May 25, 1935

Two weeks before the 1935 Big Ten Championships (then known as the Western Championships), Jesse Owens was involved in some playful hi-jinks with his roommates. But the prank backfired and the Ohio State sophomore slipped on water during his getaway, severely injuring his tailbone.

Today in Ann Arbor, Mich., Owens can't even bend over to touch his knees. But as he settles in for his first race, he says the pain "miraculously disappeared." Competing in four events in 45 minutes, Owens puts on the greatest track and field show of all-time, setting three world records and tying a fourth.