John Carlos - Sprints (Inducted 2003)

Born June 5, 1945

The 200m bronze medalist at the 1968 Olympic Games in Mexico City, John Carlos equaled the world 100 yard record of 9.1 seconds on May 10, 1969 in Fresno, Calif. He won numerous national and international titles, including the 1967 Pan American Games 200m (20.5), 1969 AAU 220 yards, 1969 NCAA 100 and 220 yards, and 1969 NCAA indoor 60 yard championship. Carlos also won the 200 meters at the 1968 Olympic Trials at Echo Summit, Calif., in the world record hand time of 19.7, though the record was never ratified because the spike formation on his shoes wasn’t accepted at the time. Prior to his successful collegiate career at San Jose State University, Carlos attended East Texas State University, where he single-handedly won the school’s first Lone Star Conference Championship. Following his track career, Carlos tried professional football, where a one year stint with the Philadelphia Eagles ended following a knee injury. He then went on the Canadian Football League where he played one season each for the Montreal Alouettes and the Toronto Argonauts. Carlos is in his 18th year of service as a counselor and the in-school suspension supervisor at Palm Springs High School in Palm Springs, California.