He Ran the Race and Then for Office Quiz

Answer: Sebastian Coe

Sebastian Coe is one of the greatest middle distance runners the world has ever seen. In the 1980 Moscow Olympics he earned a gold medal in the 1500m and a silver medal in the 800m event. He repeated this feat in the 1984 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles. During his career Coe set eight outdoor track records and 3 indoor records in distances between 800m and the mile.

After retiring from athletics, Coe became involved in politics and was elected as a Member of Parliament for Falmouth and Camborne in 1992.

This experience was invaluable in paving the way for Lord Coe to help London secure the bid to host the 2013 Summer Olympic Games.

Answer: Lynn Swann

Lynn Swann was a phenomenal athlete in high school and college. In 1970, he beat a future Olympic Gold medalist, Randy Williams, to win the California state long jump title with a leap of 24 feet 10 inches. His real sporting love however, was football. Swann played at San Mateo Junipero Serra High School in California and then chose to attend Southern California on a football scholarship.

In 1974 he was drafted in the first round of the NFL draft with the 21st pick by the Pittsburgh Steelers. During his career he earned four super bowl championships and the MVP trophy for his performance in Super Bowl X. Following his football career, Lynn Swann continued to be actively involved in the community. Under President George W. Bush, Swann served as the Chairman of the President's Council on Physical Fitness and Sports (2002-2005).

In 2006, he ran in the Republican Primary in an attempt to secure the party nomination for the Pennsylvania Governors race. Swann lost the election to incumbent Ed Rendell in a narrow 60-40% race.

Answer: Steve Largent

Steve Largent was born in Tulsa Oklahoma and was a standout football player and track athlete in high school. At the University of Tulsa, Largent was an All-American wide receiver. In 1976 he was selected in the 4th round as the 117th overall pick of the NFL draft by the Houston Oilers. During the preseason he was traded to the expansion Seattle Seahawks.

In a thirteen year career with the Seahawks, Largent earned seven trips to the Pro Bowl and broke many NFL and franchise receiving records. He retired in 1989 and was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1995. Largent's political career took him to Congress as the Representative for Oklahoma's 1st District. Largent would serve four consecutive terms in Congress representing the state of Oklahoma.

Answer: Bill Bradley

Bill Bradley was inducted into the NBA Hall of Fame in 1983 just six years after his retirement. In 1984, Bradley was honored as the 4th player to have their shirt retired by the New York Knicks. Bradley was born in Crystal City Missouri, attended Princeton, earned a degree also from Oxford University, and was a territorial draft by the New York Knicks. Bradley was on two championship teams in 1970 and 1973. Bradley ran for the New Jersey Senate seat successfully in 1977 and was re-elected in 1984 and 1990.

He left the Senate in 1997 and had an unsuccessful run for the presidential candidacy in 2000.

Answer: Jim Bunning

Jim Bunning was born in Southgate Kentucky in 1931. He attended St. Xavier High School in Cincinnati and Xavier University. Bunning played almost 5 years in the minor leagues before getting an opportunity to pitch for the Detroit Lions in 1955. he made the most of the opportunity and went on to have a successful 16-year career in the majors.

The highlight of his professional career came on July 20, 1958 when he threw a no-hitter against the Boston Red Sox. Almost six years later he topped the accomplishment in throwing a perfect game for the Philadelphia Phillies versus the New York Mets on June 21, 1964.

It was only the 5th perfect game in the modern-day era of baseball. After baseball, Bunning went into politics in serving 2 years on the City Council of Fort Thomas Kentucky.

In 1986, Bunning was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives for Kentucky's 4th Congressional District, serving in the House from 1987 until 1999. In 1998 he was elected to the U.S. Senate for Kentucky and served two terms as a Republican Senator

Answer: Javelin

Yngve Hackner was indeed an accomplished track and field athlete. He won the Swedish National champion in the Javelin event in 1913, 1914, 1917, and 1918. He broke the world record for the javelin in 1917, throwing 114.28m combining his best left hand throw with his best right hand throw. Throwing the javelin with both hands in a competition became a rarity after 1918, so Hackner continues to be the official world record holder in that event almost a century later. Yngve Hackner is perhaps best remembered for his contributions to politics.

A lawyer by profession, Hackner represented the Liberal People's party in Sweden's second chamber of the Riksdag from 1948 until 1952.

Answer: Dave Albritton

David Donald Albritton was born in Danville Alabama in 1913. As a member of the U.S. Track & Field team he competed at the Berlin Summer Olympics in 1936. Albritton earned a silver medal in the high jump competition and like team-mate Jesse Owens was snubbed by Adolf Hitler at the medal ceremony. Albritton and Owens were good friends and both attended East Technical High School in Cleveland Ohio, went to Ohio State University, and were members of the Alpha Phi Alpha fraternity. Albritton held the world record of 6'9 3/4" (2.07m) set at the 1936 Olympic trials. Albritton won seven national titles and three National collegiate titles in the high jump event. From 1961 until 1972, Albritton served in the 34th District as a Member of the Ohio House of Representatives.

Answer: Kevin Johnson

Kevin Maurice Johnson played 12 years in the NBA representing the Cleveland Cavaliers and the Phoenix Suns. During this time he was a 3-time NBA All-star and was selected 4-times to the All-NBA Second team. Johnson also helped the USA win a Gold medal at the 1994 FIBA World Championship held in Canada.

In the 1990-1991 season, Johnson became the first NBA player in history to average at least 20 points, 10 assists, a .500 field goal percentage, and two steals in a season. Kevin Johnson was elected to the office of Mayor of Sacramento in 2008 and re-elected again in 2012.

In earning this honor he became the first African American ever to serve in such a capacity.

Answer: Bob Mathias

Robert Bruce Mathias was born in 1930 in Tulare California. At just 17 years of age, Bob Mathias earned a spot on the U.S. decathlon team competing at the 1948 Summer Olympics in London England. Shockingly, he won the Gold medal becoming the youngest track and field champion in any event at the 1948 Games.

In 1952 he repeated as Olympic Decathlon Champion winning Gold by a remarkable 912 points. Later that same year, Mathias helped Stanford University's football team qualify to compete in the Rose Bowl.

After graduating college, Mathias spent a few years in the Marines before serving as the USA's Goodwill Ambassador. In 1966, Mathias was elected to the Californian House of Representatives serving four two-year terms.

Answer: Jim Ryun

Jim Ryun won a silver medal in the 1500m race at the 1968 Mexico Olympic Games behind the great Kip Keino. He was born in Wichita Kansas and ran an incredible 3:59.0 as a high school junior. A year later he would run 3:55.30, a time that would stand as an American record for 36 years (broken in 2001 by Alan Webb, South Lakes HS, with a time of 3:53.43).

At age 19, in 1966, Ryun set world records in both the mile and the 800m run. Ryun competed in the 1964, 1968, and 1972 Summer Olympics. Ryun embarked upon his political career in 1996 when he was elected as a Member of the House of Representatives for his home state of Kansas. Ryun continued in this role until 2007 when he lost by a narrow margin of 51-49 to Lynn Jenkins.