HOWARD P.
DREW
The Original "World's Fastest Human"
|
Howard P. Drew is buried only 20 minutes from
Springfield
This is the only monument to Howard P. Drew
-
Howard P. Drew is a role model for today's
youth. He persevered as a world-class sprinter even though fate kept
Olympic Gold out of his reach. He dropped out of high school
but returned to finish school and went to college on a
scholarship. He was injured in 1916 resulting in being
paralyzed on his left side. Everyone said he'd never run again
but he recovered and continued to sprint with a slight bend.
He insisted on being "treated like a man" during an era of pervasive
racism. When his career in track was over he continued to set
his sights high as an attorney and later as the first
African-American judge in
Connecticut. |
Extraordinary Athlete, Olympian, Multiple World
Record Holder,
Civil Rights Advocate, Track Coach, Track
Official,
Scholar, Author, Attorney and Judge.
Forgotten by time - until
now...
February
2006
Howard Drew is recognized by the USC BAA in their
exhibition:
HOWARD PORTER DREW: RULE MAKER...RECORD BREAKER
Howard Drew is inducted into
the USC Track & Field Hall of Fame
and recognized as
follows:
March 2011
Click Above to
Read Entire Editorial
Update: Jan. 29, 2012
Howard Drew is
Inducted into the Massachusetts
State Track Coaches Association Athlete Hall
of Fame
Cynthia Roberson, direct decendant
& great granddaughter of Howard Drew
accepts the MSTCA Hall of
Fame "Flame" Award on his behalf.
Not surprisingly, Cynthia is a teacher
in the Springfield Public Schools.
Howard Drew's name is now enshrined on the Athlete Hall of Fame wall at the Reggie Lewis Track Center in Boston, Mass.
click for
PDF version
Complete African American Point of View July 2012 edition can be
viewed by clicking here
===
UPDATE: 2/16/2014
Click Article to Read Online at
MassLive.com
UPDATE:
January, 2015
Eyasu Michael receives the
Howard Drew Award at the
Howard Drew Track Banquet on January 10, 2015
at
the Dunbar Community Center in Springfield, MA.
Presenting the award is Cynthia Roberson, great granddaughter of Howard
Drew
Update: March 6, 2016
Historic Classical Inc. at Classical
Condominiums
to Highlight Famed Springfield Athlete Howard
Drew
Watch The Complete Video of the
Howard Drew Presentation Here:
March 6, 2016 - Howard Drew
Receives
Recognition from:
The United States Senate
The United States Congressional Record
The Massachusetts House and Senate
The Springfield (Massachusetts) City Council
and
A
Proclamation by The Mayor
of The City of Springfield
UPDATE: MAY 16, 2016
.
Springfield Central High School track set to be
named
after famed hometown sprinter Howard Drew
http://www.masslive.com/news/index.ssf/2016/05/springfield_central_high_schoo_17.html
Cynthia Roberson, the great-granddaughter of Howard Drew,
spoke at the dedication of
Springfield's Central High School track in his
honor.
Reminder Publications photo by G. Michael Dobbs.
Howard Drew Finally Honored
with
Track Naming Ceremony
http://thereminder.com/Localnews/springfield/howarddrewhonored/
UPDATE: MAY 15,
2019
Three years after the formal
dedication of the track at Springfield Central High School
the City of
Springfield had not taken any steps to place a plaque or sign indicating
the
naming of the track to honor Howard Drew. Using his own funds, Coach Larry
Libow
had a plaque created and the city was kind enough to have the plaque
install at the top
of the steps leading up to the stands that face the track
and football field.
UPDATE: MAY 28, 2019
Kenny Ortiz is named the third recipient of the
Howard Drew Award
at the 2019 High School of Commerce Track
Awards Banquet
The Howard Drew Award
is given
For Athletic Excellence
Pursuit of Scholarship
and
Perserverance Depite Injury
Update: Summer
2021
City of Springfield now
has a building mural
celebrating the life of Howard Drew - Springfield's
greatest Olympian!
Update: Fall
2021
The
City of ?>
One of the pairings is Howard
Drew and recent Commerce Track Captain, Alex
Gibb. It's at the corner of State and Dwight
streets.
~~~
Update: June
2022
Kareem
Prawl Inducted as a
Howard Drew Award
Winner
"As the very FIRST winner of this award, it is a bittersweet but beautiful moment whenever we add new young athletes into the fraternity. Dealing with injury is NEVER easy, regardless of the severity. No one tells you about the toll it takes on you mentally. Not to mention the obvious setbacks you experience physically. I say all that to say that THIS award is one that will forever hold the highest respect in my trophy case. To be recognized as you are dealing with an injury is honestly better then any other award because it shows everyone that no matter what, your will to compete and continue fighting thru it is greater then anything else. As the first Howard P Drew award winner, I want all my friends and family to congratulate Kareem and welcome him into a very exclusive club!" Max Sullivan 2012 Howard Drew Award Winner |
Howard P. Drew Information Complied by Coach Larry Libow from:
- Springfield Republican Newspaper
archives at the Springfield Public Library,
- Archives at the Lyman &
Merrie Wood Museum of Springfield History,
- Additional photographs submitted
by Steve Vaitones, Managing Director, USATF-New England,
- Publication "Howard P. Drew: Record Breaker ...Rule Maker", 2006, USC Black Alumni Association,
- Lura Ball, Curator of Howard Drew memorabilia and USC exhibition researcher
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Logo Above for Article
on Howard Drew in Springfield Republican Newspaper
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