1936 Olympics: UL's Dudley Wilkins

[Turbine]

Dudley G Wilkins a native of Crowley Louisiana, competed in a sport then known as the "hop, step and jump." Today we call it the triple jump.

In 1934 while at Louisiana (SLI) the "Leapin Louisianian" as he was known, won the National AAU Junior Day Championship. He also won the National Senior AAU Championship, and was named an All American.

In 1935 he won the Southern AAU title in the event.

When the 1936 Olympics rolled around Louisiana was represented. As a member of the 1936 Olympics team Dudley Wilkins came in 7th in the triple jump. At one point he spotted Adolph Hitler in the Stands watching at Berlin’s Olympic Stadium.

This happened to be the same Olympics where Wilkins teammate, Jesse Owens won four gold medals and in effect slapped Hitler in the face.

Nine years later the Crowley Native would fight against Hitler, in WWII

Although he came in 7th best in the world in 1936, of that experience he said, ".it was wonderful just to be a member of the United States team, competing against the best in the world."

[NewsCopy]

  Besides being known as the Rice Capital, Crowley also was the home of a local athlete who participated in an Olympiad that was held half a world away.

Crowley's Dudley Wilkins, who competed collegiately for Southwestern Louisiana Institiute (now UL), was a member of the U.S. Team for the 1936 Berlin Olympics.

Struggling with a pulled hamstring, Wilkins finished seventh in the triple jump. He had a career-best effort of 50-0 1/2.

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