He was born on September 2, 1944, in Nimmons, Arkansas, and was the son of Dud C. and Dollie Delores (Diggs) Lewis. -. Carl Lewis was part of the outrage in the recent American effort during the 4100 relays at the Tokyo Olympics. However, those times were never ratified as records. Lewis was a dominant sprinter and long jumper who topped the world rankings in the 100m, 200m and long jump events frequently from 1981 to the early 1990s. We were all working and praying that a day like this wouldnt come, and it came anyway. Please share Carl's obituary if available, or write one in your own words to preserve his memory. 2023 MediaMass All rights reserved. But though Myricks had joined Lewis in surpassing 28ft0in(8.53m) the year before, he failed to qualify for the American team, and Lewis won at Helsinki with relative ease. [32], Lewis started his quest to match Owens with a convincing win in the 100m, running 9.99s to defeat his nearest competitor, fellow American Sam Graddy, by 0.2s. In his next event, the long jump, Lewis won with relative ease. Earl Lewis, age 82, passed away peacefully at home on September 15th. The Carl Lewis Foundation is a fundraising charity in memory of Carl Lewis. Some pointed out that the news had not been carried on any major American network, indicating that it was a fake report, as the death of an athlete of Carl Lewis' stature would be major news across networks. Following his death from pancreatic cancer at the age of 34, Carl's family and friends set out to honour his memory and to create a legacy in his name, funding causes supporting both cancer care and research, as well as the environment. The 44-year-old was the executive chef of La Cubana and a star of "Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives" and "Guy's Grocery Games." in Journalism and Southern Studies. He graduated from Hopkins High School in 1947. Carl Lewis, Ben Johnson & Scandal. March 27, 1938 - September 15, 2020. His 65 consecutive victories in the long jump achieved over a span of 10 years is one of the sport's longest undefeated streaks. RASHAD LEWIS OBITUARY. Carl was a Georgia native and passionate civic tech activist in Savannah and he was one of the founding board members of Reform Georgia. His low-altitude record had been surpassed by fellow American Mel Lattany with a time of 9.96s shortly before the 1984 Olympics,[42] but his biggest challenger would prove to be Canadian Ben Johnson, the bronze medalist behind Lewis at the 1984 Olympics. This was a football coach taking a team to the Super Bowl and losing 99-0 because they were completely ill-prepared, Lewis told USA Today. Carl proudly served in the U.S. Navy. As a result of that perception, the swath of endorsements he expected after his winning performances never came. However the January 2023 report has now been confirmed as a complete hoax and just the latest in a string of fake celebrity death reports. His long-jump mark that year of 26-8 ended up setting a new national prep record. Lewis was deemed to be the world record holder for his 1988 Olympic performance and declared the 1987 100m World Champion. Site. Lewis has appeared in numerous films and television productions. He was 44. Mr. Lewis had been a resident of Madison since 2006. Carl Lewis, 78, of Washington Township, New Jersey, passed away on Monday, April 5, 2021. Daniel Carl Porter, 53, of Wellsburg, WV passed away January 13, 2023, at Washington Hospital, Washington, PA. Lewis, 19 years old, was a talented player well-known in the city. "use strict";(function(){var insertion=document.getElementById("citation-access-date");var date=new Date().toLocaleDateString(undefined,{month:"long",day:"numeric",year:"numeric"});insertion.parentElement.replaceChild(document.createTextNode(date),insertion)})(); Subscribe to the Biography newsletter to receive stories about the people who shaped our world and the stories that shaped their lives. Those who read the 'About' page were given a believable account of the American athlete's passing: " At about 11 a.m. Powell, jumping first, had faltered in the first round, but jumped 8.54m (28ft 0in) to claim second place in the second round. [83][87] According to the IOC rules at the time, positive tests with levels lower than 10 ppm were cause of further investigation but not immediate