Ralph Boston facts for kids
Ralph Boston at the 1960 Olympics
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| Personal information | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Born | May 9, 1939 Laurel, Mississippi, U.S. |
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| Died | April 30, 2023 (aged 83) Peachtree City, Georgia, U.S. |
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| Height | 6 ft 1+1/2 in | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Weight | 163 lb | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Sport | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Sport | Track and field | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Event(s) | Sprint, hurdles, long jump, high jump, triple jump, pole vault, | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Club | Southern California Striders, Anaheim | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Achievements and titles | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Personal best(s) | 100 yd – 9.6 (1964) 220 yd – 22.0 (1964) 120 ydH – 13.7 (1961) HJ – 2.04 m (1962) PV – 4.16 m (1960) LJ – 8.35 m (1965) TJ – 15.89 m (1964) |
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Medal record
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Ralph Harold Boston (born May 9, 1939 – died April 30, 2023) was an amazing American track and field athlete. He won three Olympic medals in the long jump. He also made history by being the first person to jump over 27 feet (8.2 m)!
Contents
Ralph Boston's Early Life and School
Ralph Boston was born in Laurel, Mississippi. He went to Tennessee State University. While there, he became a champion long jumper. In 1960, he won the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) title.
In August 1960, Ralph broke a huge record. He jumped farther than Jesse Owens's world record, which had stood for 25 years! This happened at the Mt. SAC Relays. Ralph kept getting better. On May 27, 1961, he jumped 27 feet 0.5 inches (8.242 m) at the Modesto Relays. This made him the first person ever to jump over 27 feet.
Ralph Boston's Amazing Athletic Career
Ralph Boston was a top athlete. He competed in many big events.
Winning Gold at the 1960 Olympics
Ralph went to the Summer Olympics in Rome. He won the gold medal in the long jump. He set a new Olympic record with a jump of 8.12 m (26 ft 7.56003937 in). He won by just one centimeter over his teammate, Bo Roberson.
National Championships and More Records
Ralph was a champion in the Amateur Athletic Union (AAU) national championship. He won the long jump title six times in a row, from 1961 to 1966. In 1963, he also had the longest triple jump for an American athlete.
He kept breaking records. He lost the world record to Igor Ter-Ovanesyan for a short time. But Ralph got it back just before the 1964 Olympics. He first regained it in Jamaica, then improved it at the 1964 Olympic Trials.
Competing in the 1964 and 1968 Olympics
At the Tokyo Olympics, Ralph and Ter-Ovanesyan battled for the lead. Ralph was ahead in the fifth round. But then Lynn Davies and Ter-Ovanesyan both jumped farther than him. On his last jump, Ralph passed Ter-Ovanesyan again. But he couldn't catch Davies. Ralph won the silver medal that year.
Ralph set his final world record in 1965. He jumped 8.35 meters at the Modesto Relays. This record was later matched by Ter-Ovanesyan in 1967. In 1967, Ralph lost his national title to Jerry Proctor.
Ralph even helped coach another famous long jumper, Bob Beamon. Beamon won the 1968 National Championships. At the 1968 Olympics, Ralph watched Beamon break the world record by a huge amount. Ralph was 29 years old then. He won a bronze medal behind Beamon and Klaus Beer. After this, Ralph stopped competing.
Life After Sports
After retiring from sports, Ralph Boston moved to Knoxville, Tennessee. He worked at the University of Tennessee. He helped with minority affairs and was an assistant dean. He also reported on track and field events for CBS Sports Spectacular.
Ralph Boston was recognized for his amazing career. He was put into the USA Track and Field Hall of Fame in 1974. In 1985, he joined the U.S. Olympic Hall of Fame.
Ralph Boston's Later Years and Passing
In 2010, a newspaper article mentioned Ralph was writing a book about his life. He lived in Atlanta, Georgia and Knoxville.
Ralph Boston passed away on April 30, 2023. He was 83 years old. He died at his home in Peachtree City, Georgia, due to complications from a stroke.
Images for kids
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Ralph Boston at the 1960 Olympics
See also
In Spanish: Ralph Boston para niños
