Harry Hillman facts for kids
Hillman in 1904
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| Personal information | |||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Full name | Harry Livingston Hillman Jr. | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Born | September 8, 1881 Brooklyn, New York |
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| Died | August 9, 1945 (aged 63) Hanover, New Hampshire |
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| Resting place | Pine Knoll Cemetery, Hanover | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Occupation | Dartmouth Track Coach | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Height | 180 cm | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Weight | 66 kg (Olympics) | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Spouse(s) | Hazel Quantin | ||||||||||||||||||||||
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Medal record
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Harry Livingston Hillman Jr. (born September 8, 1881 – died August 9, 1945) was an amazing American track and field athlete. He won three gold medals at the 1904 Summer Olympics and a silver at the 1908 Summer Olympics. Hillman also coached track and field at Dartmouth College for many years, from 1910 until his death in 1945.
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Harry Hillman's Early Life
Harry Hillman was born in Brooklyn, New York. After high school, he worked at a bank and later as a salesman. His talent in track and field helped him join top athletic clubs like the Star Athletic Club and the New York Athletic Club. These clubs allowed him to train with the best athletes and get great coaching.
Hillman also served as a Lieutenant in the National Guard of New York. He was friends with Lawson Robertson, another talented athlete and coach from Brooklyn. They were even on some Olympic teams together.
Harry's first big wins came in 1902. He won titles in the 220-yard hurdles. The next year, he won the 400-meter race.
Olympic Achievements
Harry Hillman competed in three Olympic Games during his career. He was known for his speed and skill in hurdle races.
1904 St. Louis Olympics
The 1904 Summer Olympics in St. Louis, Missouri, were a huge success for Hillman. He won three gold medals! He took first place in the 400 meters, the 200 meters hurdles, and the 400 meters hurdles.
He set Olympic records in all three events. However, in the 400 meters hurdles, he tripped over one hurdle. This meant his time couldn't be counted as a new world record. Also, the hurdles in this race were shorter than usual. They were 76 centimeters high instead of the normal 91.4 centimeters.
1906 Athens Olympics
On his way to Athens, Greece, for the 1906 Summer Olympics, Harry faced a challenge. A huge wave crashed over his ship, injuring his knee. This injury affected his performance. He competed in the 400 meters but finished fifth.
1908 London Olympics
At the 1908 Summer Olympics in London, Hillman won a silver medal in the 400 meters hurdles. He even set a temporary record in an earlier round of the race.
In the final, he raced against Charles Bacon from the USA. They both went over the last hurdle at the same time! Bacon won the race by a tiny bit, setting a new world record of 55.0 seconds. Hillman finished very close behind with a time of 55.3 seconds.
Harry married Hazel Quantin in May 1908. They had a son, Harold, and a daughter, Madeleine.
Setting Unique Records
On April 24, 1909, Harry Hillman and his friend Lawson Robertson set a very unusual record. They ran a 100 yards (91 m) three-legged race in just 11.0 seconds! This record has never been beaten.
At the same Military Games that day, Harry entered six events and won five of them! He won the 100 yards, 220 yards, 440 yards, and 220-yard hurdles. He also won four Amateur Athletic Union titles in hurdles races.
Later, during World War I, Hillman served as a lieutenant in the aviation corps.
Coaching at Dartmouth College
A big part of Harry Hillman's life was his coaching career. He was the track and field and cross-country coach at Dartmouth College for 35 years. He started in 1910 and coached until he passed away in 1945.
At Dartmouth, he also helped coach the football team with their fitness. Hillman had some interesting advice for his hurdlers. He believed that swallowing raw eggs was "excellent for the wind and stomach"!
He trained many successful athletes at Dartmouth. Some of his famous students included:
- Don Burnham in the mile run.
- Gus Braun, Monty Wells, and Jack Donovan in the hurdles.
- Russ Palmer, Roy Brown, and Tom Maynard in the high jump.
- Mark Wright, C. E. Buck, and Laddy Myers in the pole vault.
- Bud Whitney, Jack Shelburne, W. C. Beers, and Tony Geniawicz in the shot put.
Olympic Coaching Role
Harry Hillman was also part of the Olympic track and field coaching staff for the American team. He coached at the 1924 Summer Olympics, 1928 Summer Olympics, and 1932 Summer Olympics.
In 1935, he worked as a trainer for the American Davis Cup tennis team. He taught the players how important it was to take salt tablets to replace the water they lost while playing.
One of the most famous athletes he coached was Earl Thomson. Earl was a Canadian hurdler who won a gold medal at the 1920 Summer Olympics. In 1930, Hillman, Thomson, and Harold Barron helped design a new, safer hurdle. Their goal was to reduce injuries from bad falls.
Harry Hillman also served as the Secretary-Treasurer of the College Track Coaches Association of America. He wrote many articles about track and conditioning for newspapers and magazines.
Harry Hillman passed away on August 9, 1945, in Hanover, New Hampshire. He was buried at Pine Knoll Cemetery in Hanover. His gravestone shows his years as Dartmouth Track Coach, from 1910 to 1945.
Images for kids
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Hillman in 1904
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Harry Hillman at 17 (left) and Lawson Robertson (right) in three-legged race, April 1909
