Dallas Long

Jr. - Olympic Shot Putter

What is Dallas Long known for?

Dallas Crutcher Long, born on June 13, 1940, is an accomplished track and field athlete hailing from Pine Bluff, Arkansas. As an alumnus of North High School in Phoenix, Arizona, he set the National High School Record in shot put, earning the title of "High School Athlete of the Year" in 1958.

Long's athletic prowess continued into his adult life with numerous impressive feats. Between 1959 and 1964, he set six official and five unofficial world records. His shot put career peaked with a world record of 20.68 meters at the U.S.-U.S.S.R. dual meet in 1964. He also competed in two Olympics, clinching a bronze medal in Rome in 1960 and a gold medal in Tokyo in 1964.

Aside from his Olympic achievements, Long also excelled domestically. He won the AAU title in 1961 and the NCAA title from 1960 to 1962. As a testament to his extraordinary career, Long was inducted into the National Track and Field Hall of Fame in 1996.

After retiring from competitions, Dallas Long pursued a career in the medical field, becoming a dentist and a specialist in emergency medicine. Notably, he served as a defense witness in the Rodney King trial against the Los Angeles Police Department police officers Laurence Powell and Stacey Koon in the early 1990s.

As of 2020, Long lives in Whitefish, Montana with his wife Suzanne. He continues to be a shining example of the heights North High School alumni can reach, both in sports and in life.

For more details about Dallas Long's life and career, check out his profile on sports-reference.com and his profile on brinkster.net.