View source for Barney Ewell

{{Short description|American sprinter (1918–1996)}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=August 2017}}
{{Infobox sportsperson
| name           = 
| image          =Barney Ewell 1948.jpg
| image_size     = 230 px
| caption        = Ewell in 1948
| birth_name     = 
| fullname       = 
| nationality    = 
| residence      = 
| birth_date     = February 25, 1918
| birth_place    = [[Harrisburg, Pennsylvania]], U.S.
| death_date     = April 4, 1996 (aged 78)
| death_place    = [[Lancaster, Pennsylvania]], U.S.
| height         = 180 cm
| weight         = 71 kg
| country        = 
| sport          = Athletics
| event = Sprint, [[long jump]]
| pb =100 m – 10.43 (1948)<br>200 m – 20.8 (1948)<ref name=sr/><br>LJ – 7.68 m (1942)<ref name=tf>{{cite web |url=http://trackfield.brinkster.net/Profile.asp?ID=1856&Gender=M |title=Norwood Ewell |website=trackfield.brinkster.net}}</ref>
| club           = 
| alma_mater = 
| retired        = 
| olympics       = 
| highestranking = 
| show-medals    = yes
| medaltemplates =
{{MedalCountry | the {{USA}} }}
{{MedalOlympics}}
{{MedalGold | [[1948 Summer Olympics|1948 London]] | [[Athletics at the 1948 Summer Olympics – Men's 4 × 100 metres relay|4 × 100 m relay]]}}
{{MedalSilver | 1948 London | [[Athletics at the 1948 Summer Olympics – Men's 100 metres|100 metres]]}}
{{MedalSilver | 1948 London | [[Athletics at the 1948 Summer Olympics - Men's 200 metres|200 metres]]}}
}}

'''Henry Norwood''' "'''Barney'''" '''Ewell''' (February 25, 1918 – April 4, 1996) was an American [[athletics (sport)|athlete]], and winner of one gold and two silver medals at the [[1948 Summer Olympics]].

Born into poverty in [[Harrisburg, Pennsylvania]], Ewell was one of the world's leading [[Sprint (running)|sprinters]] of the 1940s. Ewell attended [[J. P. McCaskey High School|John Piersol McCaskey High School]] in [[Lancaster, Pennsylvania]]. McCaskey High School honored Ewell by dedicating their stadium in his name. Ewell was also inducted into the J.P. McCaskey Athletic Hall of Fame during the school's 50th anniversary year in 1988. Earlier in 1986, he was inducted into the [[National Track and Field Hall of Fame]].<ref name=hall/>

Ewell was the state's greatest high school sprinter-jumper in the mid-1930s, but he first achieved renown while a student at [[Pennsylvania State University]], running the 100 m and 200 m races and winning 12 gold medals and championships in collegiate meets between 1940 and 1942. He also won 11 gold medals in [[Amateur Athletic Union|AAU]] national meets between 1939 and 1948. He was an outstanding [[long jump]]er as well, leaping 25 feet 2 inches (7.68 m) in 1942.<ref name=tf/>

He served his country in 1941–1945, returned to the university, and received his B.S. degree in 1947. He surprised everyone by making the 1948 Olympic team, equaling the [[world record]] of 10.2 in the 100 m dash at the 1948 AAU championship, which was also the Olympic trials.

At the [[Olympic Games]] in [[London]], he thought he had won the 100 m only to learn the victory was given to teammate [[Harrison Dillard]]. In the 200 m, Ewell had another close finish and again finished second – this time to teammate [[Mel Patton]]. He was added to the 4 × 100 m [[relay race|relay]] when [[Ed Conwell]] became sick and the American team strolled to an easy victory. However, the exchange between Ewell and [[Lorenzo Wright]] was ruled out of the zone and the American team was disqualified. After viewing a film of the race, however, officials reversed the ruling, and Ewell finally had his Olympic gold medal.<ref name=hall/><ref name=sr2/>

After the Olympics, Ewell was stripped of his amateur status by Middle Atlantic AAU president [[Harry S. McDevitt]] for accepting a furnished house in Lancaster from his fans.<ref>{{cite news |title=AAU Declares Barney Ewell A Professional |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=C0kmAAAAIBAJ&pg=PA2&dq=Harry+S.+McDevitt&article_id=6209,21507&hl=en |access-date=2 November 2025 |work=Gettysburg Times |date=January 1, 1949}}</ref> Ewell chose not to appeal the ruling. He continued to compete in Australia and New Zealand as a professional<ref name=sr/>

