Leonard Paulu
Encyclopedia
Leonard Theodore Paulu was an American
sprinter
for Grinnell College
in Grinnell, Iowa
. Despite losing an eye and suffering serious injuries to his right leg and hip while serving in World War I
, he won the 100 yard dash competition at the first two NCAA track and field championships
in 1921
and 1922
. He also won the 220 yard dash at the 1922 NCAA championships.
. He was the only son among the nine children of a Congregational
preacher and Czech
immigrant, Rev. Anton Paulu. He attended boarding school in Toledo, Iowa
. Paulu later recalled that he worked for his room and board at the boarding school and lived in a room in the basement.
He enrolled at Grinnell College
in 1915. He struggled academically while working to pay for the cost of his education and dropped out of school, before completing his freshman year to work full time.
, Paulu enlisted in the U.S. Army. In September 1918, he was wounded near Saint-Mihiel
, France
, when a German
shell struck a nearby tree. Shrapnel from the shell "ripped into his body in four places," including his leg and eye. He later recalled that "one fragment entered just in front of the right ear and came out through the eye," and other fragments became lodged in his right leg and hip. As a result of the wounds, Paulu lost his right eye, and his right-leg stride was four inches shorter than that of his left leg. He was fitted with a glass eye which he occasionally lost and reportedly ran with his "head cocked to one side."
, saw Paulu compete in a sprint, and persuaded Paulu to join the school's track team. Paulu later described his discovery as follows: "Chuck Hoyt had returned to the school as the track coach and was teaching my physical education class that spring. One day, he had us run a sprint. I won."
Paulu won the 100 yard dash competition at the first two NCAA track and field championships
in 1921
and 1922
. He set the initial NCAA record at the event in 1921 (10.0 seconds) and then broke his own record at the 1922 meet with a time of 9.9 seconds. His best time in the 100 yard dash was 9.6 seconds at the Drake Relays
. Paulu also won the NCAA championship in the 220 yard dash in 1922, breaking the NCAA record with a time of 21.8 seconds.
Paulu studied chemistry, physics and math at Grinnell and earned Phi Beta Kappa honors. After graduating from Grinnell in 1922, Paulu taught chemistry, physics and math in Oskaloosa, Iowa
. In June 1923, he married Frances Hladky in Vining, Iowa
.
In 1924, Paulu qualified for the U.S. Olympic team
tryouts. The sprinting competition at the 1924 Summer Olympics
in Paris
was later depicted in the Academy Award-winning film Chariots of Fire
. Paulu's times continued to improve in 1924, and he ran the 100 yard dash in 9.7 seconds. He withdrew from competition, because his wife was pregnant. Their first child, Irene Helen Paulu, was born on June 23, 1924.
, and worked as a high school teacher and track and football coach for nearly 40 years until his retirement in 1963.
. Paulu was inducted into the Iowa Association of Track Coaches Hall of Fame in 1975, the Iowa Sports Hall of Fame In 1978, and the Grinnell College Hall of Fame in 1995.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
sprinter
Sprint (race)
Sprints are short running events in athletics and track and field. Races over short distances are among the oldest running competitions. The first 13 editions of the Ancient Olympic Games featured only one event—the stadion race, which was a race from one end of the stadium to the other...
for Grinnell College
Grinnell College
Grinnell College is a private liberal arts college in Grinnell, Iowa, U.S. known for its strong tradition of social activism. It was founded in 1846, when a group of pioneer New England Congregationalists established the Trustees of Iowa College....
in Grinnell, Iowa
Grinnell, Iowa
Grinnell is a city in Poweshiek County, Iowa, United States. The population was 9,218 at the 2010 census. Grinnell was named after Josiah Bushnell Grinnell and is the home of Grinnell College.- History :...
