Find out more about Carl Lewis, a runner who dominated the Olympic games from the '80s into the '90s.

Guess who's having a birthday on July 1st? Carl Lewis. He is one of the most prolific runners in history and his life has all of the elements of a track star: struggle, drama and triumph.

Frederick Carlton Lewis (a.k.a. Carl Lewis) was born in 1961 in Birmingham, Ala. It was a chaotic time in history because the civil rights movement was in full force. And, Carl Lewis' family was not untouched by it. Riots and protesting affected his parents, who were both teachers. His father was often attacked by the police. As a result, the family decided to move to a more peaceful, racially diverse town: Willingboro, N.J.

After the move, Lewis's parents started a track club. Little Carl and his sister Carol were a part of it, yet Carl wasn't the star. As a matter of fact, he wasn't even good. It was during this time he met a family friend, the legendary Jesse Owens. Owens gave Carl a piece of advice that would stay with him forever: Just have fun. Apparently, these words led to a breakthrough. Carl eventually entered the spotlight and had a headline-making running career.

In the '80s, he began to dominate the 100m and 200m. At the 1984 Olympics, he walked away with four gold medals and ended up breaking a world record. He carried this winning streak well into the '90s. By the time it was all over, he had 17 gold medals and the title "Olympian of the Century." The world praised Carl Lewis and, to the dismay of onlookers, he often praised himself.

Yes, Carl Lewis was known for his flamboyant hair, clothes and behavior. He wore a flat top. He dressed in unconventional, flashy clothes. And, he lived in Los Angeles and rubbed elbows with the stars. It was all too much for some people. It could be the reason why he didn't get as many endorsements. Yet, to a few of us, it was understandable. Anyone who had achieved as much as he did deserved to pat himself on the back. So, on his upcoming birthday, I hope the now 47-year-old Carl Lewis will be eating a big slice of cake and telling himself, "I did good. I did really good." After all, it is the truth, whether you like it or not.

Source: http://www.geocities.com/HotSprings/3257/lewis.html

James Cleveland Owens is one of the most famed record breaking athletes in the world.

In 1913, James Cleveland Owens was born as the seventh child of Henry and Emma Owens in Oakville, Alabama. Right away, the family started calling him J.C. and the name stuck. As a result, when the family moved to Cleveland, Ohio and James started at a new school, he introduced himself as J.C. The only problem was that his southern drawl got in the way. His teacher and fellow students were unable to understand James' thick southern accent. So J.C. sounded to them like Jesse and this situation is what forced J.C. Owens to eventually go by Jesse Owens.

As most of you probably know, Jesse Owens is one of the greatest record breaking runners of all time. One of his most celebrated moments was in 1935 at the Big Ten held in Ann Arbor Big. After falling down a flight of stairs earlier that week and still reeling from back pain, he ran well enough to break 3 world records. They are as follows:

• 220-yard dash in 20.3 seconds
• 220-yard low hurdles in 22.6 seconds
• Broad Jump at 26 feet 8¼ inches

These record breaking events convinced Jesse Owens, who was a sophomore at Ohio State at the time, that he was ready for the 1936 Olympics. It was a moment that inspired him as well as others.

A year later at the 1936 Olympics held in Nazi Germany, Jesse Owens continued to break records. As a consequence, he ended up winning four gold medals and being the first American in History to do this in a single Olympic meet. It was an event that showed his strong athleticism and bucked against Hitler's idea that his Aryan nation was superior.

From this point on, Jesse Owens name was a staple in American history. Although he wasn't offered endorsements and other deals Olympic athletes get today, he didn't let this stop him. He used his athleticism to provide for his family in a variety of ways including as a motivational speaker up unto his death in 1980. However, even in death, he triumphed. Ten years after his death, he was awarded (posthumously) the Congressional Gold Medal by President George H.W. Bush. It was an honor well deserved because Owens showed humanity that when hard work meets up with opportunity it can do great things regardless of all of the barriers put in front of it. Therefore, he is a role model for anyone trying to do big things in life.

Source:http://www.jesseowens.com/biography/