Ralph Metcalfe facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Ralph Metcalfe
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| Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Illinois's 1st district |
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| In office January 3, 1971 – October 10, 1978 |
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| Preceded by | William Dawson |
| Succeeded by | Bennett Stewart |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
Ralph Harold Metcalfe
May 29, 1910 Atlanta, Georgia, U.S. |
| Died | October 10, 1978 (aged 68) Chicago, Illinois, U.S. |
| Resting place | Holy Sepulchre Cemetery |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Spouses | Gertrude Pemberton (1937–1943) Madalynne Young (1947–1978) |
| Children | 1 son |
| Education | Marquette University (BPhil) University of Southern California (MA) |
| Military service | |
| Allegiance |  United States |
| Branch/service |  United States Army |
| Years of service | 1942–1945 |
| Rank | First Lieutenant |
| Battles/wars | World War II |
| Medal record | ||
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| Men's Athletics | ||
Representing the  United States |
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| Olympic Games | ||
| Gold | 1936 Berlin | 4×100 m relay |
| Silver | 1932 Los Angeles | 100 meters |
| Silver | 1936 Berlin | 100 meters |
| Bronze | 1932 Los Angeles | 200 meters |
Ralph Harold Metcalfe Sr. (May 29, 1910 – October 10, 1978) was an amazing American athlete and politician. He was known for his incredible speed in track and field events, especially sprinting. Ralph Metcalfe held a world record in the 100-meter dash. He also won four Olympic medals, including two silver medals in the 100-meter race. Many people thought he was the fastest person in the world in 1934 and 1935. After his sports career, he became a politician in Chicago and served in the United States Congress for eight years.
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Ralph Metcalfe's Track and Field Career
Ralph Metcalfe was born in Atlanta, Georgia, but he grew up in Chicago. He finished high school in 1930 and then received a special scholarship to attend Marquette University in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.
While at Marquette, he often matched the world record time of 10.3 seconds in the 100-meter race. He also equaled the 200-meter record of 20.6 seconds. Ralph Metcalfe was the first person to win the NCAA 200-meter title three times in a row.
Olympic Games Achievements
Ralph Metcalfe competed in two Olympic Games. At the 1932 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles, he had a very close race in the 100 meters against his rival, Eddie Tolan. They both finished with the same time, but after looking at the photo, Tolan was given the gold medal. Metcalfe earned a silver medal for this race. He also won a bronze medal in the 200 meters at these games.
He competed again at the 1936 Summer Olympics in Berlin, Germany. Again, he won a silver medal in the 100 meters, this time behind the famous four-time gold medalist, Jesse Owens.
Winning Gold in the Relay Race
In Berlin, Ralph Metcalfe, Jesse Owens, Foy Draper, and Frank Wykoff teamed up for the 4×100 meter relay race. They won the gold medal by a large margin. Even though Metcalfe and Owens were strong rivals on the track, they became good friends for life.
Close Calls and Controversies
Ralph Metcalfe always believed that the 100-meter race in the 1932 Olympics should have been a tie with Eddie Tolan. Many people who watched the race agreed with him. The rules at the time were very specific about how the winner was decided. Even though Metcalfe had the same time as Tolan, his time was never officially recognized as a world record.
In the 200-meter race at the 1932 Olympics, there was another issue. Some people said his starting marks were in the wrong place. He was offered a chance to re-run the race, but he said no. He was worried that the U.S. team might not win all three medals again if they re-ran it.
United States Championships and World Records
Ralph Metcalfe was the United States Champion in the 100 meters from 1932 to 1934. He was also the champion in the 200 meters from 1932 to 1936. In total, he won 16 national titles in different championships.
He broke or matched world record times 16 times in various races. However, only 5 of these were officially approved by the main athletics organization, the IAAF. These approved records included:
- Matching the 100-meter world record of 10.3 seconds three times in 1933 and 1934.
- Matching the 200-meter world record of 20.6 seconds in 1933.
- Breaking the 4 × 100-meter relay world record with a time of 39.8 seconds in 1936 with the U.S. Olympic team.
Military Service and Political Career
After finishing his bachelor's degree at Marquette in 1936, Ralph Metcalfe earned a master's degree from the University of Southern California in 1939. He then taught political science and coached track at Xavier University.
During World War II, he served in the U.S. Army in the transportation part of the military. He rose to the rank of first lieutenant and received the Legion of Merit medal for his service. After the war, he returned to Chicago.
Becoming a Politician
In 1955, Ralph Metcalfe was elected as an alderman for the South Side of Chicago. An alderman is a local official who represents a part of the city. He won this election four times.
In 1970, he ran for a seat in the United States Congress as a Democrat and was easily elected to represent Illinois's first district. He became a co-founder of the Congressional Black Caucus (CBC) in 1971. This group works to support African-American members of Congress and address issues important to the Black community. Ralph Metcalfe became known for disagreeing with Chicago mayor Richard Daley after some incidents of police brutality.
Death and Lasting Legacy
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Ralph Metcalfe was planning to run for his fifth term in Congress when he passed away at his home in Chicago on October 10, 1978, at the age of 68. It was believed to be a heart attack.
He is buried at Holy Sepulchre Cemetery in Alsip, Illinois. A federal office building in Chicago was named after him in 1991 to honor his contributions.
In 1975, Ralph Metcalfe was inducted into the National Track and Field Hall of Fame. He was also named a member of the President's Commission on Olympic Sports.
Personal Life
Ralph Metcalfe married Gertrude Pemberton in 1937, but they later divorced in 1943. He then married Madalynne Fay Young in 1947, and they had one son together. He was a member of Alpha Phi Alpha fraternity and other honor societies. He converted to Catholicism in 1932.
See also
- List of African-American United States representatives
- List of United States Congress members who died in office (1950–99)
