Douglas was first inspired to become an Olympian after a chance meeting at age 14 with track and field legend Jesse Owens
Herb Douglas, who turned a chance encounter with Jesse Owens as a teenager into fuel to win a bronze medal in the long jump at the 1948 Olympics, has died. He was 101.PITTSBURGH — Herb Douglas, who turned a chance encounter with Jesse Owens as a teenager into fuel to win a bronze medal in the long jump at the 1948 Olympics, has died. He was 101.
“I prayed every day to stand on the podium and make the Olympic team,” Douglas said. “When he left, Jesse put his arms around me and told me to get an education.” Douglas’ leap of 24-feet-9 inches at the 1948 Olympics in London carried him to bronze behind gold-medalist Steele and silver-medalist Thomas Bruce of Australia.
Douglas maintained close ties with his alma mater throughout his life, establishing the Herb P. Douglas scholarship and serving as a mentor to track star Roger Kingdom, who went on to win gold in the 110-meter hurdles at the 1984 and 1988 Olympics.
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