Rafer Johnson ’59

Rafer Johnson ’59 made good on his commitment to Coach “Ducky” Drake to bring the first ever NCAA championship for track and field to UCLA when he contributed to winning the title in 1956.

In that same year Johnson won a silver medal in the Olympic decathlon in Melbourne. Four years later at the Olympic Games in Rome Johnson reached the pinnacle of his Olympic achievements. He was the USA team captain and flag bearer, and went on to win the gold medal in the decathlon in what is considered to be one of the hardest-fought gold medals of all time, competing against fellow Bruin and good friend C.K. Yang ’64 (who took home the silver, winning the first Olympic medal for his native Taiwan).

Following Johnson’s gold medal win, he retired from athletic competition and began a long career that would take him from being a commentator and political activist to a philanthropist and cornerstone of the Special Olympics.

Johnson, along with a small group of volunteers, founded Special Olympics Southern California in 1969 by conducting a competition at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum for 900 individuals with intellectual disabilities. His involvement in the organization began the year before, when he attended the first Special Olympics competition, organized by founder Eunice Kennedy Shriver. The event inspired Johnson to become more involved.

After the first California games in 1969, Johnson became one of the original members of the Board of Directors. The board worked together to raise funds and offer a modest program of swimming, and track and field. In 1983, Johnson became president of the board, pledging to increase board participation, reorganize the staff to most effectively use each person’s talents and expand fundraising efforts. He served as board president until July 1992, when he was named chairman of the Board of Governors.

Over the years, Johnson has been involved with scores of charities. However, he is most passionate about Special Olympics Southern California. In 1984, Johnson was honored to be selected to light the Olympic Cauldron to open the Los Angeles Olympic Games. He and his wife Betsy, reside in Southern California. His son, Josh ’98, was a javelin thrower for UCLA and his daughter, Jenny ’01, competed at the 2000 Sydney Games in beach volleyball.

CAREER HIGHLIGHTS

1955 Pan American Gold Medalist, Decathlon
1956 Olympic Silver Medalist, Decathlon
1960 Olympic Gold Medalist and Record Holder, Decathlon
1960 Sport's Illustrated, Athlete of the Year
1960 Sport Magazine, Sportsman of the Year
1960 Sullivan Award, Outstanding Amateur Athlete
1960 Associated Press, Athlete of the Year
1960 American Flag Carrier on Opening Ceremony Day at the Olympics
1974 Inducted into the National Track & Field Hall of Fame
1984 Los Angeles Olympic Games, Torch Lighter for Opening Ceremonies
1988 California Special Olympics "Spirit of Friendship" Award
1990 Elected to National High School Hall of Fame
1992 Humanitarian Award, Free Arts for Abused Children
1993 Rafer Johnson Junior High School dedicated in Kingsburg, Calif.
1996 Lifetime Achievement Award, Cedars Sinai
1998 Autobiography published, The Best That I Can Be
2009 Change-Maker Award, Children’s Nature Institute
2009 Wooden Lifetime Achievement Award, Paralysis Project of America
2010 Fernando Award for Civic Accomplishment, Fernando Foundation