Carl Ludwig Long

…it was German long jumper Carl Ludwig (“Luz”) Long who aided Owens through a bad start in the long jump competition. Owens was flustered to learn that what he had thought was a practice jump had been counted as his first attempt. Unsettled, he foot-faulted the second attempt. Before Owens’s…

…his last jump, German competitor Carl Ludwig (“Luz”) Long approached Owens. Popular accounts suggest that Long told Owens to place a towel several inches in front of the takeoff board. With Owens’s jumping ability, Long felt this maneuver would allow him to safely qualify for the finals. Owens used the…