Editing Ralph Craig

{{Short description|American athlete (1889–1972)}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=October 2014}}
{{Infobox sportsperson
|image       =Ralph Craig.jpg
|caption     =Ralph Craig c. 1912
|birth_date  = June 21, 1889
|birth_place = [[Detroit|Detroit, Michigan]], United States
|death_date  =July 21, 1972 (aged 83)
|death_place = [[Lake George (town), New York|Lake George, New York]], United States
|height      = {{convert|1.82|m|ftin|abbr=on}}
|weight      = {{convert|73|kg|lb|abbr=on}}
|sport       = Sprint running
|club        = Detroit Athletic Club
|show-medals    = yes
|medaltemplates =
{{MedalCountry|the {{USA}} }}
{{MedalCompetition|[[Olympic Games]]}}
{{MedalGold |[[1912 Summer Olympics|1912 Stockholm]]|[[Athletics at the 1912 Summer Olympics|100 metres]]}}
{{MedalGold|[[1912 Summer Olympics|1912 Stockholm]]|[[Athletics at the 1912 Summer Olympics|200 metres]]}}
}}
'''Ralph Cook Craig''' (June 21, 1889 – July 21, 1972) was an American [[track and field]] athlete. He was the winner of the sprint double at the [[1912 Summer Olympics]].<ref name=sr>[https://web.archive.org/web/20200417094556/https://www.sports-reference.com/olympics/athletes/cr/ralph-craig-1.html Ralph Craig]. sports-reference.com.</ref>

Craig began his track career as a [[hurdling|hurdler]] at Detroit Central High School and only later developed into a sprinter at the [[University of Michigan]].<ref>{{cite news|title=Ralph Craig and John Paul Jones Should Win The Olympic Championships|newspaper=The Pittsburg Press|date=December 17, 1911|page=5|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1144&dat=19111217&id=tiwbAAAAIBAJ&pg=1382,625286}}</ref> In 1910, he won the [[IC4A]] 220 y championship, repeating this the following year.

In 1912, Craig qualified for the Olympic team and went to [[Sweden]], where he reached the final of the [[100 metres|100 m]]. A big favorite was his compatriot [[Donald Lippincott]], who had set a world record of 10.6 in the heats. After no less than seven false starts, Craig won the race in 10.8 – Lippincott only finished third. Craig fought another battle with Lippincott in the [[200 metres|200 m]], edging him to win the 200 m title. Craig was not a part of the American 4 × 100 m relay team, which was disqualified.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.olympedia.org/athletes/61691 |title=Ralph Craig |work=Olympedia |access-date=17 April 2021}}</ref>

Immediately after the Olympics, Craig retired from the sport. His younger brother, [[James B. Craig]], also ran track at Michigan and starred for the [[Michigan Wolverines football]] team, earning a consensus selection to the [[1913 College Football All-America Team]].

In 1948, Craig returned to the Olympics as an alternate on the US [[yachting]] team. Although he did not compete, Craig (59) carried the American flag at the opening ceremonies in [[London]].<ref name=sr/><ref>{{cite news|title=Ralph Craig To Be Feted By Mich. Alumni|newspaper=The Evening News, Providence, R.I.|date=April 3, 1912|page=4}}</ref>

Craig was employed for many years as an administrator with the New York State Unemployment Bureau.<ref>{{cite news|title=Former Olympic Champ Won't Make Comparison|newspaper=Spartanburg Herald|date=April 28, 1966|page=37}}</ref> He died at [[Lake George (town), New York|Lake George, New York]].

In 2010, he was inducted into the [[National Track and Field Hall of Fame]].<ref>[http://www.usatf.org/news/view.aspx?duid=USATF_2010_11_04_13_44_20 USATF announces Class of 2010 Hall of Fame Inductees]. usatf.org.
November 4, 2010.</ref>

==Competitions==
*In March 1911, Craig set a new record by running the 40-yard high hurdles in 5.2 seconds, breaking the prior record held by Forrest Smithson.<ref>{{cite news|title=Cornell Defeats Michigan|publisher=Michigan Alumnus|page=441|year=1911}}</ref>
*In May 1911, at his last competition wearing the Michigan uniform, Craig helped the Wolverines to a third-place finish in the inter-collegiate meet. He tied the inter-collegiate record in the 100-yard dash with a time of 9.8 seconds. He also tied the world record in the 220-yard dash with a time of 21.2 seconds. The Wolverines finished the meet with 24 points, trailing only Cornell (30 points) and Yale (24-1/2 points).<ref>{{cite news|title=Michigan Third in Inter-Collegiate|publisher=Michigan Alumnus|page=529|year=1911}}</ref>

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
{{Commons category}}
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20020817144650/http://michtrack.org/HOF/hofcraig.htm Ralph Craig's entry in the Michigan Track & Field Hall of Fame]
*{{sports links}}

{{S-start}}
{{S-sports|oly}}
{{s-bef|before=[[John Heaton (athlete)|John Heaton]]}}
{{s-ttl|title=[[Standard-bearer|Flagbearer]] for {{USA}}|years=[[1948 Summer Olympics|London 1948]]}}
{{s-aft|after=[[James Bickford (bobsleigh)|James Bickford]]}}
{{s-end}}
{{Footer_Olympic_Champions_100_m_Men}}
{{Footer_Olympic_Champions_200_m_Men}}
{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Craig, Ralph}}
[[Category:1889 births]]
[[Category:1972 deaths]]
[[Category:American male sprinters]]
[[Category:Athletes (track and field) at the 1912 Summer Olympics]]
[[Category:Dragon class sailors]]
[[Category:American male sailors (sport)]]
[[Category:Medalists at the 1912 Summer Olympics]]
[[Category:Michigan Wolverines men's track and field athletes]]
[[Category:Olympic gold medalists for the United States in track and field]]
[[Category:People from Lake George, New York]]
[[Category:Track and field athletes from Detroit]]
[[Category:20th-century American sportsmen]]