Olympic centenarian’s legacy celebrated
Track star Douglas made a lasting impact on people lucky enough to know him
Three days after turning 100, Herb Douglas is as sharp as ever, displaying a wit as quick as many of the track stars who surrounded him Saturday night at the Senator John Heinz History Center.
“How much would it mean to you if you turned 100 years old two days ago?” Douglas said with a wide smile and a chuckle in response to a question.
Such queries about significance can take on a different meaning when one reaches an age of which so many can only dream.
For Douglas, it’s merely the latest benchmark moment in a life defined by them.
On March 9, the Olympic medalist, former Pitt track star and Hazelwood native celebrated his 100th birthday, kicking off a week of festivities that included a dinner Thursday night at the Wyndham hotel downtown and Saturday night’s event in the Strip District.
The latter drew dozens of people for a reception and ceremony, some of whom needed little introduction. There was Edwin Moses, a two-time Olympic gold medalist in the 400-meter hurdles and one of the greatest track athletes in United States history; Roger Kingdom, a twotime Olympic gold medalist in the 110-meter hurdles and former Pitt track star, who was sporting a Super Bowl ring with 319 diamonds on it that he earned in 2021 as the Tampa Bay Buccaneers speed and conditioning coach; and Franco Harris, a legendary Steelers running back, Pro Football Hall of Famer and, as more than one party attendee pointed out given Douglas’ alma mater, former Penn State standout.
“It’s a special time,” Douglas said.
It’s the kind of exclusive company that a rich life full of accomplishments has earned him.
At Pitt, he was a five-time NCAA champion, with four of those titles coming in the long jump and one in the 100yard dash. In 1945, he became just the second Black player to score a touchdown against Notre Dame. Greatness awaited him beyond his hometown university. At the 1948 London Olympics, Douglas earned a bronze medal in the long jump with a leap of 24 feet, 9 inches. At 100, he’s the oldest living American Olympic medalist. His track uniform and spikes are on permanent display at the Western Pennsylvania Sports Museum, inside the same building where Saturday’s soiree was held.
Following his track career, Douglas carved out a decorated professional life in the beverage industry, primarily at Moet Hennessy USA, becoming just the third Black person in the United States to serve as vice president of a national company. His success there helped pave the way for others. After meeting Moses at the 1976 Montreal Olympics, Douglas grew close with the young hurdler, eventually convincing the aspiring young doctor to pursue an MBA instead. That decision, as Moses said, “changed my whole trajectory.”
“It was just good to have someone who had that kind of experience already, who
was a corporate guy,” Moses said. “There weren’t that many men of color during that time like him, very few, in fact. You couldn’t find anyone like a Herb Douglas. They just didn’t exist.”
Reminders of Douglas’ longevity and influence were omnipresent Saturd a y . A photo display flanked guests as they entered the building, a series of shots that included Douglas as a toddler riding a tricycle, being honored on the Olympic medal stand in 1948 and, many years later, standing beside President Barack Obama.
Having reached such a heralded age, Douglas thinks back regularly to the lessons passed down by his father, the man he said taught him how to “analyze, organize, initiate and follow through.” Those traits guided him through his time as a businessman and helped him establish lasting bonds through so many different stages of life, from Pitt to the track community to corporate America.
“You better pass it down and they will come to your aid and support later in life,” Douglas said. “Every one of these people here, I don’t know them personally, but they’re here because I’m 100 years old. That’s the main thing. It’s not that I won an Olympic medal or anything like that. They’re here from the heart.”
“He’s a very giving indiv i d u a l , ” Moses said. “That’s never changed. It’s a testament to him that all of these people are here. Everyone knows him and he’s affected everyone’s life that’s here.”
Douglas, a Philadelphia resident, isn’t the only person in his family to display this kind of uncommon longevity. Both of his parents lived into their 90s and his wife, Minerva, will turn 99 next month.
He’s still able to move and speak fine, though he understandably uses a cane to help him walk. A man whose storied life was set in motion by leaping hasn’t lost much of a step.
“He’s as sharp as he’s ever been,” Moses said. “It’s funny to see him today. He’s cracking jokes. He’s very incisive. He remembers everything and everyone. The clock has done him well compared to a lot of people. It really has.”