Olympic Bronze Medalist Herb Douglas Dies

April 24, 2023 5:42 pm

PITTSBURGH (AP) — Herb Douglas, who turned a chance encounter with Jesse Owens as a teenager into fuel to win a bronze medal in the long jump at the 1948 Olympics, has died at 101. The University of Pittsburgh, where Douglas starred on both the football and track teams before later serving in various roles there, said Douglas died Saturday.  Douglas was 14 when he met Owens in the Pittsburgh neighborhood where Douglas grew up. Douglas told Owens he dreamed of reaching the Olympics, and Owens encouraged Douglas to get a college education. Douglas was inducted into the inaugural Pitt athletics Hall of Fame class in 2018. The university is naming the 300-meter indoor track at its planned Victory Heights facility after Douglas.  (Photo:  AP)