Jim Hines, an American track and field athlete, etched his name into history by becoming the first man to officially break the 10-second barrier in the 100-meter sprint. Born on September 10, 1946, in Dumas, Arkansas, Hines' athletic journey began in his youth, initially as a baseball player. However, his exceptional running talent was soon recognized by track coach Jim Coleman, leading him to become a dedicated sprinter. His career culminated in Olympic
glory and a world record that stood for an impressive 15 years, solidifying his legacy as a pioneer in track and field.
The Historic "Night of Speed"
The pivotal moment in Hines' career, and indeed in the history of sprinting, occurred on June 20, 1968, at the U.S. national championships in Sacramento, California. On this evening, dubbed by track and field historians as the "Night of Speed," Hines achieved what was previously thought impossible: he ran the 100-meter race in 9.9 seconds, using manual timing. While the electronic time for this race was recorded as 10.03 seconds, this performance marked a significant breakthrough. Two other athletes, Ronnie Ray Smith and Charles Greene, also achieved a 9.9 manual clocking in their respective semi-finals that same night, with electronic times of 10.13 and 10.09 seconds, respectively. This event showcased a new era of speed in the sport.
This achievement was particularly remarkable given the context of the times. Hines, who was raised in Oakland, California, and graduated from McClymonds High School in 1964, had honed his skills at Texas Southern University in Houston, Texas, as a member of the Texas Southern University Tigers track team. His dedication and natural ability set the stage for his record-breaking performance, pushing the boundaries of human speed.
Olympic Gold and World Record Confirmation
A few months after his historic run in Sacramento, Hines faced an even bigger challenge at the 1968 Summer Olympics in Mexico City. As a Black athlete, he found himself amidst a tense atmosphere, with racial riots occurring in his home country and a potential boycott by Black athletes on the U.S. team. These athletes were concerned about the controversial decision to admit apartheid South Africa to the Games and revelations linking the head of the International Olympic Committee, Avery Brundage, to a racist and antisemitic country club. Despite these pressures, Hines persevered.
In the 100-meter final, Hines delivered a performance that secured his place in Olympic history. He won the race with a time of 9.89 seconds initially displayed on the screen, which was later corrected to an official 9.95 seconds. The 9.89 time was captured by a light beam at the finish line, while the official photographic process, using Polaroid film, took a few minutes to develop and read. There was some discussion regarding how his automatic time of 9.95 compared to the hand-timed 9.9 world record, especially since Hines was again recorded at 9.9 in his 9.95 race. Automatic times begin instantly with the sound of the gun, whereas hand times include human reaction time to start the watch. It wasn't until 1977 that fully automatic timing became a requirement for world records. Nevertheless, Hines' mark of 9.95 was recognized as a new world record, being the fastest electronic time recorded up to that point. This race was also notable for being the third all-Black podium in Olympic history. Hines further contributed to breaking another world record by helping his teammates secure gold in the 4 x 100-meter relay at the same Games. His 100-meter world record stood for 15 years, a testament to his extraordinary speed and enduring impact on the sport.
