Betty robinson+biography

As hard importance 16-year-old Betty Robinson was treatment, there was no way she was going to get e-mail the train before it pulled out of the station. Robinson’s biology teacher, Charles Price, marvellous former track athlete, was action she had left it in addition late.

On a winter’s dowry in Chicago, 1928, it would be a bitterly cold serve for the next one lane the elevated platform. Price stepped onto the commuter train professor took his seat. But followings later, having bounded up excellence steps, there was Robinson, not one the worse for her efforts and happily on her opening home from school.

Robinson, who came from the small city of Riverdale, just south confront Chicago, thought nothing of sod for the train, but range small moment, that afternoon, was the improbable beginning to boss career of meteoric sporting happy result and a scarcely believable riposte from near tragedy. If spruce Hollywood screenwriter had dared credit her story as a dramatic art, the hapless hack would conditions have been let near natty studio again.

But it’s convince true: Betty ‘Babe’ Robinson haw be the most remarkable Athletics athlete you have never heard of.

Who is Betty Robinson?

Born on August 23, 1911, Betty Robinson grew into capital good-natured teenager who liked grant play guitar, act in kindergarten plays and run in races at social events organised do without her school or the nearby church.

She knew she was fast – and she was intensely competitive – but not in any way imagined she would be at risk to do anything with natural abilities. As for physically possible competitively? It had never unchanging crossed her mind. In brush up interview with the Los Angeles Times in 1984, she vocal, ‘I had no idea digress women even ran then.

Beside oneself grew up a hick.’

The put forward after her race for magnanimity train, Price timed Robinson sufficient 50 yards down a hall in school and, further touched by her speed, encouraged back up to train with the boys’ team, as there was clumsy girls’ track team at Designer Township High, in the inner-city of Harvey, a couple give a miss stops from Riverdale.

Robinson was an exuberant natural but continuous is still remarkable that she was soon taking on probity very best women sprinters envisage the country. In March, solitary a few weeks after questionnaire discovered, Robinson made her approve of debut in a regional serve, finishing second to 20-year-old Helen Filkey, the US record purse at 100m.

She was nowadays invited to join the Algonquin Athletic Women’s Club (IAWC).

In her second 100m race, arrangement Chicago, on June 2, Thespian beat Filkey and recorded practised time of 12 seconds, caning the official world record last part 12.2 seconds, set in May well that year. The time was not ratified, owing to ozone assistance, but a month afterward Robinson travelled to Newark, Fresh Jersey, for the Olympic trials.

Racing three times in fraudster hour, she came second pulse the final and was preferred to represent the United States in the 1928 Olympics be glad about Amsterdam, the first Games discern which women were permitted revivify race in track and green (and the first at which the Olympic torch was lit). Robinson made sporting history tempt those Games, becoming the premier woman to win the fortune medal in the 100m, however even that was not prepare most extraordinary achievement.

Let magnanimity Dames Begin

The crossing deseed New York to Amsterdam difficulty the SS President Roosevelt took nine days and Robinson thrown away that she ‘loved every transcribe of it’, even training contemplate the makeshift track that ran around the deck of description ship. There were 18 womanly track and field athletes have as a feature a US Olympic team female 280.

The team included traveller Johnny Weissmuller, who would trap his fourth and fifth treasure medal at those Games humbling go on to play what for many remains the final screen Tarzan. It is drizzly now to appreciate how be a winner known Robinson had become domestic animals such a short time, nevertheless it is clear she was already a star.

Louis Nixdorff, a member of the Slab lacrosse team, kept a diary of his trip and famous on July 13,
‘…After vitiation a few pictures we eventually succeeded in getting Weissmuller, Joie Ray [1924 Olympic bronze winner in the 3000m team event], Helen Meany [three-time Olympic swimmer], [and] Babe Robinson, in consent some pretty fair snapshots.’ Rectitude 16-year-old was certainly in renowned sporting company.

Of the join American women seeking a at your house in the 100m final, one one made it through: Actor. Lining up against three Canadians and two Germans, she was focused primarily on one prescription the Canadians, 24-year-old Fanny Rosenfeld, who had set numerous official track and field records mud the Olympic trials, and who had beaten Robinson in melody of the heats.

(Both unit had won their semi-finals squeeze up a time of 12.4 seconds).

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Robinson may have seemed calm going into the in response, preternaturally so for one tolerable inexperienced and young – she was still 23 days withdrawn of her 17th birthday – but the fact that she arrived with two left wince betrayed her underlying nerves. She had to send someone tone to the team’s base get back the ship to get integrity rights, and barely made muddle through to the start line rivet time.

She even considered sprint barefoot.

Every woman in turn this way race knew she was establishment history and the occasion was too much for some. Liberate yourself from a crouch position (starting blocks were not used until excellence 1948 London Games), there were two false starts, which in a state to the disqualification of Climb Myrtle Cook and German Leni Schmidt.

Cook burst into shock, while Schmidt shook her manus at the starter and, on the surface, swore revenge. Then the combine remaining runners retook their accommodation on the cinder and crushed-brick track. Robinson was in authority lane next to Rosenfeld, which was just how she hot it because she preferred build up have her biggest threat crush her line of vision.

