-yard dash in 9.8 seconds and the 220-yard dash in 21.5 seconds.[6] At age of 16, Tolan was a
member of a two-man team from Cass Tech that won the 1925 National Interscholastic indoor meet in
Chicago.[7] He won his first sprint double at the state meet as a sophomore, and in 1927 he won the 100 and
220-yard dashes at the National Interscholastic Championship at Soldier Field in Chicago.[3][7][8] Despite his
accomplishments as a sprinter, Tolan's first love was football, and he often said "the six touchdowns he scored
in one game as a 131-pound quarterback at Detroit's Cass Tech High School was his greatest thrill, rather than
his double win in the Olympics."[9]

University of Michigan
Football

Tolan was recruited by several major universities as a football player, but he chose the University of
Michigan.[4] There are differing accounts as to why Tolan never played on the varsity football team at
Michigan. According to a published account in The Detroit News in 2002, Tolan joined the freshman football
team as a freshman in 1927.[4] At that time, no African-American had played on Michigan's varsity football
team since George Jewett in the 1890s. Tolan was initially allowed to play, but on the third day of practice, the
freshman football coach told him, "Some of the coaches are disagreeing on your chances. Some of them think
that you shouldn't be allowed to play football. I'd be tickled to have you but I'm afraid I'm going to be
outvoted."[4] The Detroit News noted, that the freshman coach was outvoted: "They took away Eddie Tolans
football uniform and handed him a track suit in exchange."[4]

Other accounts indicate, it was an injury that prevented Tolan from playing football at Michigan. An Associated
Press story on Tolan in 1958 stated: "He would have been a football great as a quarterback, had a knee injury in
his junior year in high school not forced him to channel all his energies to track."[5] In his obituary, the
Associated Press reported that the coaches at Michigan "talked the pint-sized speedster into going out for
track."[9] Tolan was also quoted as saying, "The track team did a lot more traveling then, so I saw the
opportunity to travel on a Pullman and see the country."[9]

Big Ten and world sprint champ ion

At Michigan, Tolan ran track under the mentorship of two of the great sprinters of
their generations. Michigan's head coach, Steve Farrell, was considered "the greatest
professional footracer this country has ever known" in the 1880s and 1890s.[10] And
Michigan's assistant coach Charles B. Hoyt, who took over from Farrell in 1930, was
rated "America's best sprinter" in 1913, but lost his opportunity to compete in the
1916 Olympics due to World War I.[11]

As a sophomore in May 1929, Tolan broke the Big Ten Conference record and tied Tolan's coach, Steve
the worlds record for the 100 yard dash with a time of 9.6.[8] Press coverage starting Farrell, was considered
with this world record run, and throughout his career, focused on three features "the greatest
Tolan's race, his eyeglasses, and his short stocky build. Tolan was one of the first professional footracer
African-Americans to have success in sprinting,[12] and he raced with eyeglasses this country has ever
known"
taped to his head.[4] Various accounts put his height anywhere from 5 feet,
4 inches,[9][13] to 5 feet, 7 inches.[4] One writer noted that Tolan "looks like a church
deacon."[14] Another writer described Tolan's appearance this way:

"Tolan, known as the 'Midnight Express,' was five feet six inches (1.7 m) tall and weighed 130
pounds (59 kg). He smiled often, raced while chewing gum, and could be easily identified by a
bandage around his left knee to protect an old football injury. In addition he wore horn-rimmed

glasses held in place with adhesive tape."[12]

 glasses held in place with adhesive tape."[12]

Tolan's gum-chewing became part of his routine. He chewed gum before a race to relieve stress. After
accidentally running with the gum in his mouth, Tolan found that he was chewing in sync with his stride. Tolan
later began chewing gum as part of his routine, chewing the gum faster when he needed to accelerate his leg
movements.[12]

At the Big Ten championships in May 1930, Tolan broke the world's record in the 100-yard dash with a time of
9.5.[15] Tolan's performance was accepted by the International Amateur Athletic Federation as the new official
world's record.[15]

Seven weeks after breaking the world's record in the 100-yard dash, Tolan also broke the world's record in the
100 meters race. Competing in Vancouver, British Columbia, Tolan shaved two-tenths of a second off the
record with a time of 10-1/5 seconds.[16] Track officials in Vancouver announced after the race, that Tolan's
record-setting performance was "all the more remarkable in the fact that he ran uphill, the finish mark being
thirty inches higher than the starting point."[16]

Tolan's world-record performances in 1930 brought him international fame, as he became known as the
"Midnight Express."[16] In May 1931, Tolan again broke the world's record in the 100 meters event with a time
of 10.3 seconds in Vancouver.[17] Southern California sprinter Frank Wykoff jumped to a slight lead, but Tolan
came from behind to pass Wykoff at the 100-yard mark.[17]

Tolan graduated from the University of Michigan in 1931.

