Metcalfe, Ralph H.
Track and Field
b. May 29, 1910, Atlanta, GA
d. Oct. 10, 1978
One of those unfortunate athletes who peaked between Olympics and therefore never quite got the recognition he deserved, Metcalfe grew up in Chicago and entered Marquette University in 1930.
Metcalfe won the NCAA 100- and 200-meter dashes in 1932 and was the 100- and 220-yard champion in 1933 and 1934. He also won the AAU national 100-yard championship in 1932 and 1934, the 200-meter title from 1932 through 1936.
A very fast finisher who lacked a great start, Metcalfe finished second to Eddie Tolan in the 100-meter at the 1932 Olympics. The race was so close that judges studied the photo-finish picture for hours before deciding on a winner. In the 200-meter dash, Metcalfe ran third to Tolan and George Simpson. It was discovered afterward that his lane was about two meters too long, but he didn't protest because he was content with a U. S. sweep of the medals.
At the 1936 Olympics, Metcalfe finished second to Jesse Owens in the 100-meter and ran on the gold medal 4 by 100-meter relay team that set a world record of 39.8 seconds.
Metcalfe tied the world record of 10.3 in the 100-meter dash eight times, though only three of the marks went into the record book. He also tied the 20.6-second world record in the 200-meter.
He retired from competition after the 1936 Olympics. Metcalfe served on the Chicago City Council from 1949 through 1971 and was a U. S. congressman from 1971 until his death in 1978. The Ralph H. Metcalfe Federal Building in Chicago is named in his honor.