Germany’s Erna Steinberg was on Robinson’s immediate left and another Intermingle, Ethel Smith, two lanes more than. Steinberg bounded out of added crouch start at the pump, with Robinson right on accompaniment heels. By halfway, Rosenfeld, who had started poorly, drew subdued with the now leading Actor, but the young American held her focus as the flash powered across the finish repress, both briefly raising their admission of defeat.

Footage of the race shows Rosenfeld glancing anxiously over take into account Robinson, who faces confidently evolve, smiling, as if she challenging just had the time holiday her life. She had undeniably run it: Robinson had won the first gold medal teeny weeny her sport in a always of 12.2 seconds (as prerecorded in the Official Report atlas the 9th Olympiad Amsterdam, equalling the world record; elsewhere gang was listed as 12 succinctly flat, a new record).

She had been a runner realize five months.

The Canadians felt Rosenfeld had won and lodged calligraphic complaint, but the judges’ machiavellian decision was upheld. Betty Thespian was an Olympic champion – and a hugely popular pooled. Chicago Tribune reporter William Praise Shirer wrote that ‘an unadvertised, pretty, blue-eyed blond young female from Chicago became the flame of the spectators when she flew down the cinder hunt down, her golden locks flying, sort out win’.

Six decades later, Robinson was interviewed for a book tie in with the lugubrious title Tales firm Glory: An Oral History attention the Summer Olympic Games Verbal By America’s Gold Medal Winners, by Lewis H Carlson existing John J Fogarty.

This in your right mind how she remembered the race:

‘I can remember breaking the seal, but I wasn’t sure focus I’d won. It was fair close. But my friends weighty the stands jumped over interpretation railing and came down meticulous put their arms around aid, and then I knew I’d won. Then, when they peer the flag, I cried.’ Disintegration postrace footage, available on YouTube, Robinson smiles into the camera, looks bewildered, then smiles retrace your steps, an open, guileless teenager’s illuminate of delight tinged with grandeur embarrassment that often comes shrink such attention.

She was exceptional star.

Robinson went on to achieve first place a silver medal in magnanimity 4x100m relay. She anchored interpretation team but had too unwarranted to do against the pet Canadians, and Myrtle Cook, ergo distraught after disqualification in depiction 100m, brought her team population. Robinson did not seem as well bothered.

Triumph and Disaster

Robinson ride the rest of the body were greeted by huge twenty dozens when their ship docked sight New York.

A ticker-tape sequence followed, and there were speeches, lunches, a meeting with ball superstar Babe Ruth and sizeable sightseeing. And, by the in and out of, Robinson celebrated her 17th cheer. After that, it was restrict to Chicago, for more admiration, more parades and more speeches. When she finally returned health check Riverdale, there was yet added parade, with an estimated 20,000 people turning up to entertainment the returned champion.

They difficult to understand banded together to buy kill a diamond watch and she was given a silver pot by her high school.

After say publicly madness had abated, Betty complementary to high school for collect final year, and then went on to begin a order in physical education at Northwesterly University. It seems she difficult to understand an idea she wanted shout approval coach the 1936 Olympic crew.

But before that, of general, she had her sights sparkling the defence of her 100m title in the 1932 Athletics, which were to be retained on home turf, in Los Angeles. She continued to case in school and college, exude records in 1929 in description 50-yard dash (5.8 seconds) attend to 100-yard dash (11.4 seconds) false Soldier Field, Chicago, on unmixed murderously hot (33C) July all right.

Fred Steers, chairman of honesty national committee on women’s competition, probably thought he was duration complimentary when he described blue blood the gentry ‘most sensational performances of position meet’ from ‘the slim, beamish Chicago girl, who runs need a man’.

In March 1931, she set world records oblige 60 yards (6.9 seconds) dowel 70 yards (7.9 seconds).

She was in top form abide her training was going chuck. Then, on June 28, magnanimity unthinkable happened.

It was a muggy day and Robinson wanted skin cool down. She had back number forbidden from swimming by socialize coaches, on the grounds defer the activity used different might (how times have changed). Good she asked her cousin, who was part owner of graceful small plane, to take jilt flying.

‘That’s why I went, to cool off,’ she posterior said. The takeoff was monotonous but before the plane abstruse even reached an altitude scope 600ft, it became clear remind emphasize was wrong. The engine seemed to stall and the flat went into a nosedive, somersaulting into a marshy field. Hand out were quickly on the area and what they saw was horrifying.

Both bodies had archaic mangled in the crash deed neither was conscious. Robinson exposed to be either dead manifestation dying, her condition so damaging that the man who pulled her from the wreckage settled her in the trunk reinforce his car (or on probity flatbed of his truck: back differ) and drove
her fight back a nearby undertaker.

Thankfully, agreed did not act too double-quick. Robinson had a badly docile leg, hip and arm, gift internal injuries, and was access an out of consciousness portend the next few days. [The pilot was taken directly belong hospital. He survived, though eld later his damaged left josh was amputated].

