Career
Born in Los Angeles in 1913, Cornelius ("Corny") Johnson first competed in organized track and field events at Berendo Junior High School. He had been second the year before. At the Los Angeles Olympics in 1932, Johnson, who was then an 18-year-old high school student, placed fourth in the high jump under the existing tiebreaker rules.
He repeated at he State Meet in 1933.
During 1934-? Johnson attended Compton College and with coach Herschel Smith continued his high jump career. His technique was described as a panther-like western roll.
At the 1936 United States. Olympic Trials, Johnson set the world record at 6 ft 93⁄4 in (207 m). After the bar was remeasured and everybody celebrated, Dave Albritton equalled Johnson"s record.
Johnson"s winning height of 2.03m was an Olympic record and he tried unsuccessfully for the world record.
After retiring from the high jump, he became a letter carrier for the United States. Post Office in Los Angeles, and in 1945 he joined the United States. Merchant Marine. In 1946, while working as a ship"s baker on board the Grace Lincolnshire"s "Santa Cruz," Johnson developed bronchopneumonia. En route from the ship to a California hospital, Corny Johnson died, aged only 32.
Cornelius Johnson was inducted into the United States of America Track and Field Hall of Fame in 1994, and the California Community Colleges Track and Field Hall of Fame in 1998.
Championships.