Cal’s Williams Set World Record In 1936

Archie Williams of California couldn’t believe what he heard during his 400-meter preliminary heat at the 1936 NCAA Outdoor Track & Field Championships at Chicago’s Amos Alonzo Stagg Field.

Athletes from rival schools were urging him to slow down, but Williams sped on. He had blazed past 200 in an unofficial 21.6 – just off his PR of 21.5.

“I bet these guys are trying to make me run a lousy time,” Williams recounted his thoughts years later.

Williams did ease up, but that was just before the finish. His announced final time was shocking – 46.1, shaving a tenth of a second off the world record of 46.2. Just a week earlier, Williams had challenged the WR, running a collegiate record 46.3.

The rest of that heat proved to be impressively fast as only the top-2 were guaranteed spots in the final. Harold Smallwood of Southern California and Harold Cagle of Oklahoma Baptist followed in 46.4 and 46.5, respectively – both under the NCAA meet record of 47.0.

The next day’s final was surprisingly close as Williams (47.0) held off USC’s Al Fitch (47.1) for the title. Later that summer, Williams won the Berlin Olympics by inches and finished the year with seven races of 46.7 or faster – a collection of depth that wouldn’t be seen again until 1948.

After graduation, Williams earned his pilot’s license and as a civilian was one of the initial flying instructors for the famous Tuskegee Airmen, a segregated group of black military pilots during World War II. He later joined the U.S. Army Air Forces, flying missions in World War II and then the Korean War after the creation of the U.S. Air Force.