Clarke, Louis 'Pinky'

Louis Alfred Clarke

Sport:
track and field

Country Represented:
United States

Years Competed:
1924

Medals Received:
gold

Olympic Info:
Clarke was a member of the United States track and field team at the 1924 Paris Olympics, and ran the lead leg in the 4x100-meter relay. A terrific starter, he gave the U.S. the lead in the first 100-meters in every race and was rewarded in the end with a gold medal. After winning their preliminary heat in 41.4 (an Olympic record), the U.S. team won their semifinal heat in 41.0 to qualify for the finals. In the final, Clarke had a 5-meter lead when he handed off the baton, and the U.S. team equaled its record of 41.0 to win the gold medal. The British team finished a close second at 41.2; one of the British runners was Jewish legend, and 100-meter champion, Harold Abrahams.

Career Highlights:
Clarke, an excellent sprinter at Johns Hopkins in the early 1920s, was the NCAA 100-yard sprint champion in 1923 with a time of 9.9 seconds. He also set a world record in the 100-yard indoor with a time of 9.8. After his college career, Clarke continued to run as a member of Baltimore's Fifth Regiment and the Newark Athletic Club, where in 1926, he was a member of the club's 4x100-meter team that captured the AAU National title and broke the world record (twice).

Birth and Death Dates:
b. Nov. 23, 1901 - d. Feb. 1977

Origin:
Statesville, North Carolina

< Previous |  Next >