Mike Larrabee (2005) - USC Athletics Hall of Fame

Mike Larrabee

Induction:
2005
Class:
1956

Two-time Olympic gold medalist Mike Larrabee was USC’s first Olympic champion in the 400 meters. The quartermiler lettered 3 years (1954-56) at USC and was a member of the Trojans’ NCAA championship teams in 1954 and 1955. Then, as a 31-year-old high school mathematics teacher who was 8 years removed from USC, he equaled the world record in the 400 (44.9) at the 1964 U.S. Olympic Trials. Ranked No. 1 in the world in the 400 that year, he went on to win that distance in the 1964 Tokyo Olympics in 45.1 and also ran the second leg on the U.S. 1600-meter relay team that won gold in a world record time of 3:00.7. He was inducted into the National track & field hall of fame in 2003. After his running career (he competed for the Southern California Striders following his USC days), he became a beverage distributor. The stadium at his prep alma mater, Ventura High, was renamed Larrabee Stadium in his honor in 1965. He died on April 22, 2003, at age 69.