Editing Eddie Tolan (section)

==Double gold medals at the 1932 Summer Olympics==

===Lead-up to the Olympics===
[[File:General view of Los Angeles Olympic Stadium on the opening day of the Games of the Xth Olympiad, while contenders from all nations take the Olympic Athlete's Oath.jpg|thumb|right|300px|The Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum on the opening day of the 1932 Olympics]]
After graduating from Michigan, Tolan enrolled at [[West Virginia State University|West Virginia State College]], where he did "graduate work preparatory to teaching and coaching at a Negro institution."<ref name=Cromwell>{{cite news|author=Dean B. Cromwell|title=Olympic Prospects|newspaper=Los Angeles Times|date=May 18, 1932}}</ref> Early in 1932, Tolan was not running at his prior level. Despite the slow start, [[Dean Cromwell]], Chairman of the All American Board of Track and Field, predicted great things for Tolan in his column on 1932's "Olympic Prospects." Cromwell wrote of Tolan:

<blockquote>Just as spring warms into summer Tolan slides from the class of mediocre sprinters to that of the champions. He is a slow starter, but when the weather gets warm so does Eddie, and off he goes.<ref name=Cromwell/></blockquote>

While press reports regularly referred to Tolan as "stocky," Cromwell took issue with that characterization:

<blockquote>Eddie is now 24 years of age, five feet six inches tall and weights about 130 pounds. Although he has always been termed 'stocky' by the press, a comparison of his weight and height will show that he cannot properly be so styled. He is well muscled, though, and in action gives the impression of great running power, with his arms and legs working smoothly and strongly in a machine piston-like manner.<ref name=Cromwell/></blockquote>

The [[1932 United States Olympic Trials (track and field)|Olympic trials]] were held at [[Stanford University]], and [[Ralph Metcalfe]] won both the 100 and 200 meters finals, with Tolan finishing second to Metcalfe in each case. The results meant that the top two American sprinters in the 1932 Olympics would for the first time be African-Americans. As a result, much of the press attention focused on race. ''Los Angeles Times'' sports columnist [[Braven Dyer]] wrote: "Metcalfe and Tolan make the ace of spades look positively pale by comparison … But how these boys can run … And they figure to do even better here than they did at [[Palo Alto, California|Palo Alto]] because it's warmer now and they enjoy the heat."<ref>{{cite news|author=Braven Dyer|title=The Olympic Torch|newspaper=Los Angeles Times|date=July 30, 1932}}</ref>

===100 meters race===
The 100 meters contest at the 1932 Olympics was one of the closest races in Olympic history. Tolan broke the Olympic record in the first heat of the second round with a time of 10.4 seconds, but Metcalfe remained the favorite.<ref name=Stiles>{{cite news|author=Maxwell Stiles|title=Great 100 Meters Duel Won by Tolan in 1932 Olympiad|newspaper=Long Beach Press-Telegram|date=April 23, 1948}}</ref> In the finals, Japanese sprinter [[Takayoshi Yoshioka]] jumped out to a four-yard lead after 40 meters. Tolan passed Yoshioka at the 60 meter mark and had a two-yard lead over Metcalfe at the 100-yard mark. But Metcalfe passed Tolan at the tape and appeared to the crowd to be the winner. Sports writer [[Maxwell Stiles]] described the last strides as follows:

<blockquote>His powerful legs churning wildly, Metcalfe swept down upon little Tolan like an avenging angel full of fury. Tolan, his left knee in an elastic bandage and his glasses taped to his head near his ears, dug in for one last desperate stride in his effort to hold the lead. Just at the tape, Metcalfe rushed past Tolan and was well ahead a yard beyond the finish. Almost everyone thought Metcalfe had won.<ref name=Stiles/></blockquote>

It was hours later, after review of films taken with a "Kirby two-eyed camera," that officials were able to declare Tolan the winner with a time of 10.3 seconds.<ref name=Ages/><ref name=Stiles/> The films showed that Tolan and Metcalfe hit the finish line in a dead heat, but Tolan was declared the winner, because he had his entire torso past the line on the ground before Metcalfe.<ref name=Stiles/>

