American Olympic Athlete. Ira first became known when he was a student at Tonakawa, Oklahoma when he established a new world's record for preparatory schools in the 100-yard dash. At the 1908 Oklahoma Interscholastic meet held in Norman he clocked 9.8 in the 100-yard dash. When he won this race he was wearing improvised spikes, running on a clay track and twice had been penalized a yard for a false start thus making him run a 102-yard race. He also won the 100, 200 and 440 races at the national Interscholastic Meet in Chicago in 1908. From there he went on to play half back on the football team for Chicago University which he gave up very soon to center his activities on track. In 1912 he was chosed for the American Olympic Team in Stockholm, Sweden. There were three Americans competing in the 800-meter race. Ted Meredith won the race in a time of 1:51.9. Melvin Sheppard and Davenport tied at 1:52.0 for second place and all of them bettered the existing world record. His world record time for the quarter mile, as run at that time with a mid-course turn, has never been equaled. He went on to coach football teams for the Dubuque post of the American Legion and was head coach at Loras College. He also took part in the very first baseball game in the Olympics, an exhibition game with the Swedes.
American Olympic Athlete. Ira first became known when he was a student at Tonakawa, Oklahoma when he established a new world's record for preparatory schools in the 100-yard dash. At the 1908 Oklahoma Interscholastic meet held in Norman he clocked 9.8 in the 100-yard dash. When he won this race he was wearing improvised spikes, running on a clay track and twice had been penalized a yard for a false start thus making him run a 102-yard race. He also won the 100, 200 and 440 races at the national Interscholastic Meet in Chicago in 1908. From there he went on to play half back on the football team for Chicago University which he gave up very soon to center his activities on track. In 1912 he was chosed for the American Olympic Team in Stockholm, Sweden. There were three Americans competing in the 800-meter race. Ted Meredith won the race in a time of 1:51.9. Melvin Sheppard and Davenport tied at 1:52.0 for second place and all of them bettered the existing world record. His world record time for the quarter mile, as run at that time with a mid-course turn, has never been equaled. He went on to coach football teams for the Dubuque post of the American Legion and was head coach at Loras College. He also took part in the very first baseball game in the Olympics, an exhibition game with the Swedes.
Bio by: Mr. Badger Hawkeye
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