Harold “Hal” Davis (1921-2007) was a Salinas boy, who began his collegiate sprinting career at Salinas Junior College (now Hartnell). By the summer of 1940, the press began labeling him as the “World’s Fastest Human,” the “California Comet,” and “Hurryin’ Hal.”
Notoriously slow off the blocks, Davis had a remarkable kick at the end of a race. At the 1940 AAU Outdoor National Championships at Fresno, he broke the meet mark for the 100m with a 10.3s performance and shattered the 200m national senior mark with 20.4s. A year later he tied Jesse Owens’ world record in the 100m dash of 10.2s. He was twice timed at a world-record breaking 20.2s in the 200m, but the races were deemed “wind-aided.” He dominated the AAU from 1940 to 1943, winning the 100m three times and the 200m four times. After he transferred to the University of California, Berkeley, he won national collegiate titles in the 100 and 220-yard dashes in 1942 and 1943.
Davis competed for the Club from 1940 to 1943, joining a team dynasty that won back-to-back-to-back outdoor national AAU team titles 1939 to1941 and finished second in 1942 and 1943. Had there been a 1940 Olympics, the the OC team, shown above, would certainly have represented the United States well. It was considered the best track and field team in 50 years and included world-record holders Cornelius Warmerdam, Grover Klemmer, and Les Steers.
Davis joined the Marine Corps in 1943, served as a corporal in the 2nd Marine Division, and was discharged in 1946. He would attempt a comeback on the track that year, but sustained a serious hamstring injury. He never competed competitively again.
