- Born
- Birth nameRobert Beamon
- Height6′ 3″ (1.91 m)
- Bob Beamon was born on August 29, 1946 in Jamaica, Queens, New York City, New York, USA. He is an actor, known for Goldengirl (1979), Fists of Freedom: The Story of the '68 Summer Games (1999) and Salute (2008).
- Won the long jump event in the 1968 Summer Olympics with a leap of 29 feet 2½ inches, which bettered the previous world record of 21¾ inches. The record stood until 1991.
- Inducted into the U.S. Olympic Hall of Fame, 1983 (charter member).
- Attended the University of Texas but was dropped from the track team when he refused to compete in a meet at Brigham Young University due to Mormon doctrine about blacks. He transferred to Adelphi University in New York where he graduated in 1972.
- Received an offer to play for the Harlem Magicians basketball team but turned it down to concentrate on track & field.
- Attended Jamaica High School in Queens, New York graduating in 1966.
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