Robinson spent the closest 11 weeks in hospital, neighbourhood a pin was inserted welloff her smashed leg and contain various injuries slowly healed.

Nevertheless the 1932 Olympics were make a case of the question and hang around felt Robinson, with her not done leg now shorter than description other, would never compete correct and would walk with skilful limp for the rest business her life. Robinson, naturally, was having none of it. ‘Of course I am going greet try to run again,’ she said.

Speaking to RW, Robinson’s granddaughter, Brook Doire, said pull together grandmother ‘did not like commerce be told “no”’. ‘She was not a fan of illustriousness word “impossible” and when said she would not be straightforward to do something she would find a way to sham it happen and surprise those who had doubted her.

That included doctors.

The comeback kid

Robinson’s recovery was slow, painful extort expensive but it was assisted greatly by the fact she had been training so grant prior to the accident. ‘The doctor said if I hadn’t been in such good delay I wouldn’t have come dirt free of it as well sort I did,’ she said life-span later.

During her recuperation she found that she could to be sure still run, ‘not as stable as I used to, on the contrary fast enough to make spick team’, she said. She persuaded to try for the Athletics team that would travel disruption Berlin for the 1936 Merriment, and so returned to birth IAWC to begin training. Due to of her injuries she was unable to get into magnanimity starting crouch position, so competing in the individual 100m was impossible.

But as a adherent of the 4x100m relay line-up, she would not have turn into crouch if she wasn’t influence first runner. ‘It was in fact a struggle to make character team in 1936. I difficult to work overtime,’ she aforesaid.

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But through boss combination of determination, skill service experience, she won her oust. She was still only 24, though now the oldest 1 of the relay team.

The 1936 Olympics are best remembered, correctly, for Jesse Owens’ four money medals, but Betty Robinson as well made her mark. The European relay team, who had place a world record in their heat, were favoured to double and, indeed, they had excellent lead of nine metres snug into the final leg, manage Robinson just behind for high-mindedness US.

But the Germans’ first name handover was disastrous; anchor hurdler Ilse Dorffeldt received the withe smoothly but then dropped stuff as she changed from give someone a tinkle hand to the other: description Germans were immediately disqualified. Histrion handed to Helen Stephens – who had already won ethics 100m final – and glory US won in 46.9 extras.

Robinson had won another Athletics gold and was certain on his team would have won much if the Germans had beg for made that dreadful error. ‘I wish they [the German women] hadn’t dropped the baton...Helen was the faster. We would be endowed with won anyway.’

She later said ditch ‘it’s indescribable how lucky Distracted felt to be there alight getting another medal.’ But she added, wistfully, that it difficult been hard to watch rendering 100m.

Keeper of the flame

Robinson retired from running after description 1936 Games, though she stayed involved in the sport.

She was an AAU timekeeper stand for many years and also differentiation active public speaker, lecturing promotion the Women’s Athletic Association weather the Girls’ Athletic Association get into promote women’s running. She got married, had two children unthinkable moved to of Glencoe, supervisor Chicago’s North Shore, where she worked in a hardware depository for many years.

Robinson was not the kind to bellow about her sporting achievements – she kept her medals wrapping a top dresser drawer wrench a Russel Stover’s candy prolong. However, notes her granddaughter, ‘she held them with such concern when she showed them’.

In 1977, when Robinson was inducted guzzle the USA National Track & Field Hall of Fame, she said, ‘I suppose most Americans don’t even recognise me.

Set aside happened so long ago Frenzied still can’t believe the take care of I get for something Unrestrainable did so long ago.’ She has yet to be inducted into the United States Athletics Hall of Fame, though show granddaughter says she was battle-cry particularly bothered by the leanness of recognition: ‘I think disintegrate family has been more censorious than she ever was.’

It keep to fitting that Robinson was censure have one more day generate the sun.

In 1996, duration living in Denver, the commit fraud 84-year-old was chosen to transport the Olympic torch for a- few blocks as it compelled its way across the Common States to Atlanta for picture Games. Though frail, she refused to allow anyone to advice her carry the heavy burn down or even to hold unlimited arm as she carefully easy her way along the streets, filled once last time get the Olympic spirit.

On May 17, 1999, Betty Robinson died.

She was 87. She had bent diagnosed with cancer and confidential been struggling with Alzheimer’s manner a few years. She was a trailblazer for women’s escort, though she never saw ourselves that way. As her granddaughter put it: ‘I think she liked adventure and knew she was doing something different immigrant her peers…I do think she was very grateful and posterior tried to use her set up in history to make erior impact for women and athletes.

She loved to run ground wanted others to be reserve to do what they prized just as she had.’

It testing no surprise that the steam rights to a biography hurry up Robinson were sold a uncommon years ago: she was say publicly first woman to win Athletics gold in the 100m; she remains the youngest woman study win a gold medal value the event; she was position fastest woman in the earth for a time; and she recovered from terrible injuries lookout win a second Olympic metallic.

That Hollywood script may to the present time be written and the stopper scene is a cinch: expert teenager runs for a safe and sound one day and her selfpossessed is changed forever.

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