ATHLETE
Ronnie Ray Smith
1949 - 2013

Ronnie Ray Smith
Ronald Ray Smith (March 28, 1949 – March 31, 2013) was an American athlete, winner of the gold medal in the 4 × 100 m relay at the 1968 Summer Olympics. He attended San Jose State College during the "Speed City" era, coached by Lloyd (Bud) Winter and graduating in sociology. At the 1968 AAU Championships, Ronnie Ray Smith equaled the 100 m world record in the semifinal, repeating the same time of 9.9 which was run by Jim Hines in the same race and Charles Greene in the other semifinal of the same competition. That evening of June 20, 1968, at Hughes Stadium in Sacramento, California has been dubbed by track and field historians as the "Night of Speed." Since Smith was still 19 years old at the time, that mark also became the World Junior Record, which lasted for exactly 8 years. Read more on Wikipedia
His biography is available in different languages on Wikipedia. Ronnie Ray Smith is the 1,419th most popular athlete (up from 1,684th in 2019), the 8,883rd most popular biography from United States (up from 10,123rd in 2019) and the 275th most popular American Athlete.
Memorability Metrics
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Among ATHLETES
Among athletes, Ronnie Ray Smith ranks 1,419 out of 6,025. Before him are Dorothea Wierer, Jack Cameron, Ebbe Parsner, Rodrigo, Vladimir Kiselyov, and Anna-Maria Müller. After him are John Emery, Bob Clotworthy, Siegrun Siegl, Ferdinand Feyerick, Miguel Ángel López, and Ingrid Kristiansen.
Most Popular Athletes in Wikipedia
Go to all RankingsDorothea Wierer
1990 - Present
HPI: 54.19
Rank: 1,413
Jack Cameron
1900 - 1981
HPI: 54.19
Rank: 1,414
Ebbe Parsner
1922 - 2013
HPI: 54.18
Rank: 1,415
Rodrigo
HPI: 54.18
Rank: 1,416
Vladimir Kiselyov
1957 - 2021
HPI: 54.18
Rank: 1,417
Anna-Maria Müller
1949 - 2009
HPI: 54.17
Rank: 1,418
Ronnie Ray Smith
1949 - 2013
HPI: 54.17
Rank: 1,419
John Emery
1932 - 2022
HPI: 54.17
Rank: 1,420
Bob Clotworthy
1931 - 2018
HPI: 54.16
Rank: 1,421
Siegrun Siegl
1954 - Present
HPI: 54.16
Rank: 1,422
Ferdinand Feyerick
1865 - 1920
HPI: 54.16
Rank: 1,423
Miguel Ángel López
HPI: 54.16
Rank: 1,424
Ingrid Kristiansen
1956 - Present
HPI: 54.16
Rank: 1,425
Contemporaries
Among people born in 1949, Ronnie Ray Smith ranks 547. Before him are Shlomo Artzi, Scott Turow, Michael Häupl, Mavuba Mafuila, John Boehner, and Anna-Maria Müller. After him are Maggie Gobran, Michel Roger, Mary Roos, Michael Bleekemolen, Parveen Babi, and Armin Shimerman. Among people deceased in 2013, Ronnie Ray Smith ranks 390. Before him are Stan Musial, Costică Ștefănescu, Taisia Chenchik, Joseph Paul Franklin, Chico Hamilton, and Ebbe Parsner. After him are Chrissy Amphlett, Gerard Cieślik, Eero Kolehmainen, Jacques Grimonpon, Walt Bellamy, and Marshall Berman.
