James Edwin “Ted” Meredith was at Mercersberg Academy when he began his assault on the track world. He earned his notoriety when he broke the interscholastic 440-yard record twice, once a t a meet in Princeton, N.J., and once on Franklin Field. In 1912 at the age of 19, Meredith won the 800-meter competition at the Stockholm Olympics ? a race where the top four finishers all ran under the world record. He won a second gold medal running a leg of the 1,600-meter relay as well.
Meredith enrolled at the University of Pennsylvania, and during a two-week span onf the 1916 season, he set two more world records in the 880-yard race and setting the 440-yard mark as well. He would lower his 440 time in IC4A competition that same year. Overall, Meredith won four combined IC4A championships in the 880- and 440-yard runs.
Prior to his record-setting season, Meredith was the U.S. National champion in the 440-yard run in 1914 and 1915. He won five All-America distinctions, three times for the 440-yard competition and two for the 800. Meredith is a member of the National Track Hall of Fame.
