Charlie Tidwell
| Personal information | |
|---|---|
| Nationality | American |
| Born |
March 30, 1937 Independence, Kansas, United States |
| Died | August 28, 1969 (aged 32) Denver, Colorado |
| Height | 1.86 m (6 ft 1 in) |
| Weight | 75 kg (165 lb) |
| Sport | |
| Sport | Running |
| Event(s) | 100 meters, 200 meters/220 yards, 200 m /220 y hurdles |
| College team | Kansas Jayhawks |
Charles 'Charlie' Tidwell (March 30, 1937 – August 28, 1969) was an American track athlete who was one of the best sprinter/hurdlers in the world in the years 1958–60. He was denied a chance to run in the 1960 Olympics by injury.
His life was cut short at 32 years of age when he shot himself to death after killing his wife following a violent quarrel between the two.
Tidwell was a native of Independence, Kansas, where he was a star athlete at his high school. The highlight was a national junior record for the 180 y low hurdles in 1955. After graduating high school he attended Kansas University.
Tidwell was an outstanding sprinter for his college track team, the Kansas Jayhawks, winning five NCAA individual titles:
so helping the team win back-to-back NCAA team titles in 1959 and 1960. In the 1958 NCAA championships, Tidwell set a world best time in the 220 y hurdles.
Tidwell also won the Kansas Relays 100 y race in 1959 and 1960, winning Athlete of the Meet in 1959, and for this was honored as an inductee in the Kansas Relays Hall of Fame in 2005.
Tidwell's form meant he was one of the favourites to going into the United States Olympic Trials to qualify for the 100 and 200 m at the 1960 Rome Olympics. However, an injury suffered at the trials ruined his qualification chances. Tidwell had qualified first in his heat for the final of the 100 m. In the final, Tidwell had one false start. When the race finally got underway a pulled muscle at 50 m prematurely ended his race. The injury forced him to scratch from the 200 m trial event.
Tidwell achieved five world best times during his career - none were ratified as world records by the IAAF:
In 1962, Tidwell tried out with the National Football League team the Minnesota Vikings. However, his try out was unsuccessful and he was cut from the squad later that year.
In August 1969, Tidwell was involved in a domestic tragedy that led to the death of both himself and his estranged wife, Karen.
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