Morgan Taylor

Morgan Taylor was the first athlete to have won three medals in the Olympic 400 m hurdles. He won the 1924 Final Trials with a world best of 52.6, which became an American record but never received lAAF recognition as the world mark. Taylor matched the time at the Olympics but again did not receive official recognition because he knocked one hurdle over.

In 1925 he bettered the world record for 440 y hurdles with 53.8 in winning the second of four AAU titles, but once again the mark was not ratified. Finally Taylor became an official world record holder when he won the 1928 Final Trials in 52.0. While at Grinnell College, F. Morgan Taylor won the 1925 NCAA 220 y hurdles and finished second in the long jump, beaten only by DeHart Hubbard’s world record. He was also a good quarter-miler, having run a best of 48.5.

After leaving Grinnell, Taylor initially worked as an ad salesman for the Chicago Tribune. He later became a teacher and coach, but continued work in various forms of sales. His son, Buzz Taylor, continued the family tradition in sports, winning the IC4A long jump for Princeton in 1952 and 1953, and serving a term as President of the US Golf Association.

Personal Best: 400H – 51.96 (1932).