View source for Lee Calhoun

{{short description|American athlete}}
{{no footnotes|date=October 2012}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=February 2022}}
{{Infobox sportsperson
| full_name   = Lee Quincy Calhoun
| birth_date  = {{Birth date text|February 23, 1933}}
| birth_place = [[Laurel, Mississippi]], U.S.
| death_date  = {{Death-date and age|June 21, 1989|February 23, 1933}}
| death_place = [[Erie, Pennsylvania]], U.S.
| headercolor = lightsteelblue
| medaltemplates =
{{MedalSport | Men's [[athletics (sport)|athletics]] }}
{{MedalCountry | {{USA}} }}
{{MedalCompetition | [[Athletics at the Summer Olympics|Olympic Games]] }}
{{MedalGold | [[1956 Summer Olympics|1956 Melbourne]] | [[Athletics at the 1956 Summer Olympics|110 m Hurdles]] }}
{{MedalGold | [[1960 Summer Olympics|1960 Rome]] | [[Athletics at the 1960 Summer Olympics|110 m Hurdles]] }}
}}

'''Lee Quincy Calhoun''' (February 23, 1933 – June 21, 1989) was an American [[Athletics (sport)|athlete]], a double winner of [[110 metres hurdles|110 m hurdles]] at the [[Olympic Games]].

==Biography==
Born in [[Laurel, Mississippi]], Lee Calhoun graduated from Roosevelt High School in Gary, Indiana before representing [[North Carolina Central University]], won the [[National Collegiate Athletic Association|NCAA]] 120 yd hurdles in 1956 and 1957. He also won the [[Amateur Athletic Union|AAU]] championships in 110 m hurdles in 1956 and 1959 and in 120 yd hurdles in 1957.

At the [[1956 Summer Olympics]] Calhoun surprisingly improved his personal best in 110 m by almost a full second in a final. He ran 13.5 to win the [[gold medal]], edging teammate [[Jack Davis (athlete)|Jack Davis]] with a lunge that just got his shoulder across the line in front. He had learned the maneuver from Davis.

Calhoun was suspended in 1958 for receiving gifts on ''[[Bride and Groom (TV series)|Bride and Groom]]'', a television game show, and seemed to be past his prime for the [[1960 Summer Olympics]]. But shortly before the [[Rome]] Olympics, he tied the [[List of world records in athletics|world record]] of 13.2 and went to the Olympic Games as a main favourite. In the final, he won in 13.98, beating teammate [[Willie May]] by 0.01 seconds.

After retiring from competition, he became a college track coach, first at [[Grambling State University]], then at [[Yale University|Yale]], and finally at [[Western Illinois University]]. He was an assistant Olympic coach at the [[1976 Summer Olympics]].

He was elected to the United States [[National Track and Field Hall of Fame]] in 1974.

Lee Calhoun died in [[Erie, Pennsylvania]], aged 56.

==References==
{{Reflist}}
* {{cite news |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1989/06/22/obituaries/lee-calhoun-56-a-star-hurdler.html |title=Obituaries: Lee Calhoun, 56, a Star Hurdler |agency=[[Associated Press]] |publisher=[[The New York Times]] |date=June 22, 1989 |access-date=August 7, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120426223646/https://www.nytimes.com/1989/06/22/obituaries/lee-calhoun-56-a-star-hurdler.html |archive-date=2012-04-26}}
* {{cite Sports-Reference |url=https://www.sports-reference.com/olympics/athletes/ca/lee-calhoun-1.html |title=Lee Calhoun |access-date=January 26, 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121024200006/http://www.sports-reference.com/olympics/athletes/ca/lee-calhoun-1.html |archive-date=2012-10-24}}
* {{cite web |url=http://www.usatf.org/HallOfFame/TF/showBio.asp?HOFIDs=27 |title= USATF Hall of Fame: Lee Calhoun |publisher=[[USA Track & Field]] |access-date=January 26, 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121125034417/http://www.usatf.org/HallOfFame/TF/showBio.asp?HOFIDs=27 |archive-date=2012-11-25}}

==External links==
* {{World Athletics}}
* {{USATF Hall of Fame}}
* {{Team USA Hall of Fame|new_id=lee-calhoun|old_id=Lee-Calhoun|archive=20230720073223}}
* {{Olympics.com profile|org_archive=20160920171059}}
* {{Olympedia}}

{{Footer Olympic Champions 110 m hurdles Men}}
{{USA Indoor Track and Field Championships winners in men's 60 m hurdles}}
{{Footer US NC 110m Hurdles Men}}
{{Footer USA Track & Field 1956 Summer Olympics}}
{{Footer USA Track & Field 1960 Summer Olympics}}
{{Footer USA Track & Field 1976 Summer Olympics}}

{{authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Calhoun, Lee}}
[[Category:1933 births]]
[[Category:1989 deaths]]
[[Category:American male hurdlers]]
[[Category:North Carolina Central Eagles men's track and field athletes]]
[[Category:North Carolina Central University alumni]]
[[Category:Athletes (track and field) at the 1956 Summer Olympics]]
[[Category:Athletes (track and field) at the 1960 Summer Olympics]]
[[Category:Sportspeople from Laurel, Mississippi]]
[[Category:Track and field athletes from Mississippi]]
[[Category:Medalists at the 1960 Summer Olympics]]
[[Category:Medalists at the 1956 Summer Olympics]]
[[Category:Olympic gold medalists for the United States in track and field]]
[[Category:Athletes (track and field) at the 1959 Pan American Games]]
[[Category:Medalists at the 1959 Pan American Games]]
[[Category:Pan American Games silver medalists for the United States in athletics (track and field)]]
[[Category:NCAA Division I Outdoor Track and Field Championships winners]]
[[Category:20th-century American sportsmen]]