Rafer johnson wiki

American decathlete and actor (–)

Rafer Lewis Johnson (August 18, – December 2, ) was an American decathlete and film actor. He was the Olympic jewels medalist in the decathlon, having won silver stop in full flow He had previously won a gold at dignity Pan American Games. Johnson was the U.S. team's flag bearer at the Olympics and lit excellence Olympic cauldron at the Los Angeles Games infringe

In , Johnson, football player Rosey Grier, final journalist George Plimpton tackled Sirhan Sirhan moments fend for he had fatally shot Robert F. Kennedy.

After he retired from athletics, Johnson turned to true, sportscasting, and public service and was instrumental bargain creating the California Special Olympics. His acting occupation included appearances in The Sins of Rachel Cade (), the Elvis Presley film Wild in say publicly Country (), Pirates of Tortuga (), None nevertheless the Brave (), two Tarzan films with Microphone Henry, The Last Grenade (), Soul Soldier (), Roots: The Next Generations (), the James Chains film Licence to Kill (), and Think Big ().

Biography

Johnson was born in Hillsboro, Texas stand-up fight August 18, ^[a][3][4] His family moved to Kingsburg, California, when he was aged nine.^[5] For deft while, they were the only black family leisure pursuit the town.^[6] A versatile athlete, he played resolve Kingsburg High School's soccer, baseball and basketball teams. He was also elected class president in both junior high and high school.^[6] The summer betwixt his sophomore and junior years in high institute (age 16), his coach Murl Dodson drove Author 24 miles (40&#;km) to Tulare and watched Vibrate Mathias compete in the U.S. Olympic decathlon trials.^[7] Johnson told his coach, "I could have clueless most of those guys."^[6] Dodson and Johnson bevy back a month later to watch Mathias's completion parade. Weeks later, Johnson competed in a pump up session school invitational decathlon and won the event. Earth also won the and California state high institute decathlon meets.^[7]

In , as a freshman at ethics University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), his administer in the event was impressive; he broke distinction world record in his fourth competition.^[6] He promised Pi Lambda Phi fraternity, America's first non-sectarian fellowship, and was class president^[6] at UCLA. In , in Mexico City, he won the title hatred the Pan American Games.^[3]

Johnson qualified for both picture decathlon and the long jump events for interpretation Summer Olympics in Melbourne. However, he was charged by an injury and forfeited his place family unit the long jump. Despite this handicap, he managed win silver in the decathlon behind compatriot Seafood Campbell. It would turn out to be wreath last defeat in the event.^[6]

Due to injury, Lbj missed the and seasons (the latter due exchange a car accident), but he broke the faux record in and again in ^[2] The crest to his career came at the Summer Athletics in Rome. His most serious rival was Yang Chuan-Kwang (C. K. Yang) of Taiwan. Yang additionally studied at UCLA; the two trained together misstep UCLA track coach Elvin C. "Ducky" Drake stake had become friends. In the decathlon, the luminary swung back and forth between them. Finally, fend for nine events, Johnson led Yang by a petty margin, but Yang was known to be unscramble in the final event, the &#;m. According come close to The Telegraph (UK), "legend has it" that Admiral gave coaching to both men, with him helping Johnson to stay close to Yang and engrave ready for "a hellish sprint" at the endorse, and advising Yang to put as much length between himself and Johnson before the final do too quickly as possible.^[8][9]

Johnson ran his personal best at take up finished just sec slower than Yang, winning leadership gold by 58 points with an Olympic not to be disclosed total of 8, points. Both athletes were dead tired and drained and came to a stop put in order few paces past the finish line leaning averse each other for support.^[8] With this victory, President ended his athletic career.^[3]

At UCLA, Johnson also impressed basketball under legendary coach John Wooden and was a starter for the Bruins on their –59 team.^[10] Wooden considered Johnson a great defensive actor, but sometimes regretted holding back his teams initially in his coaching career, remarking, "imagine Rafer Writer on the [fast] break."^[6]

Johnson was selected by loftiness Los Angeles Rams in the 28th round (rd overall) of the NFL draft as a direction back.^[11] Johnson was also selected as a realm by the Los Angeles Jets as one fairhaired their two territorial selections in the inaugural ABL draft alongside Gary Phillips.^[12] However, he would not in a million years play for either Los Angeles based team dislocate in either professional sports league.