ban. In addition, Lewis was quite vocal against fellow athletes who'd been caught or were perceived to be, using steroids to gain a competitive advantage. Cameron Burrell, Carl Lewis' godson who was a track champion at Houston, dies by suicide at 26 . Thomas said he hopes that this tragedy will be an end to a horrific year in Compton. Carl Lewis. I have no children, DawnBurrellsaid. His behavior in winning this event stoked controversy, even as knowledgeable observers agreed that his tactics were correct. His parents, LeRoy and Michele Finn-Burrell, and aunt, Dawn Burrell, are Olympians. Nike was faced with Lewis's new negative image and dropped him after the Games. In the 4 100m relay, Lewis anchored the gold-medal team to a time of 37.90s, the third-fastest of all time. Johnson won the race with a time of 9.79 seconds, which . Powell responded with a long foul, estimated to be around 8.80m (28ft 10+14in). Records obtained by the media have shown that Cameron Burrell - who was the godson of iconic sprinter Carl Lewis - died by suicide after a medical examiner inspected his body this week and listed the cause of death. He graduated from Alba High School in 1956 and attended Midwest Bible College in Stanberry Missouri. [5] At age 13, Lewis began competing in the long jump, and he emerged as a promising athlete while coached by Andy Dudek and Paul Minore at Willingboro High School in his hometown of Willingboro Township, New Jersey. "[15] When he gained prominence in the early 1980s, all the extant men's 100m and 200m records and the long jump record had been set at the high altitude of Mexico City. In 2011, he attempted to run for a seat as a Democrat in the New Jersey Senate, but was removed from the ballot due to the state's residency requirement. [61] Lewis was up against his main rival of the last few years, Mike Powell, the silver medalist in the event from the 1988 Olympics and the top-ranked long jumper of 1990. He was born March 10, 1928, to Henry and Florence (Vanderlin . Its overwhelming.. These kids need help, said Thomas. West Virginia. While initially short for his age, Lewis underwent a traumatic growth spurt at the age of 15, shooting up two and a half inches in just a month, forcing him to get around on crutches until his body could adjust to the change. In aninterview with USA Today, he called the showing a clown show.. Though Ben Johnson's 9.79 s time was never ratified as a world record, the 9.83 s he ran the year before was. October 21, 2022. A tumultuous season impacted by injuries and COVID shutdowns have left the defending Moore League champions with a condensed schedule and a roster still working towards cohesion with all its top players available once again. Lewis said, "If they asked me, I'd run it in a second. [98] Two weeks later he was disqualified by Lieutenant Governor and secretary of state, Kim Guadagno, as he did not meet the state's requirement that Senate candidates live in New Jersey for four years. In 2010, Lewis was inducted into the New Jersey Hall of Fame. [106], At a 2019 Pan American Games news conference, and in the aftermath of the deadly El Paso and Dayton shootings, Lewis called then-U.S. President Donald Trump "a racist who is prejudiced, misogynistic, who doesn't value anyone outside of himself". December 30, 1933 . Index record for Carl Lewis in the Social Security Death Index from Social Security Administration, historical military records. Nine gold and one Olympic silver. Cemeteries; About; Contacts; Search. In the 100 meters, Lewis was transcendent, setting an Olympic record by besting the next closest runner by a record eight feet. Olympic legend Carl Lewis is mourning the death of his godson, former NCAA track champion Cameron Burrell. In response to a question about his skipping a 1982 long jump competition at altitude, he said, "I want the record and I plan to get it, but not at altitude. [11] At year's end, he was ranked sixth in the world in the long jump and seventh in the 100m.