The "Barney Wuz Robbed!" Story

It was an ordinary day. Watched some of the opening ceremonies of the 2012 Summer Olympics which are being held in London. This is the third time that the Olympics have been held in London, with 1908 and 1948 being the other two years. London and the Olympics hold many memories for those who were members of the Lancaster community in the 1920s, 30s, 40s, and 50s for it was in 1948, at the age of 30, that Lancaster resident Barney Ewell won medals in the 100 and 200 yard dashes as well as the 400 relay. Most acknowledge that Barney would have won more medals in the 1940 and 1944 Olympics, when he would have been in his prime, but WWII canceled those games. To win medals in the events that he did are remarkable considering his age. Barney graduated from JP McCaskey High School in 1938 with my dad who often told stories to me about Barney. In high school Barney was a standout sprinter and to this day still has some of the best times in PIAA history. The 2012 PIAA record for the 100-meter dash is 10.44 seconds and 72 years ago Ewell ran a 9.6 100-yard dash which converts to a 10.38 100-meter dash. Pretty impressive!! After high school Barney entered and ran track for Penn State University. His college career was interrupted in 1942 when he was drafted into the Army. After being discharged from the Army, Barney returned to Penn State and completed his degree in Physical Education. He held or shared records in the 50, 60, 100, and 200-yard dashes, won 12 NCAA championships, 11 national AAU titles, 16 victories in world-class meets, and five golds in the Millrose Games, then the nation's top indoor meet. In the 1948 Olympics, Barney captured the 100-meter race, or so he thought. After running the race, Ewell, thinking he had won the race, raised his arms in triumph, but his teammate, Harrison Dillard, running in another lane on the other side of the track had edged him out. In the 200-meter race, Ewell won another Silver medal, losing to Mel Patton. In the 400-meter relay the American team, with Ewell as a member, won handily and Barney finally got his Gold medal. After the Olympics, Barney returned to Lancaster and worked in production jobs at Armstrong Cork Co. and later at Warner-Lambert in Lititz, PA. as he raised his family on Green Street in Lancaster city. Months after the Olympics were held, a rematch between Ewell and Dillard was held at Lancaster's minor league baseball field, Stumpf Field, in front of approximately 12,000 people, with Barney winning this time. Naturally! When Barney died in 1996 at the age of 78, the well respected Philadelphia Inquirer sports columnist Bill Lyon wrote: "He probably would have been the most decorated Olympian in the history of the games," meaning if WWII hadn't robbed him of his prime years as a runner. In 1989, JP McCaskey named its sports complex for Ewell. Special note: As I was doing research for this story I came upon the obituary for Henry N. "Barney" Ewell, Jr. who died June 4, 2012 at the age of 65. He was Barney's son. PS - photos follow with two YouTube videos showing Barney's races in the 100 and 200 in 1948.

Barney Ewell with his awards from high school years when he ran for JP McCaskey High School in Lancaster, PA

The start and finish of the 100-meter race in the 1948 Olympics held in London. In the top photo Barneyis the second from the right and in the second photo he is the second from the top.

Barney (second from left) in London with other Penn Staters during the 1948 games.

Barney Ewell Jr. (center) standing with officials of JP McCaskey High School as they dedicated the stadium in honor of his dad.