Fritz Pollard Jr. facts for kids
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| Personal information | |||||||||||
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| Nationality | American | ||||||||||
| Born | February 18, 1915 | ||||||||||
| Died | February 15, 2003 (aged 87) | ||||||||||
| Alma mater | University of North Dakota | ||||||||||
| Sport | |||||||||||
| Sport | Track and field | ||||||||||
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Medal record
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Fritz Pollard Jr. (born February 18, 1915 – died February 15, 2003) was an American athlete. He was best known for competing in the 110 meter hurdles race. He won a bronze medal at the 1936 Summer Olympics.
Contents
Early Life and College Sports
Fritz Pollard Jr. was born in 1915. He grew up to be a talented athlete. While attending the University of North Dakota, he played many sports. He was a running back for the university's football team. He was recognized as one of the best players in his conference in 1937 and 1938. He also competed as a boxer for the university.
Olympic Achievements
Pollard represented the United States at the 1936 Summer Olympics in Berlin, Germany. He competed in the 110 meter hurdles event. He performed very well and earned a bronze medal for his country. His journey, along with 17 other Black American athletes at those Olympics, was shown in the 2016 film Olympic Pride, American Prejudice.
Life After Sports
After his Olympic success, Pollard continued his education. He earned a bachelor's degree in education from the University of North Dakota. Later, he studied law and became a lawyer. During World War II, he served in the U.S. Army. He was an officer in a special services role.
After the war, Pollard worked for the U.S. government. He became a Foreign Service officer. This meant he worked for the State Department in other countries. He retired in 1981. At that time, he was in charge of schools for American citizens living overseas.
Family Connections
Fritz Pollard Jr. came from a family of athletes. His father was Fritz Pollard Sr.. His father was a very important person in sports history. Fritz Pollard Sr. was the first African American head coach in the National Football League. Fritz Pollard Jr. had two children. He is survived by his son, Fritz D. Pollard III, and two grandchildren, Meredith Kaye Russell and Marcus Stephan Pollard.
See also
In Spanish: Frederick Pollard para niños