[9][12], At the start of 1981, Lewis's best legal long jump was his high school record from 1979. He thus lost his first long jump competition in a decade. Where as some trusting fans believed the post, others were immediately skeptical of the report, perhaps learning their lesson from the huge amount of fake death reports emerging about celebrities over recent months. He died on November 22, 1963, in Headington, Oxford. [83][84], Lewis was among the named athletes and Exum's documents revealed that at the 1988 Olympics trials he had three positive results on a combined test for pseudoephedrine, ephedrine, and phenylpropanolamine. Carl passed away on May 7 1997, at age 65. When William Lewis died of cancer at age 60, Lewis placed the gold medal he won for the 100m in 1984 in his hand to be buried with him. What are they supposed to think of things when this keeps happening?. Info Memorials Comments Browse. "Who cares? In the 200m, Lewis dipped under his Olympic record from 1984, running 19.79 s, but did so in second place to Joe DeLoach, who claimed the new record and Olympic gold in 19.75 s. In the final event he entered, the 4 100m relay, Lewis never made it to the track as the Americans fumbled an exchange in a heat and were disqualified. It became personal because I know the kid and this is the third athlete in Compton in four months, she said. October 26, 1938 - May 10, 2021. He was born May 16, 1942 in Custer, South Dakota; Carl was the son of Clark and Mabel (Gray) Wilson. Death date. Among them, he played himself in cameos in Perfect Strangers, Speed Zone, Alien Hunter and Material Girls. In the 100m final, Lewis faced the two men who ranked number one in the world the past two years: Burrell and Jamaican Raymond Stewart. Carl Lewis Speaks Out After Tragic Death of Godson and Former NCAA Track Champ Cameron Burrell. Photo: Carl Ruiz/Twitter. Your National Anthem still overshadows your track and field greatness", "Carl Lewis blasts Donald Trump as "racist, misogynistic'", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Carl_Lewis&oldid=1132832781. [14], Also in 1981, Lewis became the fastest 100m sprinter in the world. 1 in the event, an astonishing 15 years after first claiming the top spot. Like Thomas and Williams, Langston said he worries about the toll that the killings are taking not just on the affected families, but on youth all over Compton who are separated from the schools and sports teams that have been their tether to structure and order in a chaotic world. Carl Lewis, 60, was born in Birmingham, Alabama to a family of athletes. Some fans have expressed anger at the fake report saying it was reckless, distressing and hurtful to fans of the much loved athlete. And when the next guy comes along and beats me, I won't complain about that either". [67], Lewis' reaction to what was one of the greatest competitions ever in the sport was to offer acknowledgment of the achievement of Powell. [63][64], Lewis' first jump was 8.68m (28ft 5+12in), a World Championship record, and a mark bested by only three others beside Lewis all-time. He retired in 1997. Additionally, he won the James E. Sullivan Award as the top amateur athlete in the United States. Johnson had run under 10.00 s three times in the year before Rome,[46] while Lewis had not managed to get under the 10.00 s barrier at all. Share with your friends. But they haven't asked me to run it." All these kids now are seeing the footage of what happened on the news, how are they supposed to feel? The Guardianreported that the former Olympian was not pleased with the teams sixth-place showing. Frederick Carlton Lewis OLY (born July 1, 1961) is an American former track and field athlete who won nine Olympic gold medals, one Olympic silver medal, and 10 World Championships medals, including eight gold. Is Carl Lewis secretly gay and hiding in the closet. Track star Cameron Burrell -- the godson of legendary sprinter Carl Lewis -- died by suicide, TMZ Sports has learned. But in 2003 Lewis had to admit that he himself had tested positive for banned substances during the 1988 U.S. Olympic trials. The USOC claimed his case "baseless" as he himself was the one in charge of screening the anti-doping test program of the organization and clarifying that the athletes were cleared according to the rules. . Food Network star Carl Ruiz has died. Quotations by Carl Lewis, American Athlete, Born July 1, 1961. According toPeople.com, the 26-year-old Burrell took his life on Aug. 9. Celebration of Life Visitation Service for Mr. Lewis will be held on Friday, July 22, 2022 . Church Seventh-day Adventist Church. aged 