Testimonials
Testimonials
Amazon Testimonials & Customer Reviews
You’ve captured the heart
You’ve captured the heart and soul and spirit of a man’s legacy Dr. Joshua “Josh” Culbreath ❤️
I don’t read much
I don’t read much but I’m drawn into this awesome book.
Your book is filled
Your book is filled with inspiring words and quotes being carried over to every page. You are such a blessing.
Wow! I was so amazed
Wow! I was so amazed at the life of Josh Culbreath. I couldn’t put the book down!! So much information about an accomplished Olympic Medalist from Norristown, PA. Excellent sports biography!
Beautifully written, heartfelt
Beautifully written, heartfelt memorialized tribute to the memory of Josh Culbreath. It was wonderful to read into his life and legacy. And the added bonus of pictures of all the wonderful celebrities and others he called friend. Good job.
The Olympian Leap
The Olympian Leap: The Life and Legacy of Josh Culbreath
Family friend, Mrs. Gloria Johnson
Josh was in high school when he lived in a small neighborhood section of Norristown, PA. He ran up the hill from the bottom of Arch and Oak Streets all the way to the top of High Street to strengthen his legs
Granville Ungerleider
Josh was one of my coaches. In those days, I ran the 880 and the 440, which are the 400 and 800. Josh tried to get me to do the hurdles many times. I was scared of the damn thing. I just did not have any rhythm
So my hat is off
So, my hat is off to guys like Josh Culbreath, Mal Whitfield, Herb Douglas, Harrison Dillard, Lee Calhoun, Fred Thompson from the Brooklyn Atoms—all of these gentlemen were true heroes to me and true mentors
Foreword written by Olympic gold medalist Dr. Edwin Moses. Excerpt from the book, The Olympian Leap: The Life and Legacy of Josh Culbreath, page 2
The Olympic Trials—I was at LA Coliseum competing but did not make the team. But Josh did, and he won third and received the bronze medal, and that same guardian angel traveled with him 2000 miles all the way to Melbourne.
Dear Friend, Al Cantello’s Remembrance of Josh. Excerpt from the book, The Olympian Leap: The Life and Legacy of Josh Culbreath, page 37
Al Cantello’s Reflections about Josh
3/22/2022 – He said, “I got the pepper.” Al Cantello told me this was Josh’s favorite saying.
3/22/2022 – Al Cantello told me, “He loved to prepare, and count every step before a race. He had the rhythm for the whole race. Everybody thought he prepared too much.
11/28/2022
Al Cantello said about Josh, “He counted steps. He would do 40 steps. The last three hurdles, he would do 44 steps, he took shorter steps else he would get tired. Josh was 5’7. Because of his height, Josh made a science and concentrated on the intermediate hurdles.”
Al Cantello said about Josh, “Josh was 5’7. Josh’s big problem was that he practiced all the time. He over practiced.” He would say, “I’m ready.” Preparation was his key
Testimonials
Stories Recalled To Cynthia About Cousin Josh By Family Friend, Gloria Johnson:
9/26/2022
Mrs. Gloria Johnson
Mrs. Gloria Johnson – went to school with Cousin Josh. Mrs. Johnson said Josh was a clown in school and was always the life of the party.
Mrs. Johnson told Cynthia Josh loved sports and he participated in just about everything from football to basketball, and eventually track and field. She also talked about Charles Blockson, who also was a great athlete in high school and played football. In the 1950s, he also played football in college along with Rosie Greer. She said Rosie became a pro-football player, but Charlie said he didn’t want to become a pro-football player. He wanted to do something else.
Mrs. Johnson said to me, “you know what Josh used to do when he would come home from school?…around 15 or 16 years old, Josh would always jog up the hill of Oak and Violet streets to strengthen his legs. He liked being an athlete, and he chose track and field
Testimonials
Charlies Olympic Race Video
Here is theYoutube video link (CLICK HERE)
1:17:17 thru 1:19:13 – USA’s Charlie Jenkins and Lou Jones competing in the 400-meter race against their chief rivals the Russians. Jones slowed down and ran out of gas. Here comes Charlie Jenkins taking the lead and won 46.07 seconds and winning the gold medal
Phone Call Conversation on Friday, February 19, 2021 – Spoken Word About Josh by 2x Gold Medalist Sprinter Dr. Charlie Jenkins, OLY
Josh is a dear friend since 1954. Josh was my Olympic teammate, and the thing that was amazing about Josh, for his height, how he can run 400-meter hurdles and jump 110 high hurdles which are geared for taller people.
In the 1950s he competed in Europe every Summer. Each summer, to be able to run in those meets in Europe, you had to qualify and run in the National American Championships held in June. If you placed first, second, and third in those championships you qualify to compete in one or more of those countries. Josh ran in many track meets with Morgan State College at the time. Representing the United States, he ran track meets out of the country in Germany, Sweden, Finland, Denmark, and England. So, in the summertime josh was mostly in Europe or the West Indies. You had a choice, and he went during those particular times.
He competed in the indoor track season in the 1950s. He then competed in the outdoor track season. Then, each year he ran the 400-meter hurdles at the Penn Relays during the outdoor season where he ran the hurdles and he won. He ran every year in his college career. In June 1956 he qualified to make the United States Olympic Team. Josh made the Olympic team for the United States, and he competed at the Olympics which was held in Melbourne, Australia, and there he placed third. He got a bronze medal in the 400-meter hurdles. In other years he ran in the National Championship in June. He ran every June but not in 1956 because it was the Olympic Trials, and he made the U.S. Olympic Team in 1956. He ran the National Championship which qualified him to go to Europe and run representing the United States.
It is extremely difficult in those days because the competition was stiff. But he made it. The next thing is to be on the podium to get a medal. That was a tremendous accomplishment. Then josh ran individual in the 400-meter and he also ran on the relay team. That one constantly throughout the country indoor running and outdoor running.
In the circuit, when you ran against Olympians in relays and so forth, in college you were very good. First track meet for example was in Boston. The next track meet was in Philadelphia. Then Baltimore the next day. The next week was in Boston again and then in New York which was the National Championships.
Outdoor season he ran against different schools for historical black colleges, and he ran in California several times and that was the outdoor season and then the outdoor season ended up running the National Championships. You were able to qualify for Europe to run during the summertime.
One of the great things about Josh he liked to reach out to people and everybody liked him. As a result of that he kept up with people and people kept up about him. It’s hard in the track circuit and not know about Josh. Then Josh became friends with Bill Cosby. They had a nice relationship. Then Josh was in the Marine Corp. He was very proud of that. He was in the Marine Hall of Fame.
Josh was a very good public speaker. The Commander General was extremely happy with Josh winning his award. Josh of course always stayed in touch with the late Coach Hurt. Mr. and Mrs. Hurt were marvelous people.