Raymond Gray Lewis, CM (October 8, 1910 – November 15, 2003) was a Canadian track and field athlete, and the first Canadian-born blackOlympic medalist.
The descendant of African-American slaves, he was born and died in Hamilton, Ontario.[1][2] Lewis was nicknamedRapid Ray for his speed on the track. He excelled in the 100, 200, 400 and 800 metre distances in high school and captured seventeen national high school championships (including a record four in one day) while a student at Hamilton's Central Collegiate.
Lewis briefly attended Milwaukee's Marquette University on a scholarship, but returned to Canada after only a semester. He found a position on the Canadian Pacific Railway (CPR) as a porter during the Great Depression, a job he would hold for 22 years. Lewis continued training – often running alongside the CPR train tracks during stopovers on the Canadian Prairies – and won a bronze medal as part of the 4x400 metre relay team at the 1932 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles, California. In the 400 metre event he was eliminated in the quarter-finals.
Two years later he won a silver medal in the mile relay (4×440 yards) at the British Empire Games (later the Commonwealth Games). In the 440 yards competition he was eliminated in the semi-finals. Narrowly missing the cut for Canada's 1936 Olympic team, he ran for two more years before retiring after a bout of pain from shin splints (shin splints had caused Lewis problems in the latter portion of his running career). He received greater recognition later in his life, including the Order of Canada in 2001. In 2002, Canadian author John Cooper wrote his biography, Rapid Ray: The Story of Ray Lewis. The children's book chronicled his youth in Hamilton, as well as his training for the Olympics. A Hamilton Mountain school named in his honour, Ray Lewis Elementary, opened in 2005 and was occasionally visited by his widow Vivienne.[3]
Referencesedit
^"Tigertown Triumphs" (Press release). The Hamilton Spectator-Memory Project (Souvenir Edition) page MP56. 2006-06-10.
^John Cooper (5 June 2009). Rapid Ray: The Story Ray Lewis. Tundra. pp. 9–. ISBN978-1-77049-066-6.
^"About". Ray Lewis Elementary School. Retrieved February 17, 2023.
Rapid Ray's Triumph, by John Cooper, Maclean's Magazine, December 27, 2004 edition, page 88.
May 02, 2024
lewis, sprinter, others, same, name, lewis, disambiguation, raymond, gray, lewis, october, 1910, november, 2003, canadian, track, field, athlete, first, canadian, born, black, olympic, medalist, lewis, medal, record, athletics, representing, canada, olympic, g. For others of the same name see Ray Lewis disambiguation Raymond Gray Lewis CM October 8 1910 November 15 2003 was a Canadian track and field athlete and the first Canadian born black Olympic medalist Ray Lewis Medal record Men s athletics Representing Canada Olympic Games 1932 Los Angeles 4x400 m relay British Empire Games 1934 London 4 440 yards The descendant of African American slaves he was born and died in Hamilton Ontario 1 2 Lewis was nicknamed Rapid Ray for his speed on the track He excelled in the 100 200 400 and 800 metre distances in high school and captured seventeen national high school championships including a record four in one day while a student at Hamilton s Central Collegiate Lewis briefly attended Milwaukee s Marquette University on a scholarship but returned to Canada after only a semester He found a position on the Canadian Pacific Railway CPR as a porter during the Great Depression a job he would hold for 22 years Lewis continued training often running alongside the CPR train tracks during stopovers on the Canadian Prairies and won a bronze medal as part of the 4x400 metre relay team at the 1932 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles California In the 400 metre event he was eliminated in the quarter finals Two years later he won a silver medal in the mile relay 4 440 yards at the British Empire Games later the Commonwealth Games In the 440 yards competition he was eliminated in the semi finals Narrowly missing the cut for Canada s 1936 Olympic team he ran for two more years before retiring after a bout of pain from shin splints shin splints had caused Lewis problems in the latter portion of his running career He received greater recognition later in his life including the Order of Canada in 2001 In 2002 Canadian author John Cooper wrote his biography Rapid Ray The Story of Ray Lewis The children s book chronicled his youth in Hamilton as well as his training for the Olympics A Hamilton Mountain school named in his honour Ray Lewis Elementary opened in 2005 and was occasionally visited by his widow Vivienne 3 References edit Tigertown Triumphs Press release The Hamilton Spectator Memory Project Souvenir Edition page MP56 2006 06 10 John Cooper 5 June 2009 Rapid Ray The Story Ray Lewis Tundra pp 9 ISBN 978 1 77049 066 6 About Ray Lewis Elementary School Retrieved February 17 2023 Other sources edit sports reference com John Cooper 2002 Rapid Ray The Story of Ray Lewis Tundra Books ISBN 0 88776 612 9 Rapid Ray s Triumph by John Cooper Maclean s Magazine December 27 2004 edition page 88 Obituary from CBC Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Ray Lewis sprinter amp oldid 1195456489, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