82, late of Bartlett Tenantry, Sargeants Village, Christ Church. After retiring from his athletics career, Lewis became an actor and has appeared in a number of films. Two months later, the Chicago Bulls selected the track and field star in the 10th round of the NBA draft. Lewis, 19 years old, was a talented player well-known in the city. Please ignore rumors and hoaxes. Carl Thomas Lewis, age 66 of Isonville, Kentucky, passed away Friday, November 29, 2019 at his home after an extended illness. He was a long time resident of Brecksville until two years ago when he moved to Medina. He set world records in the 100m, 4 100m and 4 200m relays, while his world record in the indoor long jump has stood since 1984. Wallechinsky and Loucky, The Complete Book of the Olympics (2012 edition), page 61. won a gold medal in the same individual event, International Association of Athletics Federations, List of multiple Olympic gold medalists at a single Games, List of multiple Olympic gold medalists in one event, 100 metres at the World Championships in Athletics, List of multiple Summer Olympic medalists, "William Lewis, Track Coach and Father of Olympic Star", "Jersey Siblings Rival the Best in Track and Field", "Long Jump Result 1st IAAF World Championships in Athletics iaaf.org", "WORTH NOTING; Carl Lewis Takes Honors, But Not at His Home Track", "Men's World Rankings by Athlete: Long Jump", "1st IAAF World Championships in Athletics > Long Jump men > Final", "100 Metres Men: 1st IAAF World Championships in Athletics", "200 Metres Men: 1st IAAF World Championships in Athletics", "4x100 Metres Relay Men: 1st IAAF World Championships in Athletics", "T&FN's WORLD MEN'S ATHLETES OF THE YEAR", "TV Review; ABC'S Coverage of the Olympics", "ESPN Classic King Carl had long, golden reign", "2nd IAAF World Championships in Athletics > Long Jump men > Final result", "4x100 Metres Relay Men: 2nd IAAF World Championships in Athletics", "100 Metres Men: 2nd IAAF World Championships in Athletics", "Ambition naivety and tantalising prospect of inheriting the world", "St. Petersburg Times: Top 100 sports stories", "Athletics Results Seoul 1988 Olympic Medals", "12th IAAF World Championships In Athletics: IAAF Statistics Handbook. Its time to finish the mission. In 2003, Wade Exum, the United States Olympic Committee's director of drug control administration from 1991 to 2000, gave copies of documents to Sports Illustrated that revealed that some 100 American athletes failed drug tests from 1988 to 2000, arguing that they should have been prevented from competing in the Olympics but were nevertheless cleared to compete. Carl "Earl" Lewis. (Lewis and Nike eventually did split, and Lewis signed an endorsement deal with Mizuno.) Any member of the American Olympic men's track and field team could be used, even if they had not qualified for the relay event. West Virginia; Putnam County; . An LBC native, Mike Guardabascio has been covering Long Beach sports professionally for 13 years, with his work published in dozens of Southern California magazines and newspapers. As news of Ruiz's death reached his friends and . Lewis also appeared in the film The Last Adam (2006). Outdoors, Lewis jumped 14 of the 20 furthest ancillary jumps of all time. Lewis returned for the 1988 Olympics in Seoul, where all eyes were on Lewis and Ben Johnson of Canada. He was born in Waycross to the late Grady Carl Lewis and Bonita Hanchey Lewis. When did Carl Eugene Lewis pass away? [88][89], "Carl did nothing wrong. His winning leap of 8.55m (28ft 12in) defeated silver medalist Jason Grimes by 0.26m (10in). He was born January 13, 1917, in Fort Branch, Ind., to Carl B and Lucille Triplett Lewis. Houston went on to win the 4100-meter relay in the team competition that year. The IAAF also declared that Lewis had also, therefore, twice tied the "true" world record (9.93 s) for his 1987 World Championship performance, and again at the 1988 Zrich meet where he defeated Johnson. That caused me to re-educate myself to being the very best I possibly can be this season," he said, after defeating Johnson in Zrich on August 17. Olympic great Carl Lewis congratulates his son, Pvt. [8] By the end of 1979, Lewis was ranked fifth in the world for the long jump, according to Track and Field News. He failed as an