While aboard the S.S. Manhattan, a United Press photo captured the trio of track stars Ralph Metcalfe, Jesse Owens and Frank Wykoff on their marks, training for the upcoming Games.,”

In 1936, the U.S. Olympic team had docked in the Port of New York for the Summer Games in Berlin, Germany.

While aboard the S.S. Manhattan, a United Press photo captured a trio of track stars – Ralph Metcalfe, Jesse Owens and Frank Wykoff – on their marks, training for the upcoming games.

Ohio State University had Owens. The University of Southern California had Wykoff. And Marquette University had Metcalfe. They were considered the best in the sport.

Along with Foy Draper, the fleet-footed foursome let their legs do the talking, winning a gold medal in the 400-meter relay of what many referred to as "The Nazi Games." The triumph was considered a breakthrough because Metcalfe and Owens were black, a race that was discarded and ignored at the time.

"It was a difficult environment with there being an ideology of a master race," said USA Track and Field media information manager Tom Surber. "Those guys kept their minds on the task at hand, which was winning."

Metcalfe was dominant as an individual, too, bringing home a silver medal in the 100 meters. At the previous Olympic Games in Los Angeles in 1932, Metcalfe claimed silver (100 meters) and bronze (200 meters) medals.

It was in the 100 meters in 1932 that Metcalfe lost to Eddie Tolan in what has been viewed as one of the most controversial finishes in sports history. Both finished in 10.38 seconds. Judges debated about the finish for hours before awarding the medal to Tolan.

What always seemed to hurt Metcalfe were his slow starts. It was near the finish line where he was most often able to make a move. Still, at his peak, he was called "the world's fastest human."

Metcalfe was born May 30, 1910, in Atlanta, and he attended public school in Chicago.

But it was at Marquette where Metcalfe began to flourish as a runner.

"He's probably the most accomplished athlete to ever compete at Marquette," Marquette track coach Dave Uhrich said. "(Marquette Athletic Director) Bill Cords has even said at meetings that he was arguably the greatest athlete ever at Marquette. You've had successful NBA stars, but to talk about world records and a gold medal is pretty impressive."

Metcalfe became captain of the Marquette track team in 1936, the same year he graduated. He had equaled or bettered 13 world records by the time he left. He then went on to receive his master's degree from the University of Southern California and later coached the track team at Xavier University of Louisiana.

In a 1958 interview with the Los Angeles Examiner, Wykoff said the best 100-yard men he ever saw were, in order: Jesse Owens, Bobby Morrow, Mel Patton, Jim Golliday and Metcalfe.

"He was one of the world's finest sprinters of his day," Surber said.

Following his retirement from professional athletics, Metcalfe became a congressman in Illinois. He was considered eloquent and highly respected among his peers.

In 1975, Metcalfe was inducted into the National Track and Field Hall of Fame. He died from a heart attack on Oct. 10, 1978, in Chicago, leaving behind a legacy as one of the most successful student-athletes to graduate from Marquette. He was an athlete, politician and businessman, all of which he did to the best of his ability.

"He was highly respected by everybody," Surber said. "He had an amazing career."

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