Eddie Tolan
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Thomas Edward "Eddie" Tolan, nicknamed the "Midnight Express", was an American track and field athlete who competed in sprints. He set world records in the 100-yard dash and 100 meters event and Olympic records in the 100 meters and 200 meters events. He was the first non-Euro-American to receive the title of the "world's fastest human" after winning gold medals in the 100 and 200 meters events at the 1932 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles. In March 1935, Tolan won the 75, 100 and 220-yard events at the World Professional Sprint Championships in Melbourne to become the first man to win both the amateur and professional world sprint championships. In his full career as a sprinter, Tolan won 300 races and lost only 7.
Tolan's coach, Steve Farrell, was considered "the greatest professional footracer this country has ever known"
Tolan's rival and roommate at the 1932 Olympics, Ralph Metcalfe, later became a U.S. Congressman.
After the 1932 Olympics, Tolan appeared in vaudeville with Bill "Bojangles" Robinson.
Michigan Sports Hall of Fame
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The Michigan Sports Hall of Fame is a Hall of Fame to honor Michigan sports athletes, coaches and contributors. It was organized in 1954 by Michigan Lieutenant Governor Philip Hart, Michigan State University athletic director Biggie Munn, president of the Greater Michigan Foundation Donald Weeks, general manager of the Detroit Lions W. Nicholas Kerbawy and George Alderton of the Lansing State Journal. The inaugural class was inducted in 1955. Scott Lesher is its current chairman and Jordan Field the president.
