Jump to content

Bill Carr

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
For other people named Bill Carr, seeBill Carr (disambiguation).
Bill Carr
Carr playing tennis, 1932
Personal information
Full nameWilliam Arthur Carr
National teamUnited States
Born(1909-10-24)October 24, 1909
Pine Bluff, Arkansas,U.S.
DiedJanuary 14, 1966(1966-01-14)(aged 56)
Tokyo,Japan
EducationUniversity of Pennsylvania
Occupationcorporate executive
EmployerPrismo Safety Products
Sport
Sportoutdoor track and field
University teamPenn Quakers
Medal record
Men'sathletics
RepresentingtheUnited States
Olympic Games
Gold medal – first place 1932 Los Angeles 400 metres
Gold medal – first place 1932 Los Angeles 4x400 m relay

William "Bill" Arthur Carr(October 24, 1909 – January 14, 1966) was an Americanathleteand doubleOlympicchampion in 1932.[1]Called the "Arkansas flyer," Carr never lost a race during his college and Olympic career.[2][3]

Early life and education

[edit]

Carr was born and raised inPine Bluff, Arkansas.[4]His parents were Ann Holmes and William L. Carr, a traveling salesman with the Mann-Tankersley Drug Co.[1][5]He received his elementary school education at Lakeside School in Pine Bluff.[6]

He attendedPine Bluff High Schoolin 1925.[7]In his freshman year, he joined the track team because he was too small for basketball or football.[7]He demonstrated skill at jumping, but he broke both ankles leaping over a bar and had resign late in the season.[3]

Carr was recruited back to the high school track team in 1927.[1]He received national attention at the spring state meet inArkandelphiafor his record–making high jump of 6.75 feet and a long jump of 21 feet 4 inches.[1]In addition to winning those two events, he came in second at the 100-yard sprint and 220-yard sprint.[1]In a prior track meet, he had already matched the Arkansas record in the 100-yard event.[1]As a result, national sports writers were calling him the top high school track star in the United States.[1]

A local banker convinced Carr to enroll in theMercersburg AcademyinMercersburg, Pennsylvaniafor 1928 in preparation for an Ivy League college.[1][2]There, he was coached byJimmy Curran.[8]While he was at Mercersburg, they won the annual inter-scholastic track meet to become state champions.[9]Carr was the Pennsylvania champion in the 100-meter sprint, the 200-meter sprint, and the long jump, setting a state record for the latter.[1][9]He graduated from Mercersburg in the spring of 1929.[10]

Carr was recruited by theUniversity of Pennsylvaniaand started there in 1929.[1]He was on the track team and served as its co-captain.[2]At Penn, he was a member of the Fraternity of Delta Psi (St. Anthony Hall) and a member of theSphinx Senior Society.[2]He was president of the sophomore class and received the Golden Spoon as the "most outstanding, all-around student."[1]For three years, he received the Varsity Club scholarship "for scholastic excellence, character and athletic ability."[11]He graduated from theWharton School of the University of Pennsylvaniain 1933 with a B.S. in economics.[2]

Track and field

[edit]

At the University of Pennsylvania, Carr was coached by 1904 OlympianLawson Robertsonwho called him "the fastest Carr in America."[12]In college, he never lost the 400-meter sprint.[1]He also anchored the 1,600-meter relay team—which also never lost a competition during his college years.[1]His favorite events became the long jump, the 440-meter, and the 800-meter.[13]

He was the 1931Amateur Athletic UnionIndoor national champion in the 300-yards event.[14]At the 1932 Intercollegiate Championships (IC4A) championships inBerkeley California,Carr beat world-record holderBen Eastmanin the 440-yard dash, winning the IC4A 440-yard title for 1932.[14][1]His time was 47.0 seconds; Eastman's record was 46.4 seconds.[1]Carr was ranked number one in the world at the 400-meters.at the end of the 1932 season.[14]

Several weeks later inPalo Alto, California,Carr again outran Eastman at the 1932 USA Outdoor Championships and1932 United States Olympic trials (track and field).[14]In addition to making the United States Olympic team, Carr was also a favorite for the 400-meter gold medal at the1932 Summer OlympicsinLos Angeles,California.[13]

On August 4, 1932 in Los Angeles Olympics, Carr placed first in his semi-final 400-meter heat with a time of 47.2 seconds, breakingEric Liddell’s world record time of 47.6 seconds from the1924 Summer Olympics.[1]However, Eastman matched Liddell’s record in his semi-final heat, setting up a final Olympic race thatThe New York Timescalled the “400-meter race of the century."[1]In the final, Eastman led during most of the race, but Carr emerged victorious in the last 100-meters with a time of 46.2 seconds.[1]He had not only won a gold medal, but he also had set a world record.[1]A few days later, Carr won another gold medal as the anchor of America's 4 × 400-meter relay team.[14]Although not scheduled to complete, he substituted for Arnold Adams who had to withdraw due to an injury.[13]They set a new world record of 3:08.2.[15]

Back at college in 1933, Carr had a "lackluster" performance in the spring season.[1]On January 25, 1933, he announced that he would retire from track after the 1933 season.[11]He said, "I expect to be a member of the United States track and field team that will tour Europe next summer. When the team returns, my uniform and spiked shoes will be put away for good."[11]He planned on retiring so that he could focus on a new career in business.[11]

