Personal information | |||||||||||||
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Nationality | American | ||||||||||||
Born |
San Francisco, California |
September 27, 1953||||||||||||
Died | February 1, 1996 Ontario, California |
(aged 42)||||||||||||
Residence | Ontario, California | ||||||||||||
Sport | |||||||||||||
Sport | Running | ||||||||||||
College team | UCLA | ||||||||||||
Medal record
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Benny Brown (Benjamin Gene Brown; born September 27, 1953 San Francisco, California – February 1, 1996 Ontario, California) was an Olympic gold-medal winner in the 1976 4x400 Men's Relay running the second leg. He teamed with Herman Frazier, Fred Newhouse and Maxie Parks.
Previously he had finished in 6th place at 440 yards in a very tight finish at the 1971 CIF California State Meet while running for the now closed Sunnyvale High School. Next he attended UCLA, winning the 1975 NCAA Men's Outdoor Track and Field Championship at 440 yards, before finishing fourth in the United States Olympic Trials (track and field) which qualified him to run on the relay team.
He died in an automobile accident at the age of 42. He had continued to be an active participant in the U. S. Corporate Games while working for Hughes Aircraft Company.
He was a part-time coach for Cal State Fullerton's track team. Cal State Fullerton hosts the Ben Brown Invitational track and field meet every year in early March. It is the best track and field meet in southern California in March.