Thomas Edward (Eddie) Tolan III

Thomas Edward (Eddie) Tolan

University of Michigan Football, Track (1927 – 1931)
U.S. Track and Field Team – 1932 Summer Olympics

Eddie Tolan was born in Denver, Colorado and as a teenager moved with his family to Detroit attending Cass Technical High School. Tolan was an outstanding football player and track athlete. While still in high school, Tolan was part of a two-man team that went on to win the 1925 National Interscholastic Indoor meet in Chicago winning the sprint double (100-yard and 220-yard dashes). He went on to attend the University of Michigan and intended but did not play football, however he excelled on the track. During his collegiate career, Tolan won virtually all of his races and set the Big Ten record many times in the 100 and 220-yard dashes. After graduating from the University of Michigan, Tolan went on to compete in the 1932 Olympics, winning Gold Medals in both the 100-meter and 200-meter dashes earning the title of “the world’s fastest human”. In his full career as a sprinter Tolan won 300 races against only 7 losses. Eddie Tolan was inducted into the University of Michigan Athletic Hall of Honor in 1980, the National Track and Field Hall of Fame in 1982 and was inducted into the Michigan Sports Hall of Fame in 1958. He passed away on January 31, 1967 at 58 years of age.