. Despite losing an eye and suffering serious injuries to his right leg and hip while serving in World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
, he won the 100 yard dash competition at the first two NCAA track and field championships
NCAA Men's Outdoor Track and Field Championship
The NCAA Men's Outdoor Track and Field Championship is an annual collegiate outdoor track and field competition for men organised by the National Collegiate Athletic Association. It has three divisions: Division I, II, and III. Athlete's individual performances earn points for their institution and...
in 1921
1921 NCAA Men's Track and Field Championships
The 1921 NCAA Track and Field Championships was the first NCAA track and field championship. The event was held at Stagg Field in Chicago, Illinois in June 1921. The University of Illinois won the team title.-Overview:...
and 1922
1922 NCAA Men's Track and Field Championships
The 1922 NCAA Track and Field Championships was the second NCAA track and field championship. The event was held at Stagg Field in Chicago, Illinois in June 1922. The University of California won the team title, and nine NCAA records were set at the two-day meet.-Overview:The 1922 NCAA Track and...
. He also won the 220 yard dash at the 1922 NCAA championships.
Early years
Paulu was born in Vining, IowaVining, Iowa
Vining is a city in Tama County, Iowa, United States. The population was 70 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Vining is located at .According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of , all of it land....
. He was the only son among the nine children of a Congregational
Congregational church
Congregational churches are Protestant Christian churches practicing Congregationalist church governance, in which each congregation independently and autonomously runs its own affairs....
preacher and Czech
Czechoslovakia
Czechoslovakia or Czecho-Slovakia was a sovereign state in Central Europe which existed from October 1918, when it declared its independence from the Austro-Hungarian Empire, until 1992...
immigrant, Rev. Anton Paulu. He attended boarding school in Toledo, Iowa
Toledo, Iowa
Toledo is a city in and the county seat of Tama County, Iowa, United States. The population was 2,539 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Toledo is located at ....
. Paulu later recalled that he worked for his room and board at the boarding school and lived in a room in the basement.
He enrolled at Grinnell College
Grinnell College
Grinnell College is a private liberal arts college in Grinnell, Iowa, U.S. known for its strong tradition of social activism. It was founded in 1846, when a group of pioneer New England Congregationalists established the Trustees of Iowa College....
in 1915. He struggled academically while working to pay for the cost of his education and dropped out of school, before completing his freshman year to work full time.
World War I
When the United States entered World War IWorld War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
, Paulu enlisted in the U.S. Army. In September 1918, he was wounded near Saint-Mihiel
Saint-Mihiel
Saint-Mihiel is a commune in the Meuse department in Lorraine in north-eastern France.-History:Saint-Mihiel was captured by the Germans in the first year of World War I, and was re-captured during the Battle of Saint-Mihiel from 12 September to 19 September 1918, during World War...
, France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
, when a German
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...
shell struck a nearby tree. Shrapnel from the shell "ripped into his body in four places," including his leg and eye. He later recalled that "one fragment entered just in front of the right ear and came out through the eye," and other fragments became lodged in his right leg and hip. As a result of the wounds, Paulu lost his right eye, and his right-leg stride was four inches shorter than that of his left leg. He was fitted with a glass eye which he occasionally lost and reportedly ran with his "head cocked to one side."
Track career and Grinnell College
As an injured veteran, Paulu was eligible for educational benefits and used the benefits to resume his education at Grinnell College in 1919. Grinnell's track coach, Charles B. HoytCharles B. Hoyt
-Champion sprinter:A native of Greenfield, Iowa, Hoyt won three straight 100 and 220 yard dashes in the Iowa state meet from 1911–1913 and won seven career gold medals. As a high school student in 1912, Hoyt was offered a place on the U.S. Olympic team but turned down the chance...
, saw Paulu compete in a sprint, and persuaded Paulu to join the school's track team. Paulu later described his discovery as follows: "Chuck Hoyt had returned to the school as the track coach and was teaching my physical education class that spring. One day, he had us run a sprint. I won."
Paulu won the 100 yard dash competition at the first two NCAA track and field championships
NCAA Men's Outdoor Track and Field Championship
The NCAA Men's Outdoor Track and Field Championship is an annual collegiate outdoor track and field competition for men organised by the National Collegiate Athletic Association. It has three divisions: Division I, II, and III. Athlete's individual performances earn points for their institution and...
in 1921
1921 NCAA Men's Track and Field Championships
The 1921 NCAA Track and Field Championships was the first NCAA track and field championship. The event was held at Stagg Field in Chicago, Illinois in June 1921. The University of Illinois won the team title.-Overview:...
and 1922
1922 NCAA Men's Track and Field Championships
The 1922 NCAA Track and Field Championships was the second NCAA track and field championship. The event was held at Stagg Field in Chicago, Illinois in June 1922. The University of California won the team title, and nine NCAA records were set at the two-day meet.-Overview:The 1922 NCAA Track and...
