Fred Wolcott
Fred Arrington Wolcott was an American track and field athlete who was United States champion and world record holder in the sprint hurdles events in the late 1930s and early 1940s.
Track career
After graduating from Snyder [Independent School District|Snyder High School] in Texas, Wolcott attended Rice University, where he ran for its track team, the 'Rice Owls'.Because of the outbreak of the Second World War, Wolcott was denied Olympic glory. However, as well as running world record times (see below), he was AAU champion seven times, NCAA champion five times, and also won, and 10 Southwest Conference college gold medals (see below).
At the peak of his career, he was considered the United States premier hurdler.
Championship Victories
Wolcott achieved the following in the AAU championships- champion at the 110 meters hurdles in 1938, 1940 and 1941 ;
- champion at the 220 yards hurdles in 1938, 1939, 1940 and 1941.
- champion at 120 yards hurdles in 1938 and 1939 ;
- champion at 220 yards hurdles in 1938, 1939 and 1940.
World Records
- 120 y/110 m hurdles of 13.7 s in Philadelphia on 20 June 1941;
- 200 m/220 y hurdles of 22.3/22.5 s in Princeton on 8 June 1940.
- 120 y hurdles of 13.7 in Austin, Texas on 3 May 1940;
- 200 m hurdles of 22.9 s in Lincoln, Nebraska on 4 July 1939.
Accolades and awards
In 2005, Wolcott was inducted into the National [Track and Field Hall of Fame|USA Track and Field Hall of Fame].
Wolcott has also been inducted into the:
- Texas Sports Hall of Fame in 1958;
- Big Country Athletic Hall of Fame;
- Snyder Athletic Hall of Fame in 2005.