Willie Davenport
Encyclopedia
William "Willie" D. Davenport (June 8, 1943 – June 17, 2002), nicknamed "Breeze" Davenport, was an American
athlete, born in Troy, Alabama
. William attended Howland High School
, a suburb of Warren in Northeast Ohio. He attended college at Southern University and A&M College in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. He participated in hurdling
events in four Olympic Games
, winning the title in 1968. In 1980, he also took part in the Olympic Winter Games as a runner for the American bobsleigh
team.
Davenport took part in his first Olympics in 1964, reaching the semi-finals of the 110 m hurdles event. In Mexico
, in 1968, he reached the final and won: "From the first step, the gun, I knew I had won the race." In 1972 he finished fourth, and in his third consecutive Olympic 110 m hurdles final, in 1976, he finished third to capture the bronze medal. He finished his Olympic career in Lake Placid
competing as a bobsleigh runner, ending up 12th in the four-man competition. Davenport's other achievements include five national championships in the 60 yard hurdles indoor event.
Willie Davenport was a U.S.Army; a private at the time of his first Olympic participation, he climbed up to Colonel of the United States National Guard
at the time of his death. He died of a heart attack
at age 59 at Chicago
's O'Hare International Airport
on June 17, 2002.
Davenport's grandson, Derrick Stewart, is a wide receiver for the University of Cincinnati Bearcats.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
athlete, born in Troy, Alabama
Troy, Alabama
Troy is a city in Pike County, Alabama, United States. As of the 2010 census, the population was 18,003. Troy experienced a growth spurt of over 4,000+ people since 2000. The city is the county seat of Pike County....
. William attended Howland High School
Howland High School
Howland High School is a public high school in Howland Township, Ohio, near Warren. It is the only high school in the Howland Local Schools district. Their mascot is the Tiger...
, a suburb of Warren in Northeast Ohio. He attended college at Southern University and A&M College in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. He participated in hurdling
Hurdling
Hurdling is a type of track and field race.- Distances :There are sprint hurdle races and long hurdle races. The standard sprint hurdle race is 110 meters for men and 100 meters for women. The standard long hurdle race is 400 meters for both men and women...
events in four 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...
, winning the title in 1968. In 1980, he also took part in the Olympic Winter Games as a runner for the American bobsleigh
Bobsleigh
Bobsleigh or bobsled is a winter sport in which teams of two or four make timed runs down narrow, twisting, banked, iced tracks in a gravity-powered sled that are combined to calculate the final score....
team.
Davenport took part in his first Olympics in 1964, reaching the semi-finals of the 110 m hurdles event. In Mexico
Mexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
, in 1968, he reached the final and won: "From the first step, the gun, I knew I had won the race." In 1972 he finished fourth, and in his third consecutive Olympic 110 m hurdles final, in 1976, he finished third to capture the bronze medal. He finished his Olympic career in Lake Placid
Lake Placid, New York
Lake Placid is a village in the Adirondack Mountains in Essex County, New York, United States. As of the 2000 census, the village had a population of 2,638....
competing as a bobsleigh runner, ending up 12th in the four-man competition. Davenport's other achievements include five national championships in the 60 yard hurdles indoor event.
Willie Davenport was a U.S.Army; a private at the time of his first Olympic participation, he climbed up to Colonel of the United States National Guard
United States National Guard
The National Guard of the United States is a reserve military force composed of state National Guard militia members or units under federally recognized active or inactive armed force service for the United States. Militia members are citizen soldiers, meaning they work part time for the National...
at the time of his death. He died of a heart attack
Myocardial infarction
Myocardial infarction or acute myocardial infarction , commonly known as a heart attack, results from the interruption of blood supply to a part of the heart, causing heart cells to die...
at age 59 at Chicago
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
's O'Hare International Airport
O'Hare International Airport
Chicago O'Hare International Airport , also known as O'Hare Airport, O'Hare Field, Chicago Airport, Chicago International Airport, or simply O'Hare, is a major airport located in the northwestern-most corner of Chicago, Illinois, United States, northwest of the Chicago Loop...
on June 17, 2002.
Davenport's grandson, Derrick Stewart, is a wide receiver for the University of Cincinnati Bearcats.
External links
- http://vm.mtsac.edu/relays/HallFame/Davenpor.htm