Double gold medals at the 1932 Summer Olympics

Lead-up to the Olympics

After graduating from Michigan, Tolan enrolled at West

Virginia State College, where he did "graduate work
preparatory to teaching and coaching at a Negro
institution."[18] Early in 1932, Tolan was not running at his
prior level. Despite the slow start, Dean Cromwell, The Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum on the opening
Chairman of the All American Board of Track and Field, day of the 1932 Olympics
predicted great things for Tolan in his column on 1932's
"Olympic Prospects." Cromwell wrote of Tolan:

"Just as spring warms into summer Tolan slides from the class of mediocre sprinters to that of the
champions. He is a slow starter, but when the weather gets warm so does Eddie, and off he
goes."[18]

While press reports regularly referred to Tolan as "stocky," Cromwell took issue with that characterization:

"Eddie is now 24 years of age, five feet six inches tall and weights about 130 pounds. Although he
has always been termed stocky by the press, a comparison of his weight and height will show that
he cannot properly be so styled. He is well muscled, though, and in action gives the impression of
great running power, with his arms and legs working smoothly and strongly in a machine piston-
like manner."[18]
The Olympic trials were held at Stanford University, and Ralph Metcalfe won both the 100 and 200 meters
finals, with Tolan finishing second to Metcalfe in each case. The results meant that the top two American
sprinters in the 1932 Olympics would for the first time be African-Americans. As a result, much of the press
attention focused on race. Los Angeles Times sports columnist Braven Dyer wrote: "Metcalfe and Tolan make
the ace of spades look positively pale by comparison But how these boys can run And they figure to do
even better here than they did at Palo Alto because it's warmer now and they enjoy the heat."[19]

100 meters race

The 100 meters contest at the 1932 Olympics was one of the closest races in Olympic history. Tolan broke the
Olympic record in the first heat of the second round with a time of 10.4 seconds, but Metcalfe remained the
favorite.[20] In the finals, Japanese sprinter Takayoshi Yoshioka jumped out to a four-yard lead after 40 meters.
Tolan passed Yoshioka at the 6 -meter mark and had a two-yard lead over Metcalfe at the 100-yard mark. But
Metcalfe passed Tolan at the tape and appeared to the crowd to be the winner. Sports writer Maxwell Stiles
described the last strides as follows:

"His powerful legs churning wildly, Metcalfe swept down upon little Tolan like an avenging angel
full of fury. Tolan, his left knee in an elastic bandage and his glasses taped to his head near his ears,
dug in for one last desperate stride in his effort to hold the lead. Just at the tape, Metcalfe rushed
past Tolan and was well ahead a yard beyond the finish. Almost everyone thought Metcalfe had
won."[20]

It was hours later, after review of films taken with a "Kirby two-eyed camera," that officials were able to
declare Tolan the winner with a time of 10.3 seconds.[12][20] The films showed that Tolan and Metcalfe hit the
finish line in a dead heat, but Tolan was declared the winner, because he had his entire torso past the line on the
ground before Metcalfe.[20]

200 meters race

The 200 meters race was held on the fourth day of competition, and this time the race
was not close, as Tolan beat Metcalfe easily with an Olympic record time of 21.2
seconds four-tenths of a second better than the prior record of 21.6 seconds.[21]
Tolan stumbled slightly with three yards to go, but righted himself and finished with a
four-foot lead. With double wins in the 100 and 200 meters contests, Tolan was
dubbed the "world's fastest human."[21] Tolan was the first African-American to have
that distinction, and press coverage of his Olympic wins focused on his race. The
Associated Press called him the "spectacled little American Negro" and "the dusky
little thunderbolt."[22] Braven Dyer referred to him as "the stubby colored boy," and
noted that "the chunky Detroit Negro" had defeated Arthur Jonath of Germany, "the Tolan's rival and
white-skinned Teuton."[21] Another writer described how the "little black man with roommate at the 1932
horn-rimmed glasses" crossed the finish line, being chased by "a white man of Olympics, Ralph
America, George Simpson," and "a brother black, Ralph Metcalfe."[23] Metcalfe, later became
a U.S. Congressman.
Commentators also noted, that the only other two sprinters to win double gold in the
100 and 200 meters races were also University of Michigan athletes, Ralph Craig and
Archie Hahn.[21]

