Bob Mathias (born 1930) was the youngest person ever to win the gold medal in the Olympic decathlon, a feat he accomplished in 1948 at the age of 17. He was also the first person ever to win two Olympic decathlons.

Bob Mathias was born on November 17, 1930, in Tulare, California, the second of four children born to Dr. Charles Milfred and Lillian (Harris) Mathias. With her first child a son, Lillian Mathias had her hopes set on a baby girl for her second child; it is said that she cried when she heard that her new baby was another boy. Even as a baby, however, Mathias displayed a phenomenal level of coordination, a hint of his future talent in sports.

Overcame Anemia to Become Star Athlete

When Mathias was 11 years old, he was found to have a shortage of red blood cells, and his father treated him for anemia. He had...