2005 Hall of Fame Inductee
Although the prime of Fred Wolcott's outstanding career occurred when there was no Olympic Games because of World War II, his accomplishments stand as a testament to one of the greatest hurdlers of all-time. He broke world records four times during the late 1930s and early 1940s and was the first man to hold IAAF world records in the high and low hurdles at the same time. One of his most notable performances came in 1940 when he broke Jesse Owens' world record in the 220-yard low hurdles with a time of 22.5 seconds. The next year, he equaled the world record in the high hurdles with a time of 13.7 seconds at the AAU Championships in Philadelphia. The winner of seven National AAU Outdoor titles (110m hurdles 1938, 1940, 1941 - 220y hurdles 1938, 1939, 1940, 1941), Wolcott won the AAU Indoor 60y hurdles crown in 1942. As a collegiate star at Rice University, Wolcott won the NCAA 120y hurdles title in 1938 and 1939, and the NCAA 220y hurdles crown in 1938, 1939 and 1940. Wolcott, who won 10 Southwestern Conference gold medals as a collegian, was inducted into the Texas Sports Hall of Fame in 1958. Wolcott died January 26, 1972 at 52. Records Held World Record: 120 yd. hurdles - 13.70 (May 3, 1940) World Record: 110 m hurdles - 13.70 (June 29, 1941) World Record: 220 yd. hurdles - 22.90 (July 4, 1939) World Record: 220 yd. hurdles - 22.30 (June 8, 1940) Championships 1938 USA Outdoor Championships: 110 m hurdles - 14.30 (1st) 1938 USA Outdoor Championships: 200 m hurdles - 23.60 (1st) 1939 USA Outdoor Championships: 200 m hurdles - 22.90 (1st) 1940 USA Outdoor Championships: 110 m hurdles - 13.90 (1st) 1940 USA Outdoor Championships: 200 m hurdles - 22.60 (1st) 1941 USA Outdoor Championships: 110 m hurdles - 13.70 (1st) 1941 USA Outdoor Championships: 200 m hurdles - 22.80 (1st) 1942 USA Indoor Championships: 60 yd. hurdles (1st) 1938 NCAA Outdoor Championships: 120 yd. hurdles - 14.10 (1st) 1938 NCAA Outdoor Championships: 220 yd. hurdles (1st) 1939 NCAA Outdoor Championships: 120 yd. hurdles - 14.20 (1st) 1939 NCAA Outdoor Championships: 220 yd. hurdles (1st) 1940 NCAA Outdoor Championships: 220 yd. hurdles (1st)