ATHLETE

Ronnie Ray Smith

1949 - 2013

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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 19 different languages on Wikipedia (up from 18 in 2024). Ronnie Ray Smith is the 1,394th most popular athlete (up from 1,651st in 2024), the 8,888th most popular biography from United States (up from 10,120th in 2019) and the 273rd most popular American Athlete.

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Among ATHLETES

Among athletes, Ronnie Ray Smith ranks 1,394 out of 6,025. Before him are Wang Yi, Dorothea Wierer, Jack Cameron, Ebbe Parsner, Vladimir Kiselyov, and Anna-Maria Müller. After him are John Emery, Bob Clotworthy, Siegrun Siegl, Ferdinand Feyerick, Miguel Ángel López, and Ingrid Kristiansen.

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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, Nasser El Sonbaty, Gerard Cieślik, Eero Kolehmainen, Jacques Grimonpon, and Walt Bellamy.

Others Born in 1949

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Others Deceased in 2013

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In United States

Among people born in United States, Ronnie Ray Smith ranks 8,888 out of 20,380. Before him are 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), The Alchemist (1977), Alice Pearce (1917), and Gerry Goffin (1939).

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Among ATHLETES In United States

Among athletes born in United States, Ronnie Ray Smith ranks 273. 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).

American born Athletes

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