Jim Himes, 2012
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James "Jim" Ray Hines (September 10, 1946 – June 3, 2023) was a former track and field sprinter. He was the first runner to officially break the 10-second barrier for the 100m dash, finishing in 9.95 seconds at the 1968 Olympics. 1 He held the world record for the 100 meter for almost 15 years. Hines and his teammates also set a world record in the 4x100m relay at the 1968 Olympics, where Hines was the anchor. 2

The final heat of the 100m was also the first all black final in Olympic history. This was at a time of race riots around the U.S. after the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., and the controversial idea of admitting then apartheid South Africa into the Olympic Games. 1 The 1968 Olympics are also where Tommie Smith and John Carlos gave their famous Black Power salute.

Hines was born in Arkansas, but raised in Oakland. He graduated from McClymonds High School in 1964. Hines played baseball before being recruited for track. He briefly played professional football in 1968-1970 for the Miami Dolphins and Kansas City Chiefs. He was fast, but didn't have the requisite football skills. 1

Hines worked as a social worker for 20 years before establishing the Jim Hines Foundation. He ran for Mayor of Oakland in 1989, dropping out of the race before the election. 3

Links and References

  1. Jim Hines on Wikipedia
  2. Interview With Gold Medal Sprinter Jim Hines on About.com
  3. Hines Talking a Great Race These Days Los Angeles Times June 1, 1991
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