R.I.P. Jim Hines, Olympic Gold Medalist

Jim Hines, a U.S. Olympic Gold Medal sprinter who was the first to run the 100 meters in under 10 seconds, died on June 3rd, 2023 at the age of 76. The announcement was made by World Athletics; no cause of death or location was announced.

Hines first broke the 10 second barrier with a hand timed 9.9 seconds at the U.S. Championships in 1968. At the 1968 Olympics in Mexico City, Hines won the Gold Medal in the Men’s 100 meters with an electronically timed 9.95 seconds. That world record stood for 15 years until American Calvin Smith broke it in 1983 with a 9.93. Hines also won Gold as a member of the Men’s 4 X 100 Relay team.

Here’s a link to that 1968 100 meter final

After the Olympics, Hines tried to follow in the footsteps of Bob Hayes, the 1964 Olympic Gold Medalist in the 100 meters, by playing in the NFL. It didn’t work out very well. While Hayes had a successful 11 year NFL career as a wide receiver mostly with the Dallas Cowboys, and would be inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame, Hines played just 10 games in the NFL with Miami and Kansas City.