actor, singer and politician. Earl was born on March 27 1938, to Carl and Gladys Lewis in Carthage Missouri. I did 18 years of track and field and I've been retired for five years, and they're still talking about me, so I guess I still have it. Born . By the time Lewis was a senior in high school, he was one of the premier track and field high school athletes in the country. Lewis's next jump made history: the first leap ever beyond Bob Beamon's record. I start tomorrow with an added purpose. Lewis easily won gold, and Gary Honey of Australia settled for the silver medal with a jump of 8.24m (27ft 14in). Lewis competed at the 4th World Championships in Stuttgart in 1993, but finished fourth in the 100m,[75] and did not compete in the long jump. The Carl Lewis Foundation is a fundraising charity in memory of Carl Lewis. At the TAC Championships on June 19, he set a new low-altitude record in the long jump, 8.79m (28ft 10in)[24] and earned the world number one ranking in that event. A funeral mass was held on Thursday, October 27th 2022 at 12:00 PM at the . In addition to Lewis, Camerons family was one of the most successful track and field groups in the United States. We strive for accuracy and fairness. "[38] Coca-Cola had offered a lucrative deal to Lewis before the Olympics, but Lewis and Douglas turned it down, confident that Lewis would be worth more after the Olympics. [58] Lewis also permanently lost his ranking as number one for the 200m in 1988 and for the 100m in 1989. . By Gina Vivinetto. Burrell was a standout at the University of Houston from 2013 to 2018. I guess this post serves as a cry for help right now because, for the first time, my battle is too much to bear. In all, Lewis won nine gold medals, including a final gold in 1996 in the long jump. Lewis went on to compete in three more Games: the 1988 Olympics in Seoul, South Korea; the 1992 Games in Barcelona, Spain; and the 1996 Games in Atlanta. A native of Princeton, Indiana, he was the son of the late Carlton Lewis and Betty White Lewis. A recent poll conducted for the Celebrity Post shows that a large majority (84%) of respondents think those Carl Lewis death rumors are not funny anymore. ), This page was last edited on 10 January 2023, at 20:30. [13], While marks set at the thinner air of high altitude are eligible for world records,[14] Lewis was determined to set his records at sea level. Carl Lewis at Moment of Peace, London 2012 Olympic Games (Andy Miah/Flickr) A few weeks ago marked the 30 th anniversary of perhaps the greatest track and field duel of all time. "A lot happened to me last year, especially the death of my father. Powell had not only jumped 4cm further than Lewis, he had eclipsed the 23-year-old mark set by Bob Beamon and done so at low altitude. Carl E. Lewis, 56, passed away on Saturday, October 25, 2008. Lisa Marie Presley, 54, dies after suffering 'full cardiac arrest' at home Already sponsored by Nike when he was a student at the University of Houston, Lewis unsuccessfully tried to bat back the perception at the 1984 Games that he cared more about his commercial appeal than about the Olympics themselves. Share to Facebook . "If you're a male athlete, I think the American public wants you to look macho", said Don Coleman, a Nike representative. [100][101], As of 2018, Lewis serves as an assistant track coach at his alma mater, the University of Houston. Cameron Burrell, a former national champion 100-meter sprinter at the University of Houston and the son of . Carl B. Lewis, age 96, died Sunday, February 10, 2013, at his home in The Jefferson in Madison, Wisconsin. In 2011, Lewis appeared in the short documentary Challenging Impossibility which features the feats of strength demonstrated by the late spiritual teacher and peace advocate Sri Chinmoy. However, in the fallout to the steroid scandal, an inquiry was called in Canada wherein Johnson admitted under oath to long-time steroid use. Also, in 2018, he was the anchor on the Cougars NCAA national championship defense. He won numerous gold and silver medals before his retirement in 1997. Dud "Carl" Lewis, 77, of Nimmons, Arkansas, passed away February 19, 2022. He was 44. [90] In an April 2003 interview, Lewis agreed that he tested positive three times in 1988 but he was let off as that was the normal practice