Percy Beard
Percy Morris Beard (January 26, 1908 – March 27, 1990) was an American college and international track and field athlete who specialized in the high hurdles event, and won an Olympic silver medal. Beard later became a nationally prominent college track and field coach at the University of Florida .
Athletic career
Percy Beard was born in Hardinsburg, Kentucky in 1908. He became a world-class hurdler at Alabama Polytechnic Institute (now Auburn University ) in Auburn, Alabama . After graduating from Auburn with a bachelor's degree in civil engineering in 1929, he later competed for the New York Athletic Club in Amateur Athletic Union (AAU) competition. He set a world record of 14.2 seconds in the 120-yard high hurdles in 1931 and tied the record again in 1934. A seven-time national AAU high hurdles champion, Beard won the silver medal in the 110-meter high hurdles event at the 1932 Summer Olympic Games in Los Angeles, finishing second behind U.S. teammate George Saling .[ 1]
Coaching career
Following his competition running career, Beard later became the head coach of the Florida Gators track and field at the University of Florida in Gainesville, Florida, serving from 1937 to 1964.[ 2] Southeastern Conference (SEC) outdoor track and field championship twice and were the runners-up four times.[ 2] Florida Relays in 1939, which became one of the country's top collegiate track and field events.[ 3] all-weather running tracks and unveiled the first full-scale all-weather track at the 1959 Florida Relays.[ 4]
Legacy and honors
Beard was a member of the U.S. Track and Field and Cross Country Coaches Association Hall of Fame,[ 4] National Track and Field Hall of Fame in 1981.[ 5] Percy Beard Track ,[ 6] [ 7] University of Florida Athletic Hall of Fame as an "honorary letter winner " in 1976.[ 8] [ 9]
Beard died in Gainesville in 1990; he was 82 years old.[ 10] [ 10]
See also
References
^ Sports-Reference.com, Olympic Sports, Percy Beard . Retrieved March 5, 2010.
^ a b 2010 University of Florida Track & Field Media Guide Archived 2012-04-02 at the Wayback Machine ^ GatorZone.com, Track & Field, History of the Florida Relays . Retrieved April 26, 2011.
^ a b USTFCCCA Hall of Fame, Special Inductee, Percy Beard . Retrieved April 15, 2010.
^ USA Track & Field, Hall of Fame, Percy Beard . Retrieved March 5, 2010.
^ GatorZone.com, Facilities, Percy Beard Track at James G. Pressly Stadium . Retrieved April 15, 2010.
^ "Ex-Gator Coach Beard Dies, Leaves Mark On Track World ," Orlando Sentinel (March 28, 1990). Retrieved April 15, 2010.
^ F Club, Hall of Fame, Honorary Letter Winners . Retrieved December 19, 2014.
^ "Nine Named to UF Hall of Fame ," St. Petersburg Times , p. 3C (April 24, 1976). Retrieved July 23, 2011.
^ a b "Percy Beard, Olympic Hurdler, 82 ," The New York Times (March 29, 1990). Retrieved April 15, 2010.
1876–1878New York Athletic Club 1879–1888NAAAA 1888–1979Amateur Athletic Union 1980–1992The Athletics Congress 1993–presentUSA Track & Field Notes
Note 1: In 1888 both the NAAAA and the AAU held championships 120 yd hurdles 1876–1927, 1929–31, 1953–55, 1957–58, 1961–63, 1965–67 and 1969–71; 110 m hurdles otherwise. First place was shared in 1969 and 1977. The 1920, 1928, 1932, 1992, 1996, 2000, 2004, 2008, 2012 and 2016 championships incorporated the Olympic Trials, otherwise held as a discrete event. 2020 OT : The 2020 Olympic Trials were delayed and held in 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic .
Qualification Men's track Men's field athletes Women's track athletes Women's field athletes Non-competing relay pool members Coaches
