Ed Hamm
Encyclopedia
Edward Barton Hamm (born 13 April 1906 in Lonoke, Arkansas
– died June 25, 1982) was an American
athlete, who won the gold medal in the long jump at the 1928 Summer Olympics
held in Amsterdam
, Netherlands
. There he set a world record in the long jump, becoming the first Arkansan to win a gold medal. The Atlanta Journal called him "the South’s first world champion in any sport."
Hamm was born in 1906, to Charles Edward Hamm, a plumber and electrician, and Zilpah Dare Harris Hamm. He was the oldest of five brothers and one sister. Raised in Lonoke, he excelled in sports, especially track and field
. In high school
, he won the state long jump for three years straight, 1923 to 1925, setting a state record of 23'2" his sophomore year. He won the state 220-yard dash all three years and the state 100-yard dash twice, despite attacks of malaria
, which first affected him in his junior year and undoubtedly prevented him from bettering his records.
Hamm and teammate Hubert Davis were the only two Lonoke competitors to enter a high school invitational meet at the University of Arkansas
in Fayetteville
in 1925. He won first in the 100-yard dash, the 200-yard dash, the long jump, and the high jump, as well as finishing third place in the 440. Though the two could not enter the relays, together they won the meet by two points over Little Rock High School.
In his junior year (1924) Hamm set a world high school record of 24'2⅝" (7.38 m), which qualified him for the Olympic trials in Boston, Massachusetts. To pay for his trip, he borrowed $100 from Little Rock (Pulaski County) coach Earl Quigley. He failed to qualify for the Olympics, but the next year he went to Little Rock, regularly bringing Quigley two to five dollars until he repaid the money.
At Georgia Tech, Hamm won the Southeast Conference championship (now the Southeastern Conference) in 100- and 220-yard sprints and the long jump three years straight. In 1928, he broke the SEC record in the long jump with a leap of 25'6¾", won the National Intercollegiate meet, and broke the world record in the 1928 Olympic trials with a jump of 25'11½".
On July 31, at the 1928 Olympics in Amsterdam, Holland, Hamm broke the Olympic record and won a gold medal with a leap of 25'4¾". After the Olympics, he was part of a track and field team that toured England
and Germany
. He won the long jump in every meet.
Hamm graduated from Georgia Tech in 1928, served as the school’s track coach for a few years, and then spent the rest of his life in private business, much of it as an executive with Coca Cola on the West Coast
and in Alaska
. He was married three times, and died in June 1982 in Oregon
. His ashes were scattered over his beloved Clear Lake
in Oregon’s Willamette National Forest
, where he had fished many times. He was inducted into the Arkansas Sports Hall of Fame in 1971, and the Arkansas Track and Field Hall of Fame in 1996.
Lonoke, Arkansas
Lonoke is the second most populous city in Lonoke County, Arkansas, United States, and serves as its county seat. According to 2005 Census Bureau estimates, the population of the city is 4,553...
– died June 25, 1982) was an American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
athlete, who won the gold medal in the long jump at the 1928 Summer Olympics
1928 Summer Olympics
The 1928 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the IX Olympiad, was an international multi-sport event which was celebrated in 1928 in Amsterdam, Netherlands. Amsterdam had bid for the 1920 and 1924 Olympic Games, but had to give way to war-victim Antwerp, Belgium, and Pierre de...
held in Amsterdam
Amsterdam
Amsterdam is the largest city and the capital of the Netherlands. The current position of Amsterdam as capital city of the Kingdom of the Netherlands is governed by the constitution of August 24, 1815 and its successors. Amsterdam has a population of 783,364 within city limits, an urban population...
, Netherlands
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
. There he set a world record in the long jump, becoming the first Arkansan to win a gold medal. The Atlanta Journal called him "the South’s first world champion in any sport."
Hamm was born in 1906, to Charles Edward Hamm, a plumber and electrician, and Zilpah Dare Harris Hamm. He was the oldest of five brothers and one sister. Raised in Lonoke, he excelled in sports, especially track and field
Track and field
Track and field is a sport comprising various competitive athletic contests based around the activities of running, jumping and throwing. The name of the sport derives from the venue for the competitions: a stadium which features an oval running track surrounding a grassy area...
