Art Bragg was the favorite going into the Olympic 100-meter dash. In the United States Olympic Tryouts at the end of June 1952, he had placed first about a foot ahead of second place. Jim Golliday had been Bragg’s strongest competition, but a groin injury in the AAU track meet the week before had prevented Golliday from placing in the Tryouts. The two best 100-meter sprinters from the United States in 1952 were Jim Golliday and Art Bragg. In his semifinal heat at the Olympics, an injury forced Art Bragg to finish last in his heat. His teammate, Dean Smith, held onto Bragg and helped him back to the locker room.  

Claude Newman, “Claude Newman Says:” Valley Times (North Hollywood, CA), June 26, 1952, https://www.newspapers.com; “Moore, Stone Break American Marks: Whitfield Ties Record in 800 Meters,” Los Angeles Times, June 28, 1952, https://www.newspapers.com.; Will Grimsley, “Olympic Team Did Okay: But What Would Have Happened If First Team Had Been Ready?” Associated Press, Morning Call (Allentown, PA), August 6, 1952, https://www.newspapers.com.