Robert Simpson (athlete)
Robert Simpson in 1919
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| Personal information | ||||||||||
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| Nationality | American | |||||||||
| Born |
May 25, 1892 Bosworth, Missouri |
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| Died | November 10, 1974 (aged 82) Los Angeles, California |
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| Sport | ||||||||||
| Sport | Track and field | |||||||||
| College team |
Missouri Tigers Iowa State Cyclones (coach) |
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| Club | Illinois Athletic Club | |||||||||
| Achievements and titles | ||||||||||
| Personal best(s) |
100 yd dash: 10.0 220 yd dash: 22.0 High jump: 5 ft 9 1⁄2 in (1.76 m) Long jump: 23 ft 6 3⁄4 in (7.18 m) 120 yd hurdles: 14.6 220 yd hurdles: 23.6 |
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Medal record
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Robert Ingalls "Bob" Simpson (May 25, 1892 – November 10, 1974) was an American hurdler and track and field coach. Simpson set several world records in the 120 yd hurdles, equaled the world record in the 220 yd hurdles, and won two gold medals at the 1919 Inter-Allied Games. He served in the United States Army in both World Wars, rising to the rank of major by 1944. He was track and field head coach at first the University of Missouri and then Iowa State University, and later in Hungary; he also coached Army athletes.
Simpson grew up on his family's farm in Bosworth, Missouri. He was the oldest of three brothers and part of a track and field family; his younger brothers John Simpson and Chauncey Simpson followed him in the sport, as did his cousin, William Sylvester. Simpson first became an athlete at Bosworth High School, but did not yet take up hurdling; instead, he excelled in the long jump and high jump and also competed in the sprints, becoming known as the "one-man track team". In addition, he played baseball and basketball.
After graduating from high school in 1913 Simpson entered the University of Missouri, where he was coached by Henry F. Schulte. Schulte introduced Simpson to hurdling in his freshman year, and the 120 yd (109.7 m) high hurdles and the 220 yd (201.2 m) low hurdles soon became his main events, though he continued to also compete as a sprinter and long jumper. Rather than relying on his sprinter's speed, Simpson became known for the efficient hurdling technique that he developed with Schulte, based on keeping his arms lined up with the track while jumping over a hurdle, as opposed to the sideways arm action of other hurdlers of the time. While he attempted to minimize the margins by which he cleared the hurdles, he very rarely knocked any hurdles over, and at the time, only runs with no hurdles toppled could be officially ratified as records.
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