Mel Patton
Encyclopedia
Melvin Emery "Mel" Patton (born November 16, 1924) is an American
track and field athlete, who won two gold medals at the 1948 Summer Olympics
.
, Mel Patton or Pell Mell, as he was nickname
d in the late 1940s, made his mark in track and field while a student at the University of Southern California
, where he was coached by the famous Dean Cromwell
. He also attended University High School in Los Angeles.
Patton won the NCAA
100 yard dash in 1947 and in 1948 and 1949 completed the 100 and 220 yd
sprint
double at that same meet. In 1947, he tied the 100 yd dash world record
of 9.4, then lowered it to 9.3 the following year. In 1949, he set a 220 yd world record on a straightaway of 20.2, breaking a Jesse Owens
record.
In the Olympic Trials, he suffered a rare loss to Barney Ewell
in the 100 m final, then in the Olympic Games
placed only fifth in the 100 m. He atoned for that disappointment by taking two gold medals in the 200 m and the 4 x 100 m relay
.
After retiring from competition, he was a track coach before entering the electronics industry.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
track and field athlete, who won two gold medals at the 1948 Summer Olympics
1948 Summer Olympics
The 1948 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XIV Olympiad, were an international multi-sport event which was held in London, England, United Kingdom. After a 12-year hiatus because of World War II, these were the first Summer Olympics since the 1936 Games in Berlin...
.
Biography
Born in Los Angeles, CaliforniaLos Angeles, California
Los Angeles , with a population at the 2010 United States Census of 3,792,621, is the most populous city in California, USA and the second most populous in the United States, after New York City. It has an area of , and is located in Southern California...
, Mel Patton or Pell Mell, as he was nickname
Nickname
A nickname is "a usually familiar or humorous but sometimes pointed or cruel name given to a person or place, as a supposedly appropriate replacement for or addition to the proper name.", or a name similar in origin and pronunciation from the original name....
d in the late 1940s, made his mark in track and field while a student at the University of Southern California
University of Southern California
The University of Southern California is a private, not-for-profit, nonsectarian, research university located in Los Angeles, California, United States. USC was founded in 1880, making it California's oldest private research university...
, where he was coached by the famous Dean Cromwell
Dean Cromwell
Dean Bartlett Cromwell , nicknamed "Maker of Champions", was an American athletic coach in multiple sports, principally at the University of Southern California...
. He also attended University High School in Los Angeles.
Patton won the NCAA
National Collegiate Athletic Association
The National Collegiate Athletic Association is a semi-voluntary association of 1,281 institutions, conferences, organizations and individuals that organizes the athletic programs of many colleges and universities in the United States...
100 yard dash in 1947 and in 1948 and 1949 completed the 100 and 220 yd
200 metres
A 200 metres race is a sprint running event. On an outdoor 400 m track, the race begins on the curve and ends on the home straight, so a combination of techniques are needed to successfully run the race. A slightly shorter race, called the stadion and run on a straight track, was the first...
sprint
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...
double at that same meet. In 1947, he tied the 100 yd dash world record
World record
A world record is usually the best global performance ever recorded and verified in a specific skill or sport. The book Guinness World Records collates and publishes notable records of all types, from first and best to worst human achievements, to extremes in the natural world and beyond...
of 9.4, then lowered it to 9.3 the following year. In 1949, he set a 220 yd world record on a straightaway of 20.2, breaking a Jesse Owens
Jesse Owens
James Cleveland "Jesse" Owens was an American track and field athlete who specialized in the sprints and the long jump. He participated in the 1936 Summer Olympics in Berlin, Germany, where he achieved international fame by winning four gold medals: one each in the 100 meters, the 200 meters, the...
record.
In the Olympic Trials, he suffered a rare loss to Barney Ewell
Barney Ewell
Harold Norwood "Barney" Ewell was an American athlete, winner of one gold and two silver medals at the 1948 Summer Olympics....
in the 100 m final, then in the Olympic Games
Olympic Games
The Olympic Games is a major international event featuring summer and winter sports, in which thousands of athletes participate in a variety of competitions. The Olympic Games have come to be regarded as the world’s foremost sports competition where more than 200 nations participate...
placed only fifth in the 100 m. He atoned for that disappointment by taking two gold medals in the 200 m and the 4 x 100 m relay
Relay race
During a relay race, members of a team take turns running, orienteering, swimming, cross-country skiing, biathlon, or ice skating parts of a circuit or performing a certain action. Relay races take the form of professional races and amateur games...
.
After retiring from competition, he was a track coach before entering the electronics industry.