Tommie Smith began life quietly, born to Richard and Dora Smith on June 6, 1944, in Clarksville, Texas, the seventh of 12 children. Tommie Smith survived a life-threatening bout of pneumonia as an infant. Although born in Clarksville, Texas, Tommie began his incredible career in Lemoore, California, when as a fourth grade student he was asked to race against the fastest runner in the school - incidentally, his sister. He went on to become the only man in the history of track and field to hold eleven world records in athletics simultaneously. By the time he graduated from high school, he had been voted “Most Valuable Athlete” three years straight, in basketball, football, and track and field.