. In high school
High school
High school is a term used in parts of the English speaking world to describe institutions which provide all or part of secondary education. The term is often incorporated into the name of such institutions....
, he won the state long jump for three years straight, 1923 to 1925, setting a state record of 23'2" his sophomore year. He won the state 220-yard dash all three years and the state 100-yard dash twice, despite attacks of malaria
Malaria
Malaria is a mosquito-borne infectious disease of humans and other animals caused by eukaryotic protists of the genus Plasmodium. The disease results from the multiplication of Plasmodium parasites within red blood cells, causing symptoms that typically include fever and headache, in severe cases...
, which first affected him in his junior year and undoubtedly prevented him from bettering his records.
Hamm and teammate Hubert Davis were the only two Lonoke competitors to enter a high school invitational meet at the University of Arkansas
University of Arkansas
The University of Arkansas is a public, co-educational, land-grant, space-grant, research university. It is classified by the Carnegie Foundation as a research university with very high research activity. It is the flagship campus of the University of Arkansas System and is located in...
in Fayetteville
Fayetteville, Arkansas
Fayetteville is the county seat of Washington County, and the third largest city in Arkansas. The city is centrally located within the county and is home to the University of Arkansas. Fayetteville is also deep in the Boston Mountains, a subset of The Ozarks...
in 1925. He won first in the 100-yard dash, the 200-yard dash, the long jump, and the high jump, as well as finishing third place in the 440. Though the two could not enter the relays, together they won the meet by two points over Little Rock High School.
In his junior year (1924) Hamm set a world high school record of 24'2⅝" (7.38 m), which qualified him for the Olympic trials in Boston, Massachusetts. To pay for his trip, he borrowed $100 from Little Rock (Pulaski County) coach Earl Quigley. He failed to qualify for the Olympics, but the next year he went to Little Rock, regularly bringing Quigley two to five dollars until he repaid the money.
At Georgia Tech, Hamm won the Southeast Conference championship (now the Southeastern Conference) in 100- and 220-yard sprints and the long jump three years straight. In 1928, he broke the SEC record in the long jump with a leap of 25'6¾", won the National Intercollegiate meet, and broke the world record in the 1928 Olympic trials with a jump of 25'11½".
On July 31, at the 1928 Olympics in Amsterdam, Holland, Hamm broke the Olympic record and won a gold medal with a leap of 25'4¾". After the Olympics, he was part of a track and field team that toured England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
and Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
. He won the long jump in every meet.
Hamm graduated from Georgia Tech in 1928, served as the school’s track coach for a few years, and then spent the rest of his life in private business, much of it as an executive with Coca Cola on the West Coast
West Coast of the United States
West Coast or Pacific Coast are terms for the westernmost coastal states of the United States. The term most often refers to the states of California, Oregon, and Washington. Although not part of the contiguous United States, Alaska and Hawaii do border the Pacific Ocean but can't be included in...
and in Alaska
Alaska
Alaska is the largest state in the United States by area. It is situated in the northwest extremity of the North American continent, with Canada to the east, the Arctic Ocean to the north, and the Pacific Ocean to the west and south, with Russia further west across the Bering Strait...
. He was married three times, and died in June 1982 in Oregon
Oregon
Oregon is a state in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States. It is located on the Pacific coast, with Washington to the north, California to the south, Nevada on the southeast and Idaho to the east. The Columbia and Snake rivers delineate much of Oregon's northern and eastern...
. His ashes were scattered over his beloved Clear Lake
Clear Lake (Oregon)
Clear Lake may refer to one of several places in the U.S. state of Oregon:There are 11 bodies of water listed as of May 28, 2010....
in Oregon’s Willamette National Forest
Willamette National Forest
The Willamette National Forest is a National Forest located in the central portion of the Cascade Range of US state of Oregon.It comprises 1,675,407 acres making it one of the largest national forests. Over 380,000 acres are designated wilderness which include seven major mountain peaks...
, where he had fished many times. He was inducted into the Arkansas Sports Hall of Fame in 1971, and the Arkansas Track and Field Hall of Fame in 1996.