Reaction to Tolan's Accomplishm ents

After the sprint competition concluded, a reporter interviewed Tolan and Metcalfe in their shared room at the
Olympic Village. When Metcalfe teased Tolan for being lucky, Tolan replied, "Yeah, I had it all right but it's
'bout time, Ralph; first little ol' luck I had in eight years!"[24] Still in bed at noon wearing pajamas and with a
stocking cap on his head, Tolan said he was "in the best condition of my life when the 200 meters final started,"
and he vowed to give his gold medals to his mother.[24]

Back in Detroit, Mayor Frank Murphy appointed a reception committee to meet Tolan at the train station,[25]
and Michigan Governor Wilber M. Brucker declared September 6, 1932 as "Eddie Tolan Day" throughout the
state.[26] The governor issued a proclamation stating that Tolan had "brought honor to our commonwealth" and
encouraging communities throughout the state to arrange ceremonies "as an expression of Michigan's pride in
his achievement."[26]

Tolan's mother noted, that she was proud of her son's accomplishments. She noted that, though she had worked
hard as the sole provider for the family, it was worth it.[25] She added, "If my menfolk could only find jobs I
could ease up a bit and a mighty big worry would be off Eddie's mind."[25]

In April 1936, Tolan, along with many other sports champions and stand outs, was honored at a banquet in
Detroit, MI.[27] This Banquet was the first celebration of Champions Day.

Vaudeville and hard times

Less than six months after winning Olympic gold medals and the title of the "world's
fastest human," Tolan garnered national press when he fell on hard times. Syndicated
columnist William H. Beatty wrote that "the heady wine of victory has turned
overnight to vinegar" for Tolan.[28][29] Tolan noted that, when he was met at the train
station by a welcoming committee, his half-brother was collecting waste paper in the
grass of the park in front of the train station. Tolan noted that his half-brother was
"luckier than I am," because he had a job.[28] His parents had both been unemployed
for many months, and it was not until January 1933 that Tolan was able to get a low-
paying job as a filing clerk in a county office.[28] Tolan's lifetime dream of becoming
a physician was waning, as he had been "unable to make enough to support himself After the 1932
and his parents."[28] Olympics, Tolan
appeared in vaudeville
Desperate to earn a living, Tolan "walked the streets of many cities, seeking work," with Bill "Bojangles"
and even briefly appeared in vaudeville in 1932 with Bill "Bojangles" Robinson.[28] Robinson.
They made a good team; Tolan had set world records for running forwards, and
Robinson had set world's records for running backwards: 50 yards backward sprint (6
seconds), 75 yards backwards sprint (8.2 seconds), and 100 yards backwards sprint (13.2 seconds).

Because of his brief appearance in vaudeville, the Michigan Amateur Athletic Association stripped Tolan of his
amateur status in June 1933.[30] And in April 1934, Tolan's bad luck continued as an automobile he was driving
struck and seriously injured an 80-year-old pedestrian.[31]

Professional sprinting career

In November 1934, Tolan took a leave of absence from his job as assistant county registrar of deeds to compete
in the Australian sprint program, a series of five professional races, including the Stawell Gift handicap.[32]
Tolan returned in April 1935 after having set new Australian records of 21.5 seconds in the 220-yard dash on a
full curve track and 7.5 seconds for the 75-yard dash.[33] He won the 75, 100, and 220-yard events at the World
Professional Sprint Championships in March 1935 in Melbourne,[34][35][36][37][38][39] and became the first man
to win both the amateur and professional world sprint championships.[12]

In his full career as a sprinter, Tolan won 300 races and lost only 7.[3][4] Throughout his career as a sprinter,
Tolan worked by a simple creed: "Start fast, run easily, stay in your lane and finish strong."[40]

Civil service and teaching career

After returning from Australia, Tolan returned to his job in Detroit as a clerk to the Register of Deeds.[33] Tolan
After returning from Australia, Tolan returned to his job in Detroit as a clerk to the Register of Deeds.[33] Tolan
worked at a variety of jobs in the 1940s and 1950s.[5][9] In 1956, Tolan became a school teacher in physical and
health education. He taught at the Irving Elementary School on Detroit's West Side for several years.[5]