In 1950, Ewell, ran the fastest ever 100 yards in Australia at the [[Wangaratta Showgrounds|Wangaratta Sports Carnival]] in a time of 9.5 seconds.<ref>{{cite web |title=1950 - BARNEY EWELL BROKE RECORD AT WANGARATTA |url=https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/22807644 |website=Trove |publisher=The Argus (Melbourne, Vic. : 1848 - 1957) |access-date=23 January 2025 |page=16 |date=30 January 1950}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=1950 - Barney Ewell (U.S.A.) For World Title |url=https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/178600736 |website=Trove |publisher=Sporting Globe (Melbourne, Vic. : 1922 - 1954) |access-date=23 January 2025 |page=13 |date=1 February 1950}}</ref> Ewell also won the 1950 Wangaratta Gift, run over 130 yards.<ref>{{cite web |title=1950 - How Ewell Won Gift |url=https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/267793462 |publisher=Border Morning Mail (Albury, NSW : 1934 - 1935; 1938 - 1954) |access-date=1 January 2026 |page=1 |date=31 January 1950}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=1950 - EWELL'S FAST GIFT SPRINT |url=https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/273405593 |publisher=Daily Mirror (Sydney, NSW : 1941 - 1955) |access-date=1 January 2026 |page=30 |date=31 January 1950}}</ref> Several weeks later won the World Professional Sprint Championships in [[Wangaratta, Victoria]].<ref>{{cite web |title=1950 - EWELL TAKES TITLE: STONEY 2ND |url=https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/22810650 |publisher=The Argus (Melbourne, Vic. : 1848 - 1957) |access-date=23 January 2025 |page=32 |date=15 February 1950}}</ref> 

He also took part in the Scottish Border games circuit during the summer of 1950. He lived most of those weeks in the town of Bathgate. He won one of the most prestigious sprints on the Border Games circuit at Jedburgh. Running off scratch over 120 yards he ran a time of 11.37 secs. He also took part in a special invitation race in August that same year to mark his time in Scotland (run as a handicap race) over 120 yards at the famous Powderhall venue. Ewell from the scratch mark lost narrowly to Albert C Charles (off 12.5 yds).

Ewell died in Lancaster, Pennsylvania. He was a member of the [[Omega Psi Phi]] fraternity.

==Competition record==
{| {{AchievementTable|Event=yes}}
|-
!colspan="6"|Representing {{FlagIOC|USA|1948 Summer}}
|-
|1948
|[[1948 Summer Olympics|Olympics]]
|[[London]], England
|2nd
|100 m
|[[Athletics at the 1948 Summer Olympics – Men's 100 metres|10.4]]
|-
|1948
|[[1948 Summer Olympics|Olympics]]
|[[London]], England
|2nd
|200 m
|[[Athletics at the 1948 Summer Olympics – Men's 200 metres|21.1]]
|}

==See also==
*[[List of Pennsylvania State University Olympians]]

== References ==
<references>
<ref name=hall>[http://www.usatf.org/HallOfFame/TF/showBio.asp?HOFIDs=51 Barney Ewell]. USATF Hall of Fame</ref>
<ref name=sr>{{cite Sports-Reference |url=https://www.sports-reference.com/olympics/athletes/ew/barney-ewell-1.html |title=Barney Ewell |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200417094700/https://www.sports-reference.com/olympics/athletes/ew/barney-ewell-1.html |archive-date=2020-04-17}}</ref>
<ref name=sr2>[https://web.archive.org/web/20200417173758/https://www.sports-reference.com/olympics/summer/1948/ATH/mens-4-x-100-metres-relay.html Athletics at the 1948 London Summer Games: Men's 4 × 100 metres Relay]. Sports Reference</ref>
</references>

== External links ==
{{Commons category|Barney Ewell}}
* [https://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html New York Times: Barney Ewell, 78, Top Sprinter; Won Gold in Postwar Olympics]
* {{USATF Hall of Fame|id=51}}

{{Footer Olympic Champions 4x100 m Men|1948}}
{{USA Indoor Track and Field Championships winners in men's long jump}}
{{Footer US NC 100m Men}}
{{Footer US NC 200m Men}}
{{Footer US NC Indoor 60m Men}}
{{Footer USA Track & Field 1948 Summer Olympics}}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Ewell, Barney}}
[[Category:1918 births]]
[[Category:1996 deaths]]
[[Category:American men sprinters]]
[[Category:Athletes (track and field) at the 1948 Summer Olympics]]
[[Category:Olympic gold medalists for the United States in track and field]]
[[Category:Olympic silver medalists for the United States in track and field]]
[[Category:Track and field athletes from Harrisburg, Pennsylvania]]
[[Category:Medalists at the 1948 Summer Olympics]]
[[Category:USA Outdoor Track and Field Championships winners]]
[[Category:USA Indoor Track and Field Championships winners]]
[[Category:American military personnel of World War II]]
[[Category:NCAA Division I Outdoor Track and Field Championships winners]]
[[Category:Penn State Nittany Lions men's track and field athletes]]
[[Category:20th-century American sportsmen]]