Athletics at the 1936 Berlin Summer Games:

In the qualifying, the heavy favorite, Jesse Owens, fouled on his first two jumps. What happened next is now somewhat controversial. But the story has long been told that Germany’s Luz Long, considered Owens’ biggest challenger went over to him and gave him some advice, helping to qualify easily. Some people now say that never occurred. The final was held later that day, and Owens led early, thanks to 7.74 (25-4¾) in round one and 7.87 (25-10) in round two. He then bettered that with 7.94 (26-0¾) in the fifth round and finished with 8.06 (26-5½). All the marks were considered wind-aided. Long challenged in round five with 7.87 (25-10), after jumping 7.84 (25-8¾) in round three. But at the end of the competition, he was the first person to congratulate Owens, with Adolf Hitler watching from the stands.

Whether the story of Long’s aiding Owens in front of Hitler is true or not, it is known that after the long jump, Owens and Long became close friends. Long showed Owens all around Berlin during the rest of the Olympics. After the Olympics they corresponded frequently, at least until Long was killed fighting with Rommel’s Northern African Corps. His last letter to Owens asked him to someday visit his young son in Berlin and tell him about the friendship between the blond Aryan hero, and the black son of an Alabama sharecropper. Which is how, in the early 60s, Jesse Owens came to stand besides Karl Long, as best man at his wedding.