Ted Meredith

Ted Meredith
Ted Meredith at the 1912 Olympics
Personal information
BornNovember 14, 1891
Chester Heights, Pennsylvania, U.S.
DiedNovember 2, 1957(1957-11-02) (aged 65)
Camden, New Jersey, U.S.
Height1.75 m (5 ft 9 in)
Weight71 kg (157 lb)
Sport
SportSprint running
ClubNYAC, New York
Medal record
Men's athletics
Representing the  United States
Olympic Games
Gold medal – first place 1912 Stockholm 800 metres
Gold medal – first place 1912 Stockholm 4 × 400 m relay

James Edwin "Ted" Meredith (November 14, 1891 – November 2, 1957) was an American athlete, winner of two gold medals at the 1912 Summer Olympics.[1]

Biography

Meredith made the 1912 Olympic team shortly after his graduation from Williamson Free School of Mechanical Trades in 1911 while he was a student at Mercersburg Academy under Scots-American coach Jimmy Curran. In Stockholm, he won a gold medal in the 800 m run with a world record 1:51.9. He ran on to the 880 yard mark and also set a world record for that distance with a 1:52.5. He won another gold medal on the 4 × 400 m relay team, also taking fourth in the 400 metres competition.[2]

Williamson Free School of Mechanical Trades now has the largest repository of Olympic great Meredith memorabilia in existence thanks to Jack Lemon, author of the book Immortal of the Cinder Path – The Saga of James 'Ted' Meredith who donated his entire collection of Meredith memorabilia recently.[2]

After Stockholm, Meredith entered the University of Pennsylvania. He was the IC4A 440 yards champion from 1914 to 1916 and the 880 yard champion in 1914 and 1915. He also won the AAU 440 yard title in 1914 and 1915. In 1916, he set a world record in the 440 yards of 47.4, which wasn't broken until 1928. In the same year, he lowered his own world 880 yard record to 1:52.2. In April 1915, he ran the last lap for the University of Pennsylvania team that broke the world mile relay record. Requiring a time of 48 3/5 seconds, he proceeded to run 48 2/5. Also part of the quartet was Donald Lippincott.[3]

Meredith retired from competition in 1917 and served in the army during World War I. He made a comeback for the 1920 Summer Olympics, where he was eliminated in the semifinal of the 400 metres competition and ran on the relay team that finished fourth in the 4 × 400 m relay event.[2]

After his second retirement from competition, he became a real estate broker but retained an active interest in athletics. In 1924, he attended the Olympic Games in Paris as a reporter, working for the Christy Walsh Syndicate. In 1928, he was hired as an assistant coach at the University of Pennsylvania under Lawson Robertson. In 1936, he attended the Olympic Games in Berlin as the coach of the Czechoslovakia team. During 1937 and 1938, he trained the Cuban team for the Central American Games.[4]

Death and funeral

Meredith's funeral service was held in Haddonfield, New Jersey. Attendees were a roll call of early 20th century American and Pennsylvanian sports, including Jimmy Curran, Earl Eby, Donald Lippincott, Sherman Landers, Wallace McCurdy, Larry Brown, Joe Lockwood, Robert Bolger, Joe Berry, Allie Miller, Ed Harter, and Paul Costello.[5]

References

  1. ^ "Ted Meredith". Olympedia. Retrieved 18 April 2021.
  2. ^ a b c Lemon, Jack (2017). Immortal of the Cinder Path – The Saga of James 'Ted' Meredith. privately published.
  3. ^ Penn's Relay Team Breaks Mile Record, The Sun, 1915-04-25
  4. ^ Wilson, Jr., Harold (16 July 2008). "Schoolboy Ted Meredith's Amazing Stockholm Games" (PDF). Journal of Olympic History (2). International Society of Olympic Historians: 14–21. Archived (PDF) from the original on 12 September 2016. Retrieved 19 January 2023.
  5. ^ Former Coach, Ex-Stars Attend Meredith Rites, Philadelphia Inquirer, November 8, 1957
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