. He set the initial NCAA record at the event in 1921 (10.0 seconds) and then broke his own record at the 1922 meet with a time of 9.9 seconds. His best time in the 100 yard dash was 9.6 seconds at the Drake Relays
Drake Relays
The Drake Relays is an annual outdoor track and field event held in Des Moines, Iowa, United States, in Drake Stadium on the campus of Drake University...
. Paulu also won the NCAA championship in the 220 yard dash in 1922, breaking the NCAA record with a time of 21.8 seconds.
Paulu studied chemistry, physics and math at Grinnell and earned Phi Beta Kappa honors. After graduating from Grinnell in 1922, Paulu taught chemistry, physics and math in Oskaloosa, Iowa
Oskaloosa, Iowa
Oskaloosa is the county seat of Mahaska County, Iowa, United States. The population was 11,463 in the 2010 census, an increase from 10,938 in the 2000 census. -History:...
. In June 1923, he married Frances Hladky in Vining, Iowa
Vining, Iowa
Vining is a city in Tama County, Iowa, United States. The population was 70 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Vining is located at .According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of , all of it land....
.
In 1924, Paulu qualified for the U.S. Olympic team
United States at the Olympics
The United States of America has sent athletes to every celebration of the modern Olympic Games, except the 1980 Summer Olympics, which it boycotted.The United States Olympic Committee is the National Olympic Committee for the United States....
tryouts. The sprinting competition at the 1924 Summer Olympics
1924 Summer Olympics
The 1924 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the VIII Olympiad, were an international multi-sport event which was celebrated in 1924 in Paris, France...
in Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
was later depicted in the Academy Award-winning film Chariots of Fire
Chariots of Fire
Chariots of Fire is a 1981 British film. It tells the fact-based story of two athletes in the 1924 Olympics: Eric Liddell, a devout Scottish Christian who runs for the glory of God, and Harold Abrahams, an English Jew who runs to overcome prejudice....
. Paulu's times continued to improve in 1924, and he ran the 100 yard dash in 9.7 seconds. He withdrew from competition, because his wife was pregnant. Their first child, Irene Helen Paulu, was born on June 23, 1924.
Later years
In 1925, Paulu moved to Cedar Rapids, IowaCedar Rapids, Iowa
Cedar Rapids is the second largest city in Iowa and is the county seat of Linn County. The city lies on both banks of the Cedar River, north of Iowa City and east of Des Moines, the state's capital and largest city...
, and worked as a high school teacher and track and football coach for nearly 40 years until his retirement in 1963.
Honors and awards
In 1960, Paulu was honored by being named as the referee of the 50th anniversary Drake RelaysDrake Relays
The Drake Relays is an annual outdoor track and field event held in Des Moines, Iowa, United States, in Drake Stadium on the campus of Drake University...
. Paulu was inducted into the Iowa Association of Track Coaches Hall of Fame in 1975, the Iowa Sports Hall of Fame In 1978, and the Grinnell College Hall of Fame in 1995.
See also
- 1921 NCAA Men's Track and Field Championships1921 NCAA Men's Track and Field ChampionshipsThe 1921 NCAA Track and Field Championships was the first NCAA track and field championship. The event was held at Stagg Field in Chicago, Illinois in June 1921. The University of Illinois won the team title.-Overview:...
- 1922 NCAA Men's Track and Field Championships1922 NCAA Men's Track and Field ChampionshipsThe 1922 NCAA Track and Field Championships was the second NCAA track and field championship. The event was held at Stagg Field in Chicago, Illinois in June 1922. The University of California won the team title, and nine NCAA records were set at the two-day meet.-Overview:The 1922 NCAA Track and...