James Rector
Encyclopedia
John "James" Alcorn Rector (June 22, 1884 - March 10, 1949) was an American
athlete. He was the first Arkansas athlete to compete in the Olympic Games
.
James Rector was born in Hot Springs, Arkansas
. He was the grandson of Arkansas Civil War governor Henry Massey Rector
and Mississippi Reconstruction governor James Alcorn.
He won the silver medal
in the 100 metres at the 1908 Summer Olympics
, tying the Olympic record for the race (10.8 seconds at the time) during both the qualifying heats and the semifinals. He lost to Reggie Walker
in the final, running the race in 10.9 seconds as Walker hit the 10.8 mark for his second time.
Rector was a prominent St. Louis, Missouri
lawyer
for more than thirty years before retiring in Hot Springs.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
athlete. He was the first Arkansas athlete to compete in the Olympic Games
Olympic Games
The Olympic Games is a major international event featuring summer and winter sports, in which thousands of athletes participate in a variety of competitions. The Olympic Games have come to be regarded as the world’s foremost sports competition where more than 200 nations participate...
.
James Rector was born in Hot Springs, Arkansas
Hot Springs, Arkansas
Hot Springs is the 10th most populous city in the U.S. state of Arkansas, the county seat of Garland County, and the principal city of the Hot Springs Metropolitan Statistical Area encompassing all of Garland County...
. He was the grandson of Arkansas Civil War governor Henry Massey Rector
Henry Massey Rector
Henry Massey Rector was the sixth Governor of the state of Arkansas.Henry Massey Rector was born near Louisville, Kentucky. Rector was educated by his mother and attended one year of school at Louisville. He moved to Arkansas in 1835. Rector served as U.S...
and Mississippi Reconstruction governor James Alcorn.
He won the silver medal
Silver medal
A silver medal is a medal awarded to the second place finisher of contests such as the Olympic Games, Commonwealth Games, and contests with similar formats....
in the 100 metres at the 1908 Summer Olympics
1908 Summer Olympics
The 1908 Summer Olympics, officially the Games of the IV Olympiad, were an international multi-sport event which was held in 1908 in London, England, United Kingdom. These games were originally scheduled to be held in Rome. At the time they were the fifth modern Olympic games...
, tying the Olympic record for the race (10.8 seconds at the time) during both the qualifying heats and the semifinals. He lost to Reggie Walker
Reggie Walker
Reginald Edgar Walker was a South African athlete and the 1908 Olympic champion in the 100 metres.-Biography:...
in the final, running the race in 10.9 seconds as Walker hit the 10.8 mark for his second time.
Rector was a prominent St. Louis, Missouri
St. Louis, Missouri
St. Louis is an independent city on the eastern border of Missouri, United States. With a population of 319,294, it was the 58th-largest U.S. city at the 2010 U.S. Census. The Greater St...
lawyer
Lawyer
A lawyer, according to Black's Law Dictionary, is "a person learned in the law; as an attorney, counsel or solicitor; a person who is practicing law." Law is the system of rules of conduct established by the sovereign government of a society to correct wrongs, maintain the stability of political...
for more than thirty years before retiring in Hot Springs.