Larry James - Sprints (Inducted 2003)

Born November 6, 1947

A double medalist at the 1968 Olympic Games in Mexico City, Larry James also set world records and won NCAA titles during his track career. James won the silver medal in the 400 meters with his time of 43.97 seconds at the 1968 Olympics, bettering the existing world record but placing him second behind teammate Lee Evans (43.86). James added a gold medal at the 1968 Olympics by running the third leg on Team USA’s winning 4x400m relay team, which set the world record of 2 minutes, 56.16 seconds, which lasted until 1992. James set the 400m world record of 44.1 seconds in placing second to Lee Evans at the 1968 Olympic Trials at Echo Summit, Calif., when Evans’ winning time of 44.0 was disallowed by the IAAF because he wore illegal brush spike shoes. James was the 400m hurdles gold medalist at the 1970 World University Games, where he ran the anchor leg on Team USA’s gold medal winning 4x400m relay team (3:03.33). As a collegian at Villanova, James won the NCAA 440 title in 1970 and NCAA indoor crowns at that distance in 1968-1969 and 1970. The head manager for Team USA at the 2003 World Outdoor Track & Field Championships, James is chair of USATF’s budget committee and currently is the Dean of Athletics and Recreational Programs and Services at the Richard Stockton College of New Jersey.