Morris Kirksey
Encyclopedia
Morris Marshall Kirksey (September 13, 1895 - November 25, 1981) was an American
track and field
athlete and rugby union
footballer who won two gold medals at the 1920 Summer Olympics
. He is one of four athletes to win gold medals in two different Olympic
sports.
Born in Waxahachie, Texas
, Kirksey moved to the San Francisco Bay Area
when he was about thirteen years old and graduated from Palo Alto High School
in 1913.
At the 1920 Olympic Games
in Antwerp, Kirksey finished second in the 100-meter sprint behind Charlie Paddock
. Six days later he anchored the United States
4x100-meter relay team that won the gold medal in a world record
time of 42.2 seconds. Two weeks later Kirksey won his second gold medal, helping the American rugby team defeat France
8-0.
As a Stanford University
student, Kirksey won the IC4A
championships in 100 yd (91.4 m) in 1921 and repeated the Paddock's world record in 100 yd (91.4 m) of 9.6.
Kirksey earned a bachelor's degree
in philosophy
from Stanford and then a degree from St. Louis Medical College. He worked as a staff psychiatrist
for the state Department of Corrections, assigned to San Quentin
and Folsom
prisons.
Morris Kirksey died in San Mateo, California
, at the age of 86.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
track and field
Track and field
Track and field is a sport comprising various competitive athletic contests based around the activities of running, jumping and throwing. The name of the sport derives from the venue for the competitions: a stadium which features an oval running track surrounding a grassy area...
athlete and rugby union
Rugby union
Rugby union, often simply referred to as rugby, is a full contact team sport which originated in England in the early 19th century. One of the two codes of rugby football, it is based on running with the ball in hand...
footballer who won two gold medals at the 1920 Summer Olympics
1920 Summer Olympics
The 1920 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the VII Olympiad, were an international multi-sport event in 1920 in Antwerp, Belgium....
. He is one of four athletes to win gold medals in two different Olympic
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...
sports.
Born in Waxahachie, Texas
Waxahachie, Texas
Waxahachie is a city in Ellis County, Texas, United States, and a southern suburb of Dallas. The population was 21,426 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Ellis County....
, Kirksey moved to the San Francisco Bay Area
San Francisco Bay Area
The San Francisco Bay Area, commonly known as the Bay Area, is a populated region that surrounds the San Francisco and San Pablo estuaries in Northern California. The region encompasses metropolitan areas of San Francisco, Oakland, and San Jose, along with smaller urban and rural areas...
when he was about thirteen years old and graduated from Palo Alto High School
Palo Alto High School
Palo Alto Senior High School, known locally as "Paly," was founded in 1898 and is one of the oldest high schools in the region. Located in Palo Alto, California, United States, Paly is nestled in the heart of Silicon Valley, and is adjacent to Stanford University. Paly is known for its academically...
in 1913.
At the 1920 Olympic Games
1920 Summer Olympics
The 1920 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the VII Olympiad, were an international multi-sport event in 1920 in Antwerp, Belgium....
in Antwerp, Kirksey finished second in the 100-meter sprint behind Charlie Paddock
Charlie Paddock
Charles "Charlie" William Paddock was an American athlete and twofold Olympic champion.After serving in World War I as a lieutenant of field artillery in the U.S. Marines, Paddock - a native of Gainesville, Texas - studied at the University of Southern California...
. Six days later he anchored the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
4x100-meter relay team that won the gold medal in a world record
World record
A world record is usually the best global performance ever recorded and verified in a specific skill or sport. The book Guinness World Records collates and publishes notable records of all types, from first and best to worst human achievements, to extremes in the natural world and beyond...
time of 42.2 seconds. Two weeks later Kirksey won his second gold medal, helping the American rugby team defeat France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
8-0.
As a Stanford University
Stanford University
The Leland Stanford Junior University, commonly referred to as Stanford University or Stanford, is a private research university on an campus located near Palo Alto, California. It is situated in the northwestern Santa Clara Valley on the San Francisco Peninsula, approximately northwest of San...
student, Kirksey won the IC4A
IC4A
IC4A or ICAAAA is an annual men's competition held at different colleges every year....
championships in 100 yd (91.4 m) in 1921 and repeated the Paddock's world record in 100 yd (91.4 m) of 9.6.
Kirksey earned a bachelor's degree
Bachelor's degree
A bachelor's degree is usually an academic degree awarded for an undergraduate course or major that generally lasts for three or four years, but can range anywhere from two to six years depending on the region of the world...
in philosophy
Philosophy
Philosophy is the study of general and fundamental problems, such as those connected with existence, knowledge, values, reason, mind, and language. Philosophy is distinguished from other ways of addressing such problems by its critical, generally systematic approach and its reliance on rational...
from Stanford and then a degree from St. Louis Medical College. He worked as a staff psychiatrist
Psychiatrist
A psychiatrist is a physician who specializes in the diagnosis and treatment of mental disorders. All psychiatrists are trained in diagnostic evaluation and in psychotherapy...
for the state Department of Corrections, assigned to San Quentin
San Quentin State Prison
San Quentin State Prison is a California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation state prison for men in unincorporated San Quentin, Marin County, California, United States. Opened in July 1852, it is the oldest prison in the state. California's only death row for male inmates, the largest...
and Folsom
Folsom State Prison
Folsom State Prison is a California State Prison located in the city of Folsom, California, northeast from the state capital of Sacramento. Opened in 1880, Folsom is the second-oldest prison in the state of California after San Quentin and was the first in the country to have electricity...
prisons.
Morris Kirksey died in San Mateo, California
San Mateo, California
San Mateo is a city in San Mateo County, California, United States, in the San Francisco Bay Area. With a population of approximately 100,000 , it is one of the larger suburbs on the San Francisco Peninsula, located between Burlingame to the north, Foster City to the east, Belmont to the south,...
, at the age of 86.