Lee Calhoun

Lee Calhoun was a graduate of Theodore Roosevelt High School and North Carolina Central University. He became the pride of the City of Gary when he won Olympic gold in the 110-meter hurdles in 1956.  Calhoun went on to break a world record and earn a second gold medal before retiring from the sport in 1960. Lee Calhoun was the first man to have won two Olympic high hurdles titles. In 1956 he brought his best time down from 14.4 to 13.5 to win the first of his gold medals. In 1960, Calhoun improved to 13.4 and won his second Olympic title. Apart from these successes, he won the AAU (indoor and outdoor), the NAIA, and the NCAA in 1956 and successfully defended all four titles in 1957. He came back in 1959 to win his third AAU outdoor championship and to win a silver medal at the Pan American Games. Shortly before winning his second Olympic crown, he equaled the 110-meter world record with 13.2. After coaching at Grambling, he became the head track coach at Yale and served as assistant coach for the 1976 Summer Olympics. He was elected to the United States National Track and Field Hall of Fame in 1974.