Roy Cochran
Encyclopedia
LeRoy Braxton Cochran (January 26, 1919 - September 26, 1981) was an American
athlete, winner of two gold medals at the 1948 Summer Olympics
.
Born in Richton, Mississippi
, as the ninth of ten children to a sportive family. Cochran played football
and was a one-man track team in the high school. Cochran wanted to go to Tulane University
with a football scholarship, but was persuaded by his older brother Commodore
, who won a gold medal at 1924 Summer Olympics
in 4x400 m relay
, to go to Indiana University Bloomington
with a track scholarship. Commodore later became also his coach.
After winning the AAU
championships in 400 m hurdles in 1939, Cochran was selected to the 1940 US Olympic team to run 400 m flat, 400 m hurdles and 4x400 m relay race. But when the 1940 Summer Olympics
were cancelled due to the World War II
, Cochran entered the V-7 Navy officer training course in 1942, and went to Miami
for training in the Navy's Sub Chaser Training School. He served in the Pacific
during the war and attended the University of Southern California
in pursuit of graduate degrees in physiology after the war.
Cochran took up athletics again at USC and won his second AAU title in 400 m hurdles in 1948, thus qualifying to the Olympics. In the Olympic final Duncan White
from Ceylon went off at a terrific pace, but by half distance Cochran was ahead. He won by a huge margin, beating second-placed White by 0.7 seconds. Cochran won his second gold medal as he ran the third leg of the 4x400 m relay for the winning USA team.
In 2010 he joined the National Track and Field Hall of Fame
.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
athlete, winner of 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...
.
Born in Richton, Mississippi
Richton, Mississippi
Richton is a town in Perry County, Mississippi, United States. It is part of the Hattiesburg, Mississippi Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 1,038 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Richton is located at ....
, as the ninth of ten children to a sportive family. Cochran played football
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
and was a one-man track team in the high school. Cochran wanted to go to Tulane University
Tulane University
Tulane University is a private, nonsectarian research university located in New Orleans, Louisiana, United States...
with a football scholarship, but was persuaded by his older brother Commodore
Commodore Cochran
Commodore Shelton Cochran was an American athlete, winner of gold medal in 4x400 m relay at the 1924 Summer Olympics.He was born in Mississippi and died in San Francisco, California....
, who won a gold medal at 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 4x400 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...
, to go to Indiana University Bloomington
Indiana University Bloomington
Indiana University Bloomington is a public research university located in Bloomington, Indiana, in the United States. IU Bloomington is the flagship campus of the Indiana University system. Being the flagship campus, IU Bloomington is often referred to simply as IU or Indiana...
with a track scholarship. Commodore later became also his coach.
After winning the AAU
Amateur Athletic Union
The Amateur Athletic Union is one of the largest non-profit volunteer sports organizations in the United States. A multi-sport organization, the AAU is dedicated exclusively to the promotion and development of amateur sports and physical fitness programs.-History:The AAU was founded in 1888 to...
championships in 400 m hurdles in 1939, Cochran was selected to the 1940 US Olympic team to run 400 m flat, 400 m hurdles and 4x400 m relay race. But when the 1940 Summer Olympics
1940 Summer Olympics
The anticipated 1940 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XII Olympiad and originally scheduled to be held from September 21 to October 6, 1940, in Tokyo, Japan, were cancelled due to the outbreak of World War II...
were cancelled due to the World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, Cochran entered the V-7 Navy officer training course in 1942, and went to Miami
Miami, Florida
Miami is a city located on the Atlantic coast in southeastern Florida and the county seat of Miami-Dade County, the most populous county in Florida and the eighth-most populous county in the United States with a population of 2,500,625...
for training in the Navy's Sub Chaser Training School. He served in the Pacific
Pacific Ocean
The Pacific Ocean is the largest of the Earth's oceanic divisions. It extends from the Arctic in the north to the Southern Ocean in the south, bounded by Asia and Australia in the west, and the Americas in the east.At 165.2 million square kilometres in area, this largest division of the World...
during the war and attended 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...
in pursuit of graduate degrees in physiology after the war.
Cochran took up athletics again at USC and won his second AAU title in 400 m hurdles in 1948, thus qualifying to the Olympics. In the Olympic final Duncan White
Duncan White
Duncan White, MBE was the first Sri Lankan athlete to win a medal for his country in an Olympic event. He won a silver in the 400-metre hurdles at the 1948 Summer Olympics in London, England...
from Ceylon went off at a terrific pace, but by half distance Cochran was ahead. He won by a huge margin, beating second-placed White by 0.7 seconds. Cochran won his second gold medal as he ran the third leg of the 4x400 m relay for the winning USA team.
In 2010 he joined the National Track and Field Hall of Fame
National Track and Field Hall of Fame
The National Track and Field Hall of Fame located within the Armory Foundation at 216 Fort Washington Avenue, between 168th and 169th Streets, in Washington Heights, in the New York City borough of Manhattan, is a museum operated by The Armory Foundation in conjunction with USA Track & Field...
.