Ralph Metcalfe

Ralph Metcalfe (* May 30, 1910 in Atlanta, Georgia, † October 10, 1978 in Chicago, Illinois) was an American sprinter, Olympic champion and politician.

Career

At the Olympic Games 1932 in Los Angeles, he won the silver medal in the 100 -meter run behind his compatriot Eddie Tolan ( gold) and before the German Arthur Jonath ( Bronze) and completed the 200 -meter run as a bronze medalist a purely American panel ( Gold went to Tolan, silver to George Simpson).

At the Olympic Games in Berlin in 1936, he again won the silver medal in the 100 -meter run behind his compatriot Jesse Owens ( gold), and ahead of the Dutch Martinus Osendarp ( Bronze) as well as the team gold medal in the 4 x 100 -meter season together with his teammates Owens, Foy Draper and Frank Wykoff, before the relay races from Italy ( silver) and Germany (bronze).

Policy

Metcalfe first studied at Marquette University and completed his studies later at the University of Southern California. After his athletic career, he turned to politics, became chairman of the City Council of Chicago and later, as a member of the Democrats, Representative of the 1st District of Illinois in the U.S. House of Representatives from 1971 until his death in 1978.