Others Born in 1949
Go to all RankingsShlomo Artzi
MUSICIAN
1949 - Present
HPI: 54.21
Rank: 541
Scott Turow
WRITER
1949 - Present
HPI: 54.19
Rank: 542
Michael Häupl
POLITICIAN
1949 - Present
HPI: 54.18
Rank: 543
Mavuba Mafuila
SOCCER PLAYER
1949 - 1996
HPI: 54.17
Rank: 544
John Boehner
POLITICIAN
1949 - Present
HPI: 54.17
Rank: 545
Anna-Maria Müller
ATHLETE
1949 - 2009
HPI: 54.17
Rank: 546
Ronnie Ray Smith
ATHLETE
1949 - 2013
HPI: 54.17
Rank: 547
Maggie Gobran
SOCIAL ACTIVIST
1949 - Present
HPI: 54.16
Rank: 548
Michel Roger
POLITICIAN
1949 - Present
HPI: 54.13
Rank: 549
Mary Roos
SINGER
1949 - Present
HPI: 54.13
Rank: 550
Michael Bleekemolen
RACING DRIVER
1949 - Present
HPI: 54.11
Rank: 551
Parveen Babi
ACTOR
1949 - 2005
HPI: 54.10
Rank: 552
Armin Shimerman
ACTOR
1949 - Present
HPI: 54.10
Rank: 553
Others Deceased in 2013
Go to all RankingsStan Musial
BASEBALL PLAYER
1920 - 2013
HPI: 54.22
Rank: 384
Costică Ștefănescu
SOCCER PLAYER
1951 - 2013
HPI: 54.22
Rank: 385
Taisia Chenchik
ATHLETE
1936 - 2013
HPI: 54.20
Rank: 386
Joseph Paul Franklin
EXTREMIST
1950 - 2013
HPI: 54.20
Rank: 387
Chico Hamilton
MUSICIAN
1921 - 2013
HPI: 54.19
Rank: 388
Ebbe Parsner
ATHLETE
1922 - 2013
HPI: 54.18
Rank: 389
Ronnie Ray Smith
ATHLETE
1949 - 2013
HPI: 54.17
Rank: 390
Chrissy Amphlett
SINGER
1959 - 2013
HPI: 54.13
Rank: 391
Gerard Cieślik
SOCCER PLAYER
1927 - 2013
HPI: 54.03
Rank: 392
Eero Kolehmainen
ATHLETE
1918 - 2013
HPI: 53.94
Rank: 393
Jacques Grimonpon
SOCCER PLAYER
1925 - 2013
HPI: 53.93
Rank: 394
Walt Bellamy
BASKETBALL PLAYER
1939 - 2013
HPI: 53.91
Rank: 395
Marshall Berman
PHILOSOPHER
1940 - 2013
HPI: 53.89
Rank: 396
In United States
Among people born in United States, Ronnie Ray Smith ranks 8,885 out of 20,380. Before him are Carol Heiss (1940), Anthony Ramos (1991), Jamie Kennedy (1970), Willie Colón (1950), J. Searle Dawley (1877), and John Boehner (1949). After him are Neal E. Miller (1909), Bob Clotworthy (1931), Don Keefer (1916), James C. Collins (1958), MaliVai Washington (1969), and The Alchemist (1977).
Others born in United States
Go to all RankingsCarol Heiss
SKATER
1940 - Present
HPI: 54.17
Rank: 8,879
Anthony Ramos
ACTOR
1991 - Present
HPI: 54.17
Rank: 8,880
Jamie Kennedy
COMEDIAN
1970 - Present
HPI: 54.17
Rank: 8,881
Willie Colón
SINGER
1950 - Present
HPI: 54.17
Rank: 8,882
J. Searle Dawley
FILM DIRECTOR
1877 - 1949
HPI: 54.17
Rank: 8,883
John Boehner
POLITICIAN
1949 - Present
HPI: 54.17
Rank: 8,884
Ronnie Ray Smith
ATHLETE
1949 - 2013
HPI: 54.17
Rank: 8,885
Neal E. Miller
PSYCHOLOGIST
1909 - 2002
HPI: 54.17
Rank: 8,886
Bob Clotworthy
ATHLETE
1931 - 2018
HPI: 54.16
Rank: 8,887
Don Keefer
ACTOR
1916 - 2014
HPI: 54.16
Rank: 8,888
James C. Collins
WRITER
1958 - Present
HPI: 54.16
Rank: 8,889
MaliVai Washington
TENNIS PLAYER
1969 - Present
HPI: 54.16
Rank: 8,890
The Alchemist
SINGER
1977 - Present
HPI: 54.16
Rank: 8,891
Among ATHLETES In United States
Among athletes born in United States, Ronnie Ray Smith ranks 275. Before him are Herman Groman (1882), Tom Courtney (1933), Edward Stevens (1932), Bob Richards (1926), Loren Murchison (1898), and William Fields (1929). After him are Bob Clotworthy (1931), Chris Dickerson (1939), James Fifer (1930), Lawrence Shields (1895), Cornelius Warmerdam (1915), and Carl Johnson (1898).
Herman Groman
1882 - 1954
HPI: 54.35
Rank: 269
Tom Courtney
1933 - 2023
HPI: 54.34
Rank: 270
Edward Stevens
1932 - 2013
HPI: 54.33
Rank: 271
Bob Richards
1926 - 2023
HPI: 54.30
Rank: 272
Loren Murchison
1898 - 1979
HPI: 54.27
Rank: 273
William Fields
1929 - 1992
HPI: 54.21
Rank: 274
Ronnie Ray Smith
1949 - 2013
HPI: 54.17
Rank: 275
Bob Clotworthy
1931 - 2018
HPI: 54.16
Rank: 276
Chris Dickerson
1939 - 2021
HPI: 54.15
Rank: 277
James Fifer
1930 - 1986
HPI: 54.14
Rank: 278
Lawrence Shields
1895 - 1976
HPI: 54.12
Rank: 279
Cornelius Warmerdam
1915 - 2001
HPI: 54.11
Rank: 280
Carl Johnson
1898 - 1932
HPI: 54.10
Rank: 281