Walker Smith (hurdler)
{{Short description|American hurdler}}
{{Infobox sportsperson
| name = Walker Smith
| nationality = American
| national_team = United States
| birth_date = {{birth date|1896|11|01}}
| death_date = {{death date and age|1993|02|27|1896|11|1}}
| birth_place = Minneapolis, Minnesota, United States
| death_place = Orange County, California, United States
| alma_mater = Cornell University
| height = 5 ft 10.5 in
| weight = 172 lb
}}
Walker Breeze Smith (November 1, 1896 – February 27, 1993) was an American track and field athlete.{{cite web|url=https://www.olympedia.org/athletes/79066 |title=Walker Smith |work=Olympedia |access-date=15 July 2021}} Smith attended Cornell University, where he set records in hurdling.{{cite book|title=The Cornell Alumni News|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=f0A_AQAAMAAJ&pg=PA312|year=1919|pages=312–}} He was the IC4A Champion in 1919 in 120 yard high hurdles and 220 yard low hurdles. The year before he placed second in both events.{{Cite web |url=https://www.sports-reference.com/olympics/athletes/sm/walker-smith-1.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200418053851/https://www.sports-reference.com/olympics/athletes/sm/walker-smith-1.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=2020-04-18 |title=Sports Reference - Olympics Walker Smith |website=Sports Reference LLC}}
Smith competed in the men's 110 metres hurdles at the 1920 Summer Olympics. He finished in 5th place.{{Cite web |url=http://library.la84.org/6oic/OralHistory/OHSmith.pdf |title=AN OLYMPIAN'S ORAL HISTORY: WALKER SMITH 1920 OLYMPIC GAMES TRACK & FIELD|last=Hodak |first=George A. |date=1988}} In 1978, Smith was inducted into the Cornell University Hall of Fame.{{Cite web |url=http://cornellbigred.com/hof.aspx?hof=249&path=&kiosk= |title=Cornell Hall of Fame: Walker Smith Class of 1920}}
Personal life
Smith is named after his maternal grandfather, lumber and art magnate T. B. Walker.
When Smith was 10 years old, he had his right eye removed, and wore an artificial eye. He was not allowed to play football because of the missing eye, so he took up track & field. As a child, he attended Phillips Exeter Academy. During World War I in 1916, Smith went to France to serve in the American Field Service. Due to his missing eye, he was designated with a 4-F classification and unable to serve in the US army, so he returned to the United States in 1917.
Smith married Marge Billheimer in 1922. Together they have two children, a son and a daughter. They have eight grandchildren as well as eight great-grandchildren.{{cite magazine |title=News of Alumni |page=43 |magazine=Cornell Alumni News |date=November 1988 |volume=91|number=4 }}
After retiring from athletics and worked in various jobs, including real estate and investment companies.
References
{{reflist}}
{{Footer USA Track & Field 1920 Summer Olympics}}
{{USA Indoor Track and Field Championships winners in men's 60 m hurdles}}
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Category:American male hurdlers
Category:Olympic track and field athletes for the United States
Category:Athletes (track and field) at the 1920 Summer Olympics