SO SAD: professional iconic’ legend Otis Davis’ 1960 Olympic 400m gold medalist’ dies at age 92″ Davis led the United States men’s 4x400m team to gold in record time” two days after…
Otis Davis, who won gold in the 400 meters and 4×400 meters at the 1960 Olympics, passed away on Saturday at the age of 92, as confirmed by World Athletics and his alma mater, the University of Oregon.
In a historic photo finish, Davis defeated diving German Carl Kaufmann to win the 400 meters at the 1960 Rome Games. Both men finished below the world record, with hand-timed scores of 44.9. After more investigation, Kaufmann’s auto-time was 45.08 and Davis’ was 45.07.
Regarding the finale, Davis reportedly commented, “I knew I had won,” according to the University of Oregon. “Those up there in the booth were the only ones who were unaware.” “I watch the replay every time because I know I’m going to win,” the player said.
Davis led the United States men’s 4x400m team to gold in record time, two days after winning the individual gold medal. He was up close to the University of Alabama in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, which did not integrate until after Davis enrolled at Oregon.
“Psychologically, I’m telling you, I thought I was running away from all of that negative stuff,” Davis said in 2020. “People saying that you weren’t as good as they were because they didn’t even know you, because you might look different from them, which is totally absurd, and that’s what the problems we’re having now.
“I was working against all of that bitterness and the hatred and the second-class citizenship.”
Before Oregon, Davis served four years in the U.S. Air Force during the Korean War.
He was a guard on the Oregon basketball team in 1958 when he asked coach Bill Bowerman if he could join the track and field team.
“[Bowerman] said, ‘What do you do?’” Davis remembered in 2020. “I said, ‘What do you need?’ I’m so glad he didn’t say pole vault.”
He was first a high jumper, then did the long jump and ran the 100 yards before settling into the 400m, where he was third at the 1960 Olympic Trials.
After becoming the University of Oregon’s first Olympic track and field gold medalist, he retired from competition in 1961.
He later moved to New Jersey and worked as a teacher, guidance counselor and mentor.
Davis is one of five track and field legends depicted on a 10-story tower outside the new Hayward Field at Oregon, along with Bowerman, Steve Prefontaine, Raevyn Rogers and Ashton Eaton.
