1950s Olympics hurdles silver medalist Davis dies

Published Jul. 26, 2012 12:41 p.m. ET

foxsports

Jack Davis, a champion hurdler who won two Olympic silver medals in the 1950s, has died. He was 81.

His family tells the Los Angeles Times (http://lat.ms/OoWibS) that Davis died Friday at a San Diego hospital from complications of a fall.

In the 1950s, Davis, a USC track star, was ranked the world's top hurdler six times. In 1956, he set a world record of 13.4 seconds at the national Amateur Athletic Union championships in Bakersfield.

He took home the silver medal in the 110-meter hurdles at the 1952 Helsinki Olympics, losing the gold to Harrison Dillard in a photo finish.

Davis lost the gold to Lee Calhoun in another photo finish at the 1956 Melbourne Olympics.

In later years, Davis had a career as a real estate developer.