John Lindsay Tait (September 25, 1888 – July 10, 1971) was a Canadian athlete. Known as the athletic world's "Boy Wonder", he competed at the 1908 Summer Olympics in London and the 1912 Summer Olympics in Stockholm.
Biography
Tait was born in Toronto, Ontario.
Tait was one of the most versatile middle- and long-distance runners in the world and one of the great milers of his era. In November 1907, he finished just 10 yards behind close friend and sometimes-rival Tom Longboat in the gruelling 15-mile Montreal Marathon road race, with both runners being watched in the streets by a crowd of 200,000. Tait and Longboat duelled and had the time of their young lives three times, in 1907-1908, over the famed 2.5 and 5-mile West End YMCA courses up-and-down the Dovercourt Road—with Tait beating Longboat over 5 miles in July 1907 as a 6-year old Lester Pearson watched in awe from the crowd at the finish line.
Tait ran 4:05 for 1,500 metres at the 1908 Olympic Trials in Rosedale Stadium, Toronto, a Canadian record that stood until 1933. He also won a gold medal in the mile at the Festival of the Empire Sports, the first British Empire Games ever held in London in 1911. Most importantly for him, Canada's team won the championship at Crystal Palace over Great Britain, Australia, and New Zealand. He was awarded both of his pure gold medals by King George V (the 'stutterer's' father). Upon returning to Toronto, his friends and teammates looked on in front of a crowd of 20,000 people outside Old City Hall as Jack Tait sheepishly accepted a new Grandfather Clock from the mayor for his win in the mile. That evening, he received his second great reception in two years inside the Great Hall of the vaunted West End YMCA.
At the 1908 Olympic Games, at just 19 years of age, Tait won his first round heat of the 1500 metres with a time of 4:12.2. Despite the relatively slow time (other heat winners ran as fast as 4:03.4), Tait won by nearly fifty yards. His time in the final was much quicker, at 4:06.8, and he finished in fourth place. Tait also competed in the 1908 marathon and the 5 miles, failing to finish in either event.
After 1911 Tait also found fame as a sports reporter and columnist for the Mail and Empire, Toronto Telegram, Toronto Daily World, and the Toronto Sunday World, co-founding the famous "Yap Yaps Corner" (a popular celebrity sports and humour column) with Mr. Laurie. From 1915 to 1918, he served double duty in The Great War as an artillery gunner in the Canadian Expeditionary Force and as a war correspondent for the Telegram.
In 1912, facing speculative news from doctors that his heart had become enlarged from eight grueling years of training and competition, Tait finished fourth in his heat of the 1500 metres, failing to qualify for the final. He also competed in the marathon, again failing to finish.