Barney Ewell

Henry Norwood "Barney" Ewell (February 25, 1918 – April 4, 1996) was an American athlete, and winner of one gold and two silver medals at the 1948 Summer Olympics.

Born into poverty in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, Ewell was one of the world's leading sprinters of the 1940s. Ewell attended John Piersol McCaskey High School in Lancaster, Pennsylvania. McCaskey High School honored Ewell by dedicating their stadium in his name. Ewell was also inducted into the J.P. McCaskey Athletic Hall of Fame during the school's 50th anniversary year in 1988. Earlier in 1986, he was inducted into the National Track and Field Hall of Fame. Ewell chose not to appeal the ruling. He continued to compete in Australia and New Zealand as a professional. Ewell also won the 1950 Wangaratta Gift, run over 130 yards. Several weeks later he won the World Professional Sprint Championships in Wangaratta, Victoria.

He also took part in the Scottish Border games circuit during the summer of 1950. He lived most of those weeks in the town of Bathgate. He won one of the most prestigious sprints on the Border Games circuit at Jedburgh. Running off scratch over 120 yards he ran a time of 11.37 secs. He also took part in a special invitation race in August that same year to mark his time in Scotland (run as a handicap race) over 120 yards at the famous Powderhall venue. Ewell from the scratch mark lost narrowly to Albert C Charles (off 12.5 yds).

Ewell died in Lancaster, Pennsylvania. He was a member of the Omega Psi Phi fraternity.

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