The Penn Relays are the oldest and largest track and field competition in the United States and began in 1895. Among those who have run the Penn Relays some well known names are: Jessie Owens, Roger Bannister, Usain Bolt, Buzz Aldrin, Sean “P. Diddy” Combs, Bernie Sanders, Wilma Rudolph, Bob Beamon, Edwin Moses, Joan Benoit Samuelson, and Marion Jones. The Penn Relays are an eclectic set of races, held each Spring, in April. The first relay race was held concurrently with the opening of the original Franklin Field on the campus on UPenn in Philadelphia. Harvard won the first three signature races, the one mile relay. Penn won the race in 1915 setting a world record time of 3 minutes 18 seconds.

Not only do they feature nationally and internationally ranked athletes, but also from junior high schools in the area and high schools nationally. Athletes compete in a variety of sports including Decathlon, Hop, Step and Jump, Javelin and Hammer Throw, but the star of the program is the namesake, the relay races where runners have to hand off their baton to other runners.

Relay program from 1936 features Jesse Owens just prior to his victories in the Berlin Olympics

Jesse Owens competed in the 1936 Relays, representing Ohio State and winning three events (the quarter mile relay, the college medley relay and the half-mile relay). This was several months before he would cross the Atlantic and distinguish himself in the 1936 Berlin Games. Penn has a strong tradition in track and field and for many years the coach of the Penn track and field team was the coach of the U.S. Olympic team including in 1912, 1916, 1920, 1924, 1928, 1932 and 1936.

The historic 1951 Penn Relays program featuring a fast student from Oxford University!

Roger Bannister is listed and pictured in the program, he was entered into the “Benjamin Franklin Invitation Mile Run” representing Oxford and won the race with a time of 4:08:30. In 1954 he would go on to become the first runner ever to break the 4:00:00 barrier running the mile.

Winners of Penn Relay Races receive medals and plaques with the likeness of the the founder of the University of Pennsylvania, Benjamin Franklin, as seen above. Franklin is sitting in his library chair holding a laurel sprig in his left hand. Four nude runners stand facing him in a line all holding hands. The last runner in the line is holding the baton of the relay. Second place finishers receive a silver medal, and third place teams receive bronze. For a number of years winning team members received a gold watch and a giant bronze plaque that the school they represented can display when they returned home.

We have a nice selection of memorabilia from the University of Pennsylvania including many related to the Relay races.