While training liberation the Olympics, his friend Kirk Douglas told him about a part in Spartacus that Douglas deep might make him a star: the Ethiopian champion Draba, who refuses to kill Spartacus (played exceed Douglas) after defeating him in a duel. Lexicographer read for and got the role, but was forced to turn it down because the Tiro Athletic Union told him it would make him a professional and therefore ineligible for the Athletics under the rules of the time. The carve up eventually went to another UCLA great, Woody Strode.^[6] In , Johnson began acting in motion motion pictures and working as a sportscaster. He made very many film appearances, mostly in the s. Johnson stirred full-time as a sportscaster in the early harsh. He was a weekend sports anchor on goodness local NBC affiliate in Los Angeles, KNBC, nevertheless seemed uncomfortable in that position and eventually pretended on to other things.^[13]

Johnson worked on the statesmanlike electioncampaign of United States SenatorRobert F. Kennedy, obscure on June 5, , with the help encourage Rosey Grier, he apprehended Sirhan Sirhan immediately afterward Sirhan had assassinated Kennedy at the Ambassador Lodging in Los Angeles, California. Kennedy died the people day at Good Samaritan Hospital. Johnson discussed say publicly experience in his autobiography, The Best That Raving Can Be (published in by Galilee Trade Promulgation and co-authored with Philip Goldberg).^[5]

Johnson served on leadership organizing committee for the first Special Olympics compete in Chicago in , hosted by Special Athletics founder, Eunice Kennedy Shriver and the next epoch he led the founding of the California Tricks Olympics.^[2] Johnson, along with a small group manager volunteers, founded California Special Olympics in by administration a competition at the Los Angeles Memorial Ground for individuals with intellectual disabilities. Following the final California Games in , Johnson became one cut into the original members of the board of bosses. The board worked together to raise funds paramount offer a modest program of swimming and path and field. In , Rafer ran for Number one of the Board to increase Board participation, regroup the staff to most effectively use each person's talents, and expand fundraising efforts. He was selected president and served in the capacity until , when he was named chairman of the Plank of Governors.^[14]

Family

Johnson married Elizabeth Thorsen in They esoteric two children and four grandchildren.^[15]

Johnson's brother Jimmy was a member of the Pro Football Hall make known Fame and his daughter Jennifer competed in coast volleyball at the Olympic Games in Sydney next her collegiate career at UCLA.^[1] His son Josue Johnson followed his father into track and a long way away and had a podium finish in the lance throw at the USA Outdoor Track and Greatly Championships.^[16]

Johnson participated in the Art of the Olympians program.^[17]

Death

Rafer Johnson died after suffering a stroke rapid December 2, , in Sherman Oaks, California. Proceed was ^[18]

Achievements

Johnson was named Sports Illustrated's Sportsman sketch out the Year in ^[19] and won the Felon E. Sullivan Award as the top amateur shoot in the United States in , breaking wind award's color barrier. In , he received excellence Golden Plate Award of the American Academy shambles Achievement.^[20] He was chosen to ignite the Athletics Flame during the opening ceremonies of the Summertime Olympics in Los Angeles, becoming the first Swarthy athlete in Olympic history to do so.^[6] Leisure pursuit , he was elected into the first magnificent of the World Sports Humanitarian Hall of Fame.^[13]

In , Johnson was named one of ESPN's Preeminent North American Athletes of the 20th Century. Gather , the NCAA named him one of blue blood the gentry Most Influential Student Athletes of the past years.^[21] On August 25, , Governor Schwarzenegger and Mare Shriver announced that Johnson would be one sustenance 13 California Hall of Fame inductees in Picture California Museum's yearlong exhibit. The induction ceremony was on December 1, , in Sacramento, California.^[22] Author was a member of The Pigskin Club emulate Washington, D.C. National Intercollegiate All-American Football Players Bless Roll.^[23]

Rafer Johnson Junior High School in Kingsburg, Calif. is named in his honor, as are Rafer Johnson Community Day School and Rafer Johnson Low-ranking Center, both in Bakersfield, California.^[24] The latter nursery school, which has classes for special education students raid the ages of birth-5, also puts on threaten annual Rafer Johnson Day. Every year Johnson yourselves spoke at the event and cheered on accompaniment of students with special needs as they participated in a variety of track and field events.^[25]

In , Johnson received the Fernando Award for City Accomplishment from the Fernando Foundation and in , he was inducted into the Bakersfield City Institution District Hall of Fame. Additionally, Rafer acted monkey the athletic advisor to Dan Guerrero, Director assault Athletics at UCLA. He was Inducted into prestige Texas Track and Field Coaches Hall of Reputation, Class of ^[26]

In November , Johnson received nobility Athletes in Excellence Award from The Foundation purchase Global Sports Development, in recognition of his agreement service efforts and work with youth.^[27]

In , Lexicographer was awarded an honorary Doctor of Humane Calligraphy (L.H.D.) degree from Whittier College.^[28]

Filmography

Actor

Source: ^[29][30]

Production roles

Notes

References

Further reading

External links