Mal Whitfield
1924 – 2015

Mal Whitfield

American middle-distance runner and sprinter

middle-distance runnerrunnergoodwill ambassadorsprinteraircraft pilot
Born
1924-10-11, Bay City
Died
2015-11-19
Birthplace state
Texas

Biography

Mal Whitfield was born in Bay City, Texas in 1924 and died in 2015. An American middle-distance runner, he won Olympic gold in the 800 meters at both the 1948 and 1952 Summer Games and was part of the 1948 gold medal team in the 4 × 400 metres relay, earning five Olympic medals overall. After competing, he spent 47 years working as a coach and goodwill ambassador, including service as an athletic mentor in Africa through the United States Information Service.

Occupation

Mal Whitfield is recorded as a middle-distance runner, a runner, a goodwill ambassador, a sprinter, a aircraft pilot, a military officer and a coach, born in Texas (1924–2015).

Connections to Texas

Mal Whitfield was born in Bay City, Texas in 1924. Explore other notable figures from Texas, historic sites connected to this era, and the full colonial and statehood history of the state using the links below.

Other notable figures from TexasTexashistory ›Historic sites in Texas
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Everything a full report reveals about Bay City

Mal Whitfield came from Bay City. A full Aubrey report on Bay City pulls together everything the historical record holds about that place, from the first settlers to the twentieth century:

Overview
An interactive map of the location with historic sites, battles and Native heritage plotted, and its full story era by era.
The Land
The historic sites and place names around the location, and how this land was settled and used.
Geology
The bedrock beneath the site, its age and rock type, reaching back millions of years.
LiDAR Terrain
Laser-scanned terrain that reveals earthworks and old features hidden in the landscape.
Conflict & War
The battles, raids and skirmishes fought near here, across every era of American conflict.
The Civil War
The Civil War on this ground, 1861 to 1865: who held it, and the battles, camps and regiments nearby.
The Soldiers
The men who marched from here in the Civil War, named and traced where the record allows.
Native Heritage
The Native nations who held this land, mapped across time from before European contact to today.
Settlement
Who claimed and held this ground, from Indigenous homelands through the colonial powers to the United States.
The Community
How the town grew, who came, and what kind of place it became, traced through the census record.
Rivers & Rail
The rivers, canals and railroads that connected this place between 1830 and 1911.
Notable People
The people born, buried or genuinely tied to this exact place, with their stories.
Historical Maps
Historic maps of the location layered over how it looks today.
Finds & Access
Museum objects tied to the area, and the laws on searching, collecting and access here.
Literature
The old books, county histories and archives that mention this place, quoted with their sources.
Spotlight
A deep dive into the most remarkable, lesser-known history of the place, traced back to the record.
Points of Interest
The most significant historic sites and landmarks near the location, and why they matter.
Timeline
The whole story of the location told era by era, from first peoples to the present day.
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More notable figures from Texas

Other historical figures born in Texas, ranked by historical prominence.

Dwight D. Eisenhower
Dwight D. Eisenhower
president of the United States from 1953 to 1961 (1890–1969)
Lyndon B. Johnson
Lyndon B. Johnson
president of the United States from 1963 to 1969 (1908–1973)
Selena
Selena
American singer
Joan Crawford
Joan Crawford
American actress (1908–1977)
Debbie Reynolds
Debbie Reynolds
American actress, singer, and dancer (1932–2016)
Patrick Swayze
Patrick Swayze
American actor, producer, singer and dancer (1952–2009)
Howard Hughes
Howard Hughes
American aviator, engineer, industrialist, and film producer (1905–1976)

Frequently asked about Mal Whitfield

Who was Mal Whitfield?
Mal Whitfield was American middle-distance runner and sprinter, born in Texas (1924 – 2015).
When and where was Mal Whitfield born?
Mal Whitfield was born on 1924-10-11 in Bay City.
When did Mal Whitfield die?
Mal died on 2015-11-19.
What was Mal Whitfield known for?
Mal Whitfield is recorded as a middle-distance runner, a runner, a goodwill ambassador, a sprinter, a aircraft pilot, a military officer and a coach.
Source

Biographical content adapted from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License. Source: Wikipedia.

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