Sam Colson

{{short description|American javelin thrower}}

{{About|the American javelin thrower|the English guitarist|Sam Coulson}}

File:Sam Colson (Taps 1977).png

Sam Colson (born March 24, 1951, born in Beloit, Kansas) is a former javelin thrower who competed in the 1976 Summer Olympics where he finished fifth.{{cite web | title = Sam Colson | publisher = sports-reference | url = https://www.sports-reference.com/olympics/athletes/co/sam-colson-1.html | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20200417190921/https://www.sports-reference.com/olympics/athletes/co/sam-colson-1.html | url-status = dead | archive-date = 2020-04-17 | accessdate = February 28, 2016}}

Competing for the Kansas Jayhawks track and field team, Colson won the 1973 NCAA University Division Outdoor Track and Field Championships in the javelin.{{Cite web |date=2021-06-17 |title=100 days of Kansas City-area Olympians: Sam Colson, javelin |url=https://www.kshb.com/sports/olympics/100-days-of-kansas-city-area-olympians-sam-colson-javelin |access-date=2024-05-17 |website=KSHB 41 Kansas City News |language=en}}

In 1985, Colson was indicted for his involvement in the Clemson University steroid scandal.{{Cite news|title = Drug Use Believed to Extend Beyond Two Schools in South|url = https://www.nytimes.com/1985/01/20/sports/drug-use-believed-to-extend-beyond-two-schools-in-south.html|newspaper = The New York Times|date = 1985-01-20|access-date = 2015-05-05|issn = 0362-4331|first = Michael|last = Goodwin}}{{Cite news|title = SPORTS PEOPLE; 3 Coaches Indicted|url = https://www.nytimes.com/1985/03/05/sports/sports-people-3-coaches-indicted.html|newspaper = The New York Times|date = 1985-03-05|access-date = 2015-05-05|issn = 0362-4331}} At the time, Colson was the strength and conditioning coach and women's track coach for Clemson. Along with the men's track coach Stan Narewski, Colson pleaded guilty to providing prescription drugs, including steroids, to student athletes at Clemson.{{Cite news|title = SPORTS PEOPLE; 2 Plead Guilty|url =https://www.nytimes.com/1985/03/12/sports/sports-people-2-plead-guilty.html|newspaper = The New York Times|date = 1985-03-12|access-date = 2015-05-05|issn = 0362-4331}}