Francis Valentine Joseph Hussey (February 14, 1905 – December 26, 1974) was an American sprint runner who won a gold medal in the 4 × 100 m relay at the 1924 Summer Olympics.
Early Life and Education
Hussey was born on February 14, 1905, in Harlem, New York City. He attended Stuyvesant High School, where he emerged as a schoolboy track sensation. As a freshman in 1921, he won his first Public School Athletic League (PSAL) 100-yard title with a time of 10.6 seconds. After the 1924 Olympics, he attended Boston College and later Columbia University, where as a freshman he became the leading collegiate runner in America.
Athletic Career
At the 1924 Paris Olympics, Hussey ran the third leg of the American 4 × 100 m relay team, which won the gold medal and set a new world record of 41.0 seconds. His only Amateur Athletic Union (AAU) title came in 1925, when he defeated the renowned Jackson Scholz in the 100-yard dash. The following day, he ran the opening leg for the New York Athletic Club team that won the AAU 4 × 110-yard relay with another world record of 41.4 seconds.
Hussey was considered a main favorite for the gold medal in the 100 m before the 1928 Summer Olympics, but he was eliminated in the heats of the U.S. Olympic Trials.
Personal Bests
- 100 meters: 10.7 seconds (1924)
- 100 yards: 9.6 seconds (1928)
Later Life
After his competitive running career, Hussey worked most of his life as a salesman. He also taught in the New York State Prison System and served as an official at athletics events in his free time. He died on December 26, 1974, in Coxsackie, New York, at the age of 69.
