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I'm currently reading Triumph: The Untold Story of Jesse Owens and Hitler's Olympics by Jeremy Schaap.

The book opens with the events of May 25, 1935, when Owens broke three world records (long jump, 220 yard low hurdles, and 220 yards) and tied a fourth (100 yard dash), all in the space of a single hour. The long jump record lasted for twenty-five years.

We haven't really debated who is the greatest sprinter of all time, I may post that question in a different thread, but regardless Owens one day accomplishment will probably never again be equalled.

The book itself, written by ESPN journalist Jeremy Schaap is pretty good, and I'd suggest it to anyone wanting to know some history on the 1936 Olympics and the state of track in the 1930's.

My maternal grandfather was a firefighter in Ohio. Grandpa's captain at the Fire Department, Jim, was Jesse Owens's high school track and football teammate. Captain Jim told me some stories about Mr. Owens. At the time, I was new to track competition and like most people, was enthralled with Mr. Owens's life story and, of course, his incomparable performance at the 1936 Berlin Olympics.

Later that same summer (1968), a documentary narrated by Mr. Owens was broadcast by one of the television networks. In addition to his fabulous athletic talent, Mr. Owens was intelligent and scholarly, a polished speaker with an attention-grabbing stentorian voice, and an staunch American patriot. I have been a fan of his ever since Captain Jim told me those stories about Mr. Owens in his formative years.

This past spring, I coached a youth track team. I devised a registration form with an image of Jesse Owens as the watermark running the 100 meters at the 1936 Olympics. This simple registration form provided me with a prop to explain to the kids who Jesse Owens was and why he is important.

Jesse Owens demonstrated how sports can be used to conquer injustice and even change the world. We are very fortunate that he lived.

Thanks for that information Doug! Now I'm interested in reading about Owens' life after the 1936 Olympics. My local library has Jesse: The Man Who Outran Hitler (Owens' autobiography) and also Heroes Without a Country: America's Betrayal of Joe Louis and Jesse Owens - I think I'll check both out here soon.

Neat way to make a "teachable moment" regarding Owens by adding his image to your team's registration form by the way! I think young people remember things (both good and bad) that they're exposed to via their youth and school coaches to a great extent. You're planting seeds that you may never see down the road, but rest assured that doing things like the coaching will help shape the future as much as anything else you do. I believe this with all my heart.
One of the points that Schaap mentions over and over in his book is how Owens two coaches, Charles Riley in high school (who actually started working with JO in earlier grades) and Larry Snyder in college were so influential in Owens's life.

Some quotes by Owens about his two track coaches:

"I'd noticed him watching me for a year or so, especially when we'd play games where there was running or jumping." *
–on junior high track coach Charles Riley

"Every morning, just like in Alabama, I got up with the sun, ate my breakfast even before my mother and sisters and brothers, and went to school, winter, spring, and fall alike to run and jump and bend my body this way and that for Mr. Charles Riley." *

"He was constantly on me about the job that I was to do and the responsibility that I had upon the campus. And how I must be able to carry myself because people were looking." *
–on Ohio State University track coach Larry Snyder

These quotes are posted on the website JesseOwens.com