Born November 16, 1924, Los Angeles, Calif.

Just after World War II, the "World's Fastest Human" was Melvin "Mel" Patton. "Pell Mell", as he was nicknamed in the late 1940s, made his mark in track and field while a student at the University of Southern California, where he was coached by Hall o Famer Dean Cromwell.

The thin, tall (6-0, 148) Trojan won the national collegiate 100-yard dash title in 1947 and in 1948 and 1949 completed the 100-220 sprint double at that same meet. In 1947, he tied the world 100-yard dash record of 9.4, then lowered it to 9.3 the following year. In 1949, he set a world 220 record on a straightaway of 20.2, breaking a Jesse Owens record. The year 1948 was a bitter-sweet one for Patton. In the Olympic Trials, he suffered a rare loss to another Hall of Famer, Barney Ewell, in the 100 final, then in the Olympic Games placed only fifth in the 100. He atoned for that disappointment by taking two gold medals in the 200 and the 4 x 100 relay. After retiring from competition, he was a track coach before entering the electronics industry.