Death and family

Tolan never married.[13] In 1965, Tolan's kidneys failed, and he was required to undergo weekly dialysis
treatments for the rest of his life.[13] In 1967, Tolan died from heart failure at age 58 at Detroit's Mt. Carmel
Hospital, while undergoing one of his weekly treatments.[13] At the time of his death, Jesse Owens paid him
tribute in Jet magazine:

"When I was in high school, Eddie and Ralph (Metcalfe) were my idols. Eddie and I later became
close friends. I used to live in Detroit and every time I'd go back Eddie was one of the first ones Id
look up."[13]

Tolan was survived by his sisters, June Brown and Martha Lombard, and a brother, Hart H. Tolan.[9] Though
the two never met, Tolan was also a cousin of former Major League Baseball player Bobby Tolan.[41] Eddie
Tolan is interred at United Memorial Gardens in Plymouth, Michigan.

Honors and awards

In 1958, Tolan was inducted into the Michigan Sports Hall of Fame. He was one of the first 18 persons
inducted.[42] He was inducted into the University of Michigan Athletic Hall of Honor in 1980.[43] Only 17
individuals were inducted into the Hall before Tolan.[43]

Tolan was a member of Alpha Phi Alpha fraternity.[44]

Eddie Tolan was inducted into the National Track and Field Hall of Fame in 1982.

