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Birth Date
-in Clarksville, Tennessee she was born premature and was tutered by her family because she was crippled. she then got over her disabilities and became a track superstar. -
high school
-In junior high, Wilma followed her older sister Yolanda's example and joined the basketball team. The coach, Clinton Gray, didn't put her in a single game for three years. Finally, in her sophomore year, she became the starting guard. During the state basketball tournament, she was spotted by Ed Temple, the coach for the famous Tigerbells, the women's track team at Tennessee State University. Because Burt High School didn't have the funding for a track team, coach Temple invited Wilma to Tennes -
first olympic games
-Then she became a track star, going to her first Olympic Games in 1956 at the age of 16. She won a bronze medal in the 4x4 relay. -
olympics in rome
- then on September 7th, 1960, in Rome, Wilma became the first American woman to win 3 gold medals in the Olympics. She won the 100-meter dash, the 200-meter dash, and ran the anchor on the 400-meter relay team
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after high school
-After graduating from high school, Wilma received a full scholarship to Tennessee State. Because of all the celebrity she received from her track career, she took a year off from her studies to make appearances and compete in international track events. She returned and received a Bachelor's degree in education, graduating in 1963. -
married
- in 1963 she then married her high school sweetheart,Robert Eldridge, with who she had four children: Yolanda(named after her sister, 1958), Djuanna(1964), Robert Jr.(1965), Xurry(1971). they later divorced.
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vice presedent Hubert Humphery invited wilma to "Operation Camp"
-in 1967 Vice-President Hubert Humphrey invited Wilma to participate in "Operation Champ," an athletic outreach program for underprivileged youth in the ghettoes of 16 major cities. She started her own non-profit organization, The Wilma Rudolph Foundation, to continue this kind of work. The foundation provided free coaching in a variety of sports, and academic assistance and support as well. -
autobiography
-in 1977 she wrote her autobiography, simply titled, "Wilma." It was adapted as a television movie; Wilma worked on it as a consultant. -
died
-Wilma died in her home in Nashville, Tennessee. She had been in and out of hospitals for several months after brain cancer was diagnosed. Leroy Walker, president of the U.S. Olympic Committee, said, "All of us recognize that this is obviously a tremendous loss. Wilma was still very much involved with a number of Olch about -
Wilma Rudolph day was created.
-then in 1997, Governor Don Sundquist proclaimed June 23 as Wilma Rudolph Day in Tennessee.