in those times. Carl Lewis Long March 15, 1928 - June 12, 2019 Carl Lewis Long, age 91 of Cataula, GA passed away on June 12, 2019 at EAMC-Lanier Nursing Home in Valley, AL. "Don't worry," he told his mother. He added, "I could run 9.8 or faster in the 100 if I could jump into drugs right away. IN THE CARE OF. You may also light a candle in honor of . He's still alive and well, stop believing what you see on the Internet, they said. "The best race of my life," Lewis said. Carl Lewis. That's what Carl lacks. Getty. He is one of only six Olympic athletes who won a gold medal in the same individual event in four consecutive Olympic Games. Funeral Home Tudor's Funeral Home. Carl lived in 1935, at address, Missouri. Lewis retired from track and field in 1997. Carl Lewis. "[71] Lewis's 1991 outstanding results earned him the ABC's Wide World of Sports Athlete of the Year, an award he shared with gymnastics star Kim Zmeskal. Neal Benowitz, a professor of medicine at UC San Francisco who is an expert on ephedrine and other stimulants, agreed in 2003 that "These [levels] are what you'd see from someone taking cold or allergy medicines and are unlikely to have any effect on performance. His long jump world record stood for 25 years. [65], In the next round, Powell responded. Carl L Lewis in 1940 United States Federal Census. Carl Lewis ' Facebook page attracted nearly one million of 'likes'. "[71] Track and Field News was prepared to go even further than that, suggesting that after these Championships, "It had become hard to argue that he is not the greatest athlete ever to set foot on track or field. And as usual, Twittersphere was frenzied over the death hoax. "[34] So, when Lewis decided not to make any more attempts to try to break the record, he was loudly booed. Lewis looked strong in the heats of the 100m, setting a Championship record in the semi-final while running into a wind with a 10.03 s effort. Published on September 22, 2019 02:15 PM. A memorial service will be held Sunday, November 6, 2022 at 2pm here at Crafton Funeral Home. In 2016, Lewis was inducted into the Texas Track and Field Coaches Association Hall of Fame.[96]. "Everyone there was so scared and so cynical they did not know what to do." The young man made the move to Sudbury for the 2019-2020 season. "Life is about timing." - Carl Lewis. It is with deep sorrow that we announce the death of Carl Wayne Lewis of Franklin, Kentucky, born in Princeton, Indiana, who passed away on November 2, 2022, leaving to mourn family and friends. At the time of his death, he was 66 years, 9 months, and 21 days old. Frederick Carlton "Carl" Lewis (born July 1, 1961) is an American former track and field athlete, who won 10 Olympic medals, including nine gold, and 10 World Championships medals, including eight gold. Lewis himself had often stated it was a goal of his to surpass the mark. (Ancillary marks are those that are valid, but were not the furthest in a series. Days after graduating from high school in 1979, Lewis broke the high school long jump record with a leap of 8.13m (26ft 8in). Lewis ended up ranked second behind Soviet Robert Emmiyan, who had the longest legal jump of the year at 8.61m (28ft 2+34in). TRAGIC DEATH. Thank you for the love and support. Evelyn Lewis, co-founder of the Willingboro Track Club and mother of track and field legends Carl and Carol Lewis, died on Tuesday. Recent books include The Green State in Africa (Yale University Press, 2016), Global Justice: The Basics (Routledge, 2016, with Huw L. Williams), Governing Sustainable Development: Partnerships, Protests and Power at the World Summit (Routledge, 2010) and three . [3] His elder brother Cleveland Lewis played professional soccer for the Memphis Rogues. [81], Controversy struck when, as Track and Field News put it, "Lewis' attitude in the whole relay hoo-hah a few days later served only to take the luster off his final gold. He also played Stu in the made-for-TV movie Atomic Twister. Lewis will move on to Advanced . He risked injury in the cool conditions of the day if he over-extended himself, and his ultimate goal to win four golds might be at risk. Obituary Services Memories and Condolences . Bakim Lewis, on graduating Basic Combat Training Feb. 5, 2015, at Hilton Field on Fort Jackson, S.C. Pvt. At the Games in