The Resume

(February 3, 1918-January 17, 1994)
Born in Fulton, Missouri
Won 14 Amateur Athletic Union (AAU) titles in sprints, discus and shot put (1935-36)
Won gold medals in the 100 meters and 4x100 meter relay at the Berlin Olympics (1936)
Held the world record in the 100 meters (1936-60)
Toured with the House of David baseball team (1937-38)
Founder/owner/manager of the Helen Stephens Olympic Co-Eds semi-pro basketball team (1938-52)
Nicknamed 'the Fulton Flash' and 'Missouri Express'

Why she might be annoying:

When she competed at the 1935 AAU Championships, she was so new to track she had to borrow a sweatsuit and cleats (1935).
When she was congratulated on beating Stella Walsh's record in the 50-meter dash, her response was 'Who's Stella Walsh?'
After her Olympic victory, HItler invited her to his private box and called her 'a true Aryan type.'
She retired from amateur sports after only two and a half years, complaining that she was bored by a lack of competition.

Why she might not be annoying:

She said about working on the family farm, 'From the time I was a small child, I was in training, only I didn't know it.'
Hitler also invited her to spend a weekend at his retreat at Berchtesgaden and to compete for Germany; she declined both offers.
She was never defeated in a running event during her career.
She joined the Marine Reserves during WWII.
In her 60s, she returned to running in the Senior Olympics, and over a seven-year period was again never defeated.

Credit: C. Fishel

Featured in the following Annoying Collections:

• Associated Press Female Athlete of the Year (Ranked: 1936)
• C. Fishel's Profiles [Series 36]
• Celebrities Born on the Same Date [February] (Ranked: 2031918)
• I am a U.S. Marine
• I Died in 1994 (Ranked: 75)
• I Own a Sports Team
• Lesbians
• Librarians
• Look at Me, I'm with Hitler
• National Women's Hall of Fame (Ranked: 1993)
• Profiles 31251-31500 (Ranked: 31474)
• Track and Field
• We Died on the Same Day (Ranked: 19940117)

Year In Review:

For 2024, as of last weekly ranking, Out of 4 Votes: 100% Annoying
In 2023, Out of 1 Votes: 0% Annoying
In 2022, Out of 4 Votes: 0% Annoying
In 2021, Out of 6 Votes: 66.67% Annoying
In 2020, Out of 5 Votes: 60.0% Annoying
In 2019, Out of 3 Votes: 66.67% Annoying
In 2018, Out of 16 Votes: 37.50% Annoying
In 2017, Out of 2 Votes: 100% Annoying
In 2016, Out of 7 Votes: 71.43% Annoying
In 2015, Out of 5 Votes: 40.0% Annoying
In 2014, Out of 21 Votes: 47.62% Annoying
In 2013, Out of 13 Votes: 61.54% Annoying
In 2012, Out of 13 Votes: 46.15% Annoying
In 2011, Out of 21 Votes: 28.57% Annoying