See also
University of Michigan Athletic Hall of Honor

References
1. Eddie Tolan (http://www.sports-reference.com/olympics/athletes/to/eddie-tolan-1.html). sports-
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2. Eddie Tolan (http://trackfield.brinkster.net/Profile.asp?ID=6722&Gender=M). trackfield.brinkster.net
3. "Eddie Tolan" (http://www.usatf.org/HallOfFame/TF/showBio.asp?HOFIDs=171). USA Track & Field
Hall of Fame.
4. Patricia Zacharias and Vivian M. Baulch (February 2, 2002). "Michigan Athletes have made Olympic
history" (https://archive.is/20120710013302/http://apps.detnews.com/apps/history/index.php?id=148).
The Detroit News. Archived from the original (http://apps.detnews.com/apps/history/index.php?id=148)
on July 10, 2012.
5. "Where Are They Now?". Ironwood Daily Globe (AP wire story). August 3, 1961.
6. "Two Negro Sophs in Big Ten Appear Certain of Track Fame". Ogden (NEA wire service story). March
12, 1929.
7. "Cass Flash Is Dash Finalist". Lima News (AP wire story). June 4, 1927.
8. "Tolan Ties World's Mark: Michigan Negro Runs Century Dash in 9 6-10s; Other Records Tumble in Big
Ten Meet". Los Angeles Times. May 25, 1929.
9. "Little Eddie Tolan: Track Immortal Dies". Lowell Sun. February 1, 1967.
10. Walter Eckersall (June 23, 1918). "Steve Farrell Once Noted as Keen Sprinter: Track Coach Learns
Tricks of Trade in Old School". The Anaconda Standard.
11. "Track & Field Timeline & Overview" (http://www.iahsaa.org/Track/Archives/tr_timeline_overview.pdf)
(PDF). Iowa High School Athletic Association.
12. Edward Seldon Sears (2001). Running Through the Ages, pp. 178181. McFarland. ISBN 0-7864-0971-
1.
13. "Eddie Tolan Dies: Remembered As High School Idol". Jet (magazine). February 1967.
14. "Eddie Tolan Steals Spotlight From Metcalfe: Former Wolverine Takes Limelight in Sprints". Los
Angeles Times. July 16, 1932.
15. "Tolan Given Credit For New 100-Yard Mark: Five American Records Get World Recognition". Los
Angeles Times. May 21, 1930.
16. Frank G. Gorrie (July 2, 1930). "Dash Time Bettered By Tolan: Michigan Flyer Sets New Figure for 100
Meters; Trims Two Rivals". Los Angeles Times.
17. Frank G. Gorrie (August 23, 1931). "Tolan Defeats Wykoff at Vancouver: Colored Star Breaks Mark;
Special 100-Meter Event Won in 10.3s; Michigan Negro Cops Race by Two Yards". Los Angeles Times.
18. Dean B. Cromwell (May 18, 1932). "Olympic Prospects". Los Angeles Times.
19. Braven Dyer (July 30, 1932). "The Olympic Torch". Los Angeles Times.
20. Maxwell Stiles (April 23, 1948). "Great 100 Meters Duel Won by Tolan in 1932 Olympiad". Long Beach
Press-Telegram.
21. Braven Dyer (August 4, 1932). "Tolan Flashes To New Record: Simpson and Metcalfe Decisively
Defeated; Negro Wizzes Over 200-Meter Route in 21.2s for Mark; Americans Win Vault". Los Angeles
Times.
22. "Tolan Wins Sprint Title of World: Bespectacled Little American Negro Races to Decisive Victory in
Olympic 200 Meter Final". Daily Capital News (AP wire story). August 4, 1932.
23. Jean Bosquet (August 4, 1932). "Day of Amazing Feats Rung Up in Olympics: Tolan Shatters 200
Meters as Babe Didrikson Thrills Huge Crowd with Record Run". Los Angeles Times.
24. Terrel Delapp (August 5, 1932). Los Angeles Times.
25. "Reception Awaits Eddie Tolan After Olympic Victory". Moberly Monitor-Index (AP wire story). August
5, 1932.
26. "All Michigan Honors Tolan: Colored Stars Achievements in Games to Be Recognized". Los Angeles
Times. August 31, 1932.
27. Degeer, Vern (April 20, 1936) Sport Gossip (https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=Qg8_AAAAIBAJ
&sjid=jk4MAAAAIBAJ&pg=6215%2C5649943). The Windsor Daily Star
28. William H. Beatty (January 24, 1933). "Eddie Tolan Retired, Is Glad to Have a Job Now". Daily Capital
News.
29. William H. Beatty (January 24, 1933). "Tolan Sick on Victory Wine: Feted Littled Colored Heros
Dreams of Becoming a Great Physician Shattered as He Toils at County Clerk's Job; Eddie Says He May
Never Run Again". Los Angeles Times.
30. "Eddie Tolan Ruled 'Pro' by A.A.U.". Los Angeles Times. June 24, 1933.
31. "Eddie Tolan Car Injures Man". Los Angeles Times. April 2, 1934.
32. "Pro Sprint Career Calls Eddie Tolan". Pro Sprinter Career Calls Eddie Tolan; Jefferson City Post-
Tribune (AP wire story). November 13, 1934.
33. "Negro Hailed As Next Olympiad Sprint King: Eddie Tolan Optimistic Over Progress Made by Colored
Youth in College Athletics". Los Angeles Times. April 21, 1935.
34. FRESH LAURELS ROBERTSON'S RIVAL RUNNING IN AMERI (http://ndpbeta.nla.gov.au/ndp/del/a
rticle/1114422). Ndpbeta.nla.gov.au (September 1, 1933). Retrieved on 2015-08-20.
35. 'THE MIDNIGHT EXPRESS' SEEKS OUR CHAMPIONS SYDNE (http://ndpbeta.nla.gov.au/ndp/del/a
rticle/2380736). Ndpbeta.nla.gov.au (December 4, 1934). Retrieved on 2015-08-20.
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l/article/2386784). Ndpbeta.nla.gov.au (March 7, 1935). Retrieved on 2015-08-20.
37. NEW RECORD Tolan's 100 Yards MIDNIGHT EMPRESS RU (http://ndpbeta.nla.gov.au/ndp/del/articl
e/2384826). Ndpbeta.nla.gov.au (February 7, 1935). Retrieved on 2015-08-20.
38. WORLD'S TITLE Tolan Heads Running Point Score ME (http://ndpbeta.nla.gov.au/ndp/del/article/2387
328). Ndpbeta.nla.gov.au (March 14, 1935). Retrieved on 2015-08-20.
39. 15 Mar 1935 EDDIE TOLAN TO GIVE UP RUNNING MELBOURNE, Thursday (http://ndpbeta.nla.
gov.au/ndp/del/article/2387429). Ndpbeta.nla.gov.au (March 15, 1935). Retrieved on 2015-08-20.
40. "Death Takes Ex-Olympian Eddie Tolan". Oakland Tribune. February 1, 1967.
 41. Mike Gremaud (June 5, 1966). "Ex-Silver Soxer Bobby Tolan's Fast, But Cousin Was Faster". Nevada
State Journal (UPI wire story).
42. "Add 3 to State Hall of Fame". Ironwood Daily Globe (AP wire story). May 7, 1958.
43. "Hall of Honor" (http://www.letterwinnersmclub.com/hallofhonor.html). M Club.
44. "Sports Figures" (https://web.archive.org/web/20070620141643/http://www.rso.cornell.edu/alpha/promin
ent/sports.html). Alpha Chapter of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. Archived from the original (http://ww
w.rso.cornell.edu/alpha/prominent/sports.html) on June 20, 2007.

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