September 18th in African American History – Robert Lee “Bullet Bob” Hayes

Robert Lee “Bullet Bob” Hayes

September 18, 2002 Robert Lee “Bullet Bob” Hayes, Olympic Gold medal sprinter and hall of fame football player, died.

Hayes was born December 20, 1942 in Jacksonville, Florida. While a student at Florida A&M University, Hayes was the AAU 100 yard dash champion from 1962 to 1964 and in 1964 was the NCAA champion in the 200 meter race. At the 1964 Tokyo Olympic Games, he won Gold medals and set world records in the 100 meter race and the 4 by 100 meter relay.

At that time, he was considered the world’s fastest man. Hayes was selected by the Dallas Cowboys in the 1964 NFL Draft. Over his 11 season professional football career, he was a three-time Pro Bowl selection and was instrumental in the Cowboys’ 1972 Super Bowl victory. Hayes is the only man to win an Olympic Gold medal and a Super Bowl ring and he was posthumously inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2009.

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