===200 meters race===
[[File:Ralph Metcalfe.jpg|thumb|right|125px|Tolan's rival and roommate at the 1932 Olympics, [[Ralph Metcalfe]], later became a U.S. Congressman.]]
The 200 meters race was held on the fourth day of competition, and this time the race was not close, as Tolan beat Metcalfe easily with an Olympic record time of 21.2 seconds – four-tenths of a second better than the prior record of 21.6 seconds.<ref name=Whiz>{{cite news|author=Braven Dyer|title=Tolan Flashes To New Record: Simpson and Metcalfe Decisively Defeated; Negro Wizzes Over 200-Meter Route in 21.2s for Mark; Americans Win Vault|newspaper=Los Angeles Times|date=August 4, 1932}}</ref> Tolan stumbled slightly with three yards to go, but righted himself and finished with a four-foot lead. With double wins in the 100 and 200 meters contests, Tolan was dubbed the "world's fastest human."<ref name=Whiz/> Tolan was the first African-American to have that distinction, and press coverage of his Olympic wins focused on his race. The Associated Press called him the "spectacled little American Negro" and "the dusky little thunderbolt."<ref>{{cite news|title=Tolan Wins Sprint Title of World: Bespectacled Little American Negro Races to Decisive Victory in Olympic 200 Meter Final|publisher=Daily Capital News (AP wire story)|date=August 4, 1932}}</ref> Braven Dyer referred to him as "the stubby colored boy," and noted that "the chunky Detroit Negro" had defeated [[Arthur Jonath]] of Germany, "the white-skinned Teuton."<ref name=Whiz/> Another writer described how the "little black man with horn-rimmed glasses" crossed the finish line, being chased by "a white man of America, [[George Simpson (sprinter)|George Simpson]]," and "a brother black, Ralph Metcalfe."<ref>{{cite news|author=Jean Bosquet|title=Day of Amazing Feats Rung Up in Olympics: Tolan Shatters 200 Meters as Babe Didrikson Thrills Huge Crowd with Record Run|newspaper=Los Angeles Times|date=August 4, 1932}}</ref>

Commentators also noted, that the only other two sprinters to win double gold in the 100 and 200 meters races were also University of Michigan athletes, [[Ralph Craig]] and [[Archie Hahn (athlete)|Archie Hahn]].<ref name=Whiz/>

===Reaction to Tolan's Accomplishments===
After the sprint competition concluded, a reporter interviewed Tolan and Metcalfe in their shared room at the Olympic Village. When Metcalfe teased Tolan for being lucky, Tolan replied, "Yeah, I had it all right – but it's 'bout time, Ralph; first little ol' luck I had in eight years!"<ref name=Break>Terrel Delapp (August 5, 1932). ''Los Angeles Times''.</ref> Still in bed at noon wearing pajamas and with a stocking cap on his head, Tolan said he was "in the best condition of my life when the 200 meters final started," and he vowed to give his gold medals to his mother.<ref name=Break/>

Back in Detroit, Mayor [[Frank Murphy]] appointed a reception committee to meet Tolan at the train station,<ref name=Reception/> and Michigan Governor [[Wilber M. Brucker]] declared September 6, 1932 as "Eddie Tolan Day" throughout the state.<ref name=Honors>{{cite news|title=All Michigan Honors Tolan: Colored Star's Achievements in Games to Be Recognized|newspaper=Los Angeles Times|date=August 31, 1932}}</ref> The governor issued a proclamation stating that Tolan had "brought honor to our commonwealth" and encouraging communities throughout the state to arrange ceremonies "as an expression of Michigan's pride in his achievement."<ref name=Honors/>

Tolan's mother noted, that she was proud of her son's accomplishments. She noted that, though she had worked hard as the sole provider for the family, it was worth it.<ref name=Reception>{{cite news|title=Reception Awaits Eddie Tolan After Olympic Victory|publisher=Moberly Monitor-Index (AP wire story)|date=August 5, 1932}}</ref> She added, "If my menfolk could only find jobs I could ease up a bit and a mighty big worry would be off Eddie's mind."<ref name=Reception/>

In April 1936, Tolan, along with many other sports champions and stand outs, were honored at a banquet in [[Detroit, MI]].<ref>Degeer, Vern (April 20, 1936) [https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=Qg8_AAAAIBAJ&sjid=jk4MAAAAIBAJ&pg=6215%2C5649943 Sport Gossip]. ''The Windsor Daily Star''</ref>  This Banquet was the first celebration of [[Champions Day]].