Career
In 1955 he equalled the then world record for the 100 yards. He was considered the favourite for the 100 metres title at the 1952 Helsinki Olympics but injury denied him a chance to compete. However, the recurrence of a muscle injury suffered in a semi-final of the 1952 Amateur Athletic Union meet meant that he hobbled out of his heat at the 1952 United States Olympic Trials.
I think he was the fastest of us all".
In 1952 he entered the United States Army, and competed on service teams in Europe, before returning to the United States and Northwestern University in 1954. In 1955, he equalled the world record for the 100 yards at 9.3 seconds.
In 1956, he set an indoors world record for the 60 yards dash., but injury again denied him a chance to compete at the 1956 Melbourne Olympics. He trailed in last in his semi-final of the 100 metres due to a muscle injury - another occurrence of the type of injury that plagued him throughout his career.
After retirement, he is reported to have lived in California selling insurance, before returning to Chicago because of ill health.
He died in 1971, aged only 39. The cause of death was listed as pneumonia, a condition he suffered as a complication following surgery for ulcers at Downey Veterans Hospital in Illinois. Golliday was voted by the experts at Track and Field News to be ranked among the best in the United States of America and the world in the 100 yards/meters sprint event in the period from 1951 to 1955.