Loren Murchison

Loren C. Murchison (December 17, 1898 – June 11, 1979) was an American athlete, double gold medal winner in 4 × 100 m relay at the Olympic Games.<ref name=sr/>

Biography

Born in Farmersville, Texas, Loren Murchison was an AAU Champion in Template:Convert in 1920 and 1923 and in Template:Convert in 1918 and 1923. He also won the British AAA Championships in both Template:Convert and Template:Convert at the 1925 AAA Championships.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

At the 1920 Summer Olympics, Murchison finished fourth in 200 m and sixth in 100 m. He also ran the third leg in the gold medal winning United States 4 × 100 m relay team, which set a new world record of 42.2 s in the Olympic final. At the 1924 Summer Olympics, Murchison was again sixth in 100 m and won his second Olympic gold medal as an opening leg in the world record (41.0 s) setting American 4 × 100 m relay team.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Murchison was an outstanding indoor runner. He won 14 titles (9 individual and 5 in the relay) at the United States premier indoor athletics meet, the Millrose Games.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> He was also national indoor champion at the 60 y in 1919–20 and 1922–24, and 300 y in 1919–20 and 1923–24.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Murchison was also a prolific breaker of records indoors. Amongst the world best times he equaled or broke are:<ref name="book1">Template:Cite book</ref>

• equaled 60 y best of 6.4 s in 1920, 1922 and 1923;<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
• established new 60 y best of 6.2 s in 1923;<ref>Template:Cite book</ref>
• 50 m of 6.0 s in 1925;
• 300 y of 31.2 s;
• 220 y best of 22.4 s.

It was such exploits that inspired Charley Paddock (1920 Olympic 100 m champion) to call Murchison "the greatest indoor sprinter of his generation and the finest starter of all-time.<ref name="book1"/>

In 1925 Murchison was struck with spinal meningitis and paralyzed from the waist down for the rest of his life.<ref name="book1"/><ref>This author met Murchison in the early 1970s and heard his story directly from him. My father was his doctor. Original date claimed was 1925 but other sources suggest the later date of 1927/28.</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

A resident of Leisure Village in Lakewood Township, New Jersey, Murchison died at the age of 80 on June 11, 1979, at Point Pleasant Hospital in Point Pleasant, New Jersey.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

References

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