Wilma Rudolph

Wilma Rudolph

Wilma Glodean Rudolph was born on June 23, 1940 in Clarksville Tennessee to Ed and Blanche Rudolph. Her father was a rail road porter and her mother was a cook, laundress and housekeeper for rich white people. Wilma was the 20th child out of 22 of her father Ed's children (from 2 marriages). Because the family was poor the Rudolph's had to do things like make the girl's dresses out of flour sacks. She was born prematurely at 4 Ð'Ð... pounds. In the 1940's because of racial segregation, Wilma was not permitted to be cared for at the local hospital. It was for whites only. Because of lack of money, Blanche spent the next several years nursing Wilma through her various illnesses. As a child she had measles, mumps, scarlet fever, chicken pox, and double pneumonia, but she had to be taken to a hospital when it was discovered her left leg and foot were becoming weak and deformed. When she was diagnosed with polio, a crippling disease with no cure the doctors told her she would never walk again. Mrs. Rudolph took her to a Meharry hospital once a week to receive therapy. Her siblings would also help out by massaging her leg four times a day. Wilma was able to walk after two years with the assistance of a leg brace at the age of 6. When she was a 9 her leg brace was replaced with a high top shoe which enabled her to walk more easily. When she was 11, her brothers set up a basketball hoop in the yard. Wilma regularly played basket ball with her brothers. When the corrective shoe felt bulky she took it off. By the age of 12 she could walk normally. Wilma grew to be 5'11" and 130 lbs. she played basketball at Burt High school where she earned the nickname "Skeeter" because of her swift moves. As an all star player she set the state record of 49 points in one game. During this time she was spotted by Ed Temple, the track coach for Tennessee State, with the help from Wilma's basketball coach he turned Wilma into a sprinter. She loved sprinting so much she began to attend Temple's daily practices. Temple who was really a sociology teacher would drive the women to track meets in his own car and had the school track (an unmarked, unsurfaced dirt oval) lined at his expense. He was dedicated and tough. He would make the women run 1 lap for every minute they were late. Once Wilma had to run 30 laps. She qualified for the 1956 Olympics in Melbourne. Australia where she won a bronze medal in the 400 meter relay. After graduating she attended Tennessee State University on a track scholarship and won all of her races for the next three years. She became the star of the Tiger belles track team. Wilma had a classic style and grace with a calm temperament. So calm she would take naps between races. In many of her races she was so far ahead that she slowed down to shout encouragement to her teammates. In 1960 the Tiger belles went to the Olympics in Rome. Wilma received a gold medal in the 100 meter dash, the 200 meter dash and the 400 meter relay for which she was the anchor.