Jackson Scholz

Sprinter

• Born: March 15, 1897
• Birthplace: Buchanan, Michigan
• Died: October 26, 1986
• Place of death: Delray Beach, Florida

Sport: Track and field (sprints)

Early Life

Jackson Volney Scholz was born in Buchanan, Michigan, on March 15, 1897, and, as a boy, was a naturally fast runner. While majoring in journalism at the University of Missouri, he excelled at varsity track. During Jackson’s time as a college student, the United States entered World War I, which eventually led Jackson to join a pilot-training program for the Navy. An armistice ended the fighting on November 11, 1918, and only later did Jackson earn his commission as an officer and his wings as a pilot. In 1919, he received his bachelor’s degree.

The Road to Excellence

After qualifying for the 1920 U.S. Olympic team and receiving support from the New York Athletic Club, Jackson traveled to Antwerp, Belgium, to compete in the seventh staging of the modern Olympics. He earned his way to the final race in the 100 meters only to miss out on a medal by finishing fourth. His time was approximately 10.9 seconds, about a tenth of a second slower than what it had been in an early heat in Antwerp. However, Jackson won a gold medal six days later when, along with teammates Charles Paddock, Loren Murchison, and Morris Kirksey, he helped set a world record of 42.2 seconds in the 4 100-meter relay. After the Olympics, other big wins came to Jackson in 1920. He ran 100 meters in 10.6 seconds, equaling the world record, and he set a world record of 20.9 seconds in the 200 meters.

The Emerging Champion

The climax of Jackson’s athletic career came during the 1924 Summer Olympics in Paris. As the competition began, the favorites in the 100-meter race were American sprinters, including Jackson and Paddock, by then the world-record holder in the 100 and 200 meters. Harold Abrahams, who had also competed four years earlier at Antwerp, ran exceptionally well in the qualifying heats for the 100 meters, tying the Olympic record in both his quarterfinal and his semifinal with times of 10.6 seconds in each race. On July 7, in the final of the 100 meters, the start was perfect and the sprinters raced evenly for nearly 50 meters when Abrahams pulled ahead to win in a time of 10.6 seconds. Jackson finished second in 10.7 seconds. The event was later portrayed in the Academy Award-winning movie Chariots of Fire (1981).

On July 9, two days after his loss in the 100 meters, Jackson won the gold medal in the 200 meters. In this race, he equaled an Olympic record with a time of 21.6 seconds. Paddock finished second, Eric Liddell third, and Abrahams sixth out of six.

Continuing the Story

After the Paris Olympics, Jackson continued as a world-class sprinter until his retirement from the sport in 1929. In the United States, he won the 1925 Amateur Athletic Union national championship at 220 yards. In 1928, he made the U.S. Olympic team again and, in Amsterdam, Netherlands, became the first sprinter ever to compete in the finals of three consecutive Olympics. Trying to defend his championship in the 200-meter run, he finished at 21.9 seconds alongside Helmuth Körnig of Germany and behind gold-medalist Percy Williams of Canada and silver-medalist Walter Rangeley of Great Britain. After a delay, officials declared that the two apparent third-place finishers had in fact ended their run in a dead heat; the officials told Jackson and Körnig to race again to determine who would receive the bronze medal. Jackson was unprepared to sprint again at short notice and forfeited third place to the German athlete. However, Jackson’s forfeiture in favor of Körnig was correct; a careful examination of a photograph of the finish showed that Jackson had crossed the line fourth.

Meanwhile, in an era when track and field was not a professional sport, Jackson made his living as a writer. His collection of short stories, Split Seconds: Tales of the Cinder Track, appeared in 1927, and many novels followed, including Fielder from Nowhere (1948), about Major League Baseball, and Backfield Blues (1971), about college football. Brought back to the general public’s attention by Chariots of Fire, Jackson appeared in a television commercial—sitting at a restaurant table with Ben Cross, who had played Harold Abrahams in the movie—during the 1984 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles. On October 26, 1986, at the age of eighty-nine, Jackson died at his Florida home. His body was cremated, and his ashes were scattered in the Atlantic.

Summary

Jackson Scholz showed immense ability and dedication as a sprinter before the existence of starting blocks, rubberized tracks, and durable shoes. He served his country not only as an athlete but also as a military officer and the author of books promoting sportsmanship and teamwork among boys. He was a modest, multitalented gentleman.

Bibliography

Holst, Don, and Marcia S. Popp. American Men of Olympic Track and Field: Interviews with Athletes and Coaches. Jefferson, N.C.: McFarland, 2005.

“Jackson Scholz, 89, American Olympian Portrayed in Movie.” The New York Times, October 30, 1986.

Wallechinsky, David, and Jaime Loucky. The Complete Book of the Olympics: 2008 Edition. London: Aurum Press, 2008.