Percy Beard

Percy Morris Beard (born January 26, 1908 in Hardinsburg, Kentucky, died March 27, 1990) was a former American athlete. He was a world-class hurdler with both Auburn University and the New York A.C. He set a world recordof 14.2 in the 120-yard high hurdles in 1931 and tied the record in 1934. A seven-time National AAU high hurdles champion, Beard was the silver medalist at the 1932 Olympic Games, finishing second to George Sailing . Beard later became an outstanding coach at the University of Florida from 1937 to 1964. He used his civil engineering education in the development of all-weather tracks. He died in Gainesville, Florida.