World Records

[edit]
Event Time Date Competition Record held through Reference
400-meter 46.20 August 5, 1932 1932 Summer Olympics 1948 (tied) [14][7]
1,600-meter relay 3.08.20 August 7, 1932 1932 Summer Olympics [14]

Honors

[edit]
  • In 2008, Carr was inducted into theNational Track and Field Hall of Fame.[14]
  • Carr was inducted into the Arkansas Sports Hall of Fame in 1962.[2]
  • Carr was selected for theSports Illustrated'sAll-Time Olympic Team in 1954.[1]
  • He was selected as the number one 400-meter runner for 1925-49 byTrack & Field News'World Athletes of the Century.[14]
  • The Bill Carr Memorial Room at thePine Bluff Public Libraryis named in his honor.[7]
  • A statue of Carr was installed at Franklin Field of the University of Pennsylvania.[1]
  • A statue was dedicated in his honor atMercersburg Preparatory Academy.[1]
  • In 1932, he received a special trophy from his hometown of Pine Bluff, Arkansas.[1]

Later life

[edit]

On March 18, 1933, Carr was in a car accident that broke both his ankles and his right pelvis.[3]At the time of the two-car accident, he was standing on the car's running board.[3]He was in the hospital for four week and was not able to compete in track again.[3]He had a slight limp as a result of his injuries.[16]

In 1934, Carr started working for theInsurance Company of North America.[12]DuringWorld War II,he joined theU.S. Navy,serving as an officer in naval intelligence thePacific Theater.[2][12]While there, he met his wife, Rachel Elizabeth Manasseh, inShanghai, China.[1][12]She was a lecturer and writer about Oriental art.[12]They had one son, Alain.[12]

After the war, they lived inJapanwhere he became the Far Eastern general manager of the Insurance Company of North America.[1][12]Next, he worked forPan-American World Airwaysas the general personnel manager.[12]He became the executive director of the International Center for overseas students in Midtown, New York.[12]He then moved toTokyo, Japanwhere he was both vice president of Prismo Safety Products, a Pennsylvania highway safety and building equipment company, and the Far East representative of the Potter Brothers, a highway building equipment dealer fromNew Jersey.[12][2]

In 1966, Carr died fromcongestive heart failurein Tokyo at the age of 56.[1]He was buried in Graceland Cemetery inPine Bluff, Arkansas.[1]

References

[edit]
  1. ^abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyzaaabBearden, Russell E."Bill Carr (1909–1966)".Encyclopedia of Arkansas.Retrieved2022-06-05.
  2. ^abcdefgh"William Arthur Carr".University Archives and Records Center.University of Pennsylvania.Retrieved2022-06-05.
  3. ^abcde"Carr's Running Days at College Are Over"(PDF).The New York Times.March 19, 1933. p. 31.RetrievedJune 4,2022.
  4. ^"Carr is Buried in Simple Rights".The El Dorado Times (El Dorado, Arkansas).January 28, 1966. p. 6.RetrievedJune 4,2022– viaNewspapers.com.
  5. ^"Wm. L. Carr, of Pine Bluff, Marries Miss Holmes of Beaumont".Pine Bluff Daily Graphic (Pine Bluff, Arkansas).August 2, 1903. p. 1.RetrievedJune 5,2022– viaNewspapers.com.
  6. ^"Lakeside School".Pine Bluff Daily News (Pine Bluff, Arkansas).February 21, 1917. p. 7.RetrievedJune 4,2022– viaNewspapers.com.
  7. ^abcd"Carr Memorial Room".Pine Bluff and Jefferson County Library System.2021.RetrievedApril 1,2021.
  8. ^"Heart Attack Fells Coach".The Gettysburg Times (Gettysburg, Pennsylvania).February 7, 1963. p. 1.RetrievedJune 5,2022– viaNewspapers.com.
  9. ^ab"Schoolboys Set Two New Marks".The Evening News (Harrisburg, Pennsylvania).May 19, 1928. p. 1.RetrievedJune 5,2022– viaNewspapers.com.
  10. ^"Outdoor Track & Field - Boys - Varsity".Mercersburg Academy.2021-07-21.Retrieved2022-06-05.
  11. ^abcd"Carr Will Retire after 1933 Season"(PDF).The New York Times.January 26, 1933. p. 21.RetrievedJune 5,2022.
  12. ^abcdefghij"Bill Carr, Victor in 1932 Olympics"(PDF).The New York Times.January 15, 1966. p. 27.RetrievedJune 4,2022.
  13. ^abc"William Arthur" Bill "Carr".Sprintic magazine. 2011-07-16. Archived fromthe originalon July 16, 2011.Retrieved2022-06-05.
  14. ^abcdefghi"Bill Carr".USA Track & Field.Retrieved2022-06-05.
  15. ^Gould, Alan (AP) (August 7, 1932)."Iso-Hollo Wins Steeplechase Crown Easily".The Tuscaloosa News.RetrievedOctober 21,2015.
  16. ^"Bill Carr, Olympic Ace, is Peddling Insurance".Hope Star (Hope, Arkansas).March 9, 1937. p. 4.RetrievedJune 4,2022– viaNewspapers.com.
[edit]
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Bill_Carr&oldid=1227786449"