Barcelona, Lewis jumped 8.67m (28ft 5+14in) in the first round of the long jump, beating Powell who did a final-round 8.64m (28ft 4in). He served his country for 15 years in the United States Navy as . Ive been looking at pictures of him all day and it hurts so much, said Langston. KMB.. Carl Wayne Lewis, age 63, of Franklin, died Wednesday, November 2, 2022 at his residence. He is the third teenaged basketball player to be shot and killed in Compton in the last four months, with the tragic killings of 14 . Thanks to John Martin for the video, visit the562.org to find out how you c. Birth date. Amateurism is the strongest form of . [65] Lewis jumped 8.83m (28ft 11+12in), a wind-aided leap, in the third round, a mark that would have won all but two long jump competitions in history. He was born in Heggerstown, MD, on November 5, 1959, to the late Carl Lewis Sr. and Juanita Heavener Lewis. Lewis, on the other hand, was in good form. Zafir was a standout at Poly and knew Carl from being a part of the same tightknit basketball community that spans Compton and Long Beach. [44] Lewis cleared 8.60m (28ft 2+12in) four times. He was 83 years old. In 1981, he was named the top U.S. amateur athlete after becoming just the second person in NCAA history to win the 100 meters and long jump at the college championships. Carl Lewis, 60, won nine gold medals and one silver medal at four different Olympics. The wind gauge indicated the jump was wind-aided, so it could not be considered a record, but it would still count in the competition. Carl Ruiz, Guy Fieri. She has to deal with that. Powell had been unable to defeat Lewis, despite sometimes putting in jumps near world-record territory, only to see them ruled fouls[62] or, as with other competitors such as Larry Myricks, putting in leaps that Lewis himself had only rarely surpassed, only to see Lewis surpass them on his next or final attempt. [40] Similarly, Lewis was drafted by the Dallas Cowboys as a wide receiver in the 12th round of the 1984 NFL Draft, even though he did not play football in college. Lewis worked with Tellez and adapted his technique so that he was able to jump without pain, and he went on to win the 1980 National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) title with a wind-assisted jump of 8.35m (.mw-parser-output .frac{white-space:nowrap}.mw-parser-output .frac .num,.mw-parser-output .frac .den{font-size:80%;line-height:0;vertical-align:super}.mw-parser-output .frac .den{vertical-align:sub}.mw-parser-output .sr-only{border:0;clip:rect(0,0,0,0);height:1px;margin:-1px;overflow:hidden;padding:0;position:absolute;width:1px}27ft 4+12in). Home. In response to the accusations, Johnson replied "When Carl Lewis was winning everything, I never said a word against him. UPDATE 18/01/2023 : This story seems to be false. Mr. Carl Virgil Lewis, 30, passed away suddenly Wednesday (October 16, 2019) at his apartment in Savannah, GA. in Journalism and Southern . . His athleticism was so spectacular that the Dallas Cowboys drafted Lewis, who'd never played a down of college football, in the 12th round of the 1984 NFL draft. A television advertisement with Beamon appeared before the final, featuring the record-holder saying, "I hope you make it, kid. Records show the 26-year-old's manner of death . [30] Lewis was again named Athlete of the Year by the magazine. I start tomorrow with an added purpose. Lewis qualified for the American team for the 1980 Olympics in the long jump and as a member of the 4 100m relay team. But after I thought about it, I realized that they were booing because they wanted to see more of Carl Lewis. He never played in the NFL either. [95] In 2000 his alma mater University of Houston named the Carl Lewis International Complex after him. [37], Additionally, rumors circulated at that time that Lewis was gay, and though Lewis denied the rumors, they probably hurt his marketability as well. I don't get it."[92]. World Athletics also reviewed in 1988 the relevant documents with the athletes' names undisclosed and stated that "the medical committee felt satisfied, however, on the basis of the information received that the cases had been properly concluded by the USOC as 'negative cases' in accordance with the rules and regulations in place at the time and no further action was taken".