Robert Taylor (sprinter, born 1948) facts for kids
Taylor (left) at the 1972 Olympics
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Quick facts for kids Personal information |
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| Born | September 14, 1948 Tyler, Texas, U.S. |
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| Died | November 13, 2007 (aged 59) Houston, Texas, U.S. |
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| Height | 183 cm | |||||||||||||
| Weight | 80 kg | |||||||||||||
| Sport | ||||||||||||||
| Sport | Athletics | |||||||||||||
| Event(s) | Sprint | |||||||||||||
| Club | TSU Tigers, Houston | |||||||||||||
| Achievements and titles | ||||||||||||||
| Personal best(s) | 100 yd – 9.2 (1969) 100 m – 10.16 (1972) 220 yd – 20.8 (1970) |
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Medal record
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Robert Taylor (born September 14, 1948 – died November 13, 2007) was a very fast American runner, known as a sprinter. He won a gold medal for the USA in the 4x100 meter relay race at the 1972 Olympic Games. He also earned a silver medal in the 100-meter dash at the same Olympics. Robert Taylor was the father of Bobby Taylor, who later played in the NFL.
Contents
Robert Taylor's Running Career
Robert Taylor was a top sprinter in the early 1970s. In 1972, he won the AAU championship for the 100-meter dash. This was a big achievement before the Olympic Games.
The 1972 Munich Olympics
At the 1972 Munich Olympics, Robert Taylor won two medals. He got a silver medal in the 100-meter race. He also helped the American 4x100 meter relay team win a gold medal. They even tied the world record for that event!
A Close Call at the Olympics
Something very unusual happened to Robert Taylor and his teammates at the 1972 Olympics. Their coach, Stan Wright, accidentally used an old schedule. This meant that Robert, Eddie Hart, and Rey Robinson almost missed their races.
They were waiting for a bus when they saw on TV that the first race was about to start. That was Rey Robinson's race! They rushed to the stadium in a car. Rey and Eddie were too late to run their races. But Robert Taylor, who was in the third race, just made it. He quickly took off his warm-up clothes, put on his running shoes, and did a few stretches. Then, he ran his race!
Top Rankings in Sprinting
Experts from Track and Field News magazine thought Robert Taylor was one of the best sprinters. They ranked him among the top runners in the world and the USA. This was for the 100-meter sprint from 1969 to 1972.
| Year | World Rank | US Rank |
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| 1969 | 10th | 5th |
| 1970 | – | 6th |
| 1971 | – | – |
| 1972 | 2nd | 1st |
Robert Taylor's Life Outside of Sports
Robert Taylor finished high school at Emmett J. Scott High School in Tyler, Texas, in 1968. He then went to Texas Southern University. He earned a degree in education there.
After college, Robert became a teacher. He first taught at Hogg Middle School in Tyler. Later, he moved to Houston. There, he taught special education and physical education at Lovett Elementary. He was still teaching in Missouri City, Texas, when he passed away from a heart attack at age 59.
Awards and Achievements
Robert Taylor said that going to the Olympics was "the highlight" of his running career. But he was also respected as a family man and a teacher. He received several honors:
- He was named All-Southwestern Athletic Conference and NAIA All-American.
- In 1973, he was added to the Outstanding College Athletes Hall of Fame.
- In 1996, he was inducted into the Texas Southern University Hall of Fame.
- In 2007, he joined the Prairie View Interscholastic League Coaches Hall of Fame.
- He was also part of the Southwestern Conference Hall of Fame.
See also
In Spanish: Robert Taylor (atleta nacido en 1948) para niños
