Thomas Pelham "Tom" Curtis (September 7, 1870 - May 23, 1944) was an American athlete, winner of 110 m hurdles at the 1896 Summer Olympics.

Thomas Curtis, a Massachusetts Institute of Technology student of electrical engineering, travelled to Athens as a member of Boston Athletic Association.

At the first day of the first modern Olympic Games, Curtis qualified to the 100 m final by winning his heat. He later withthrew from the 100 m final to prepare to the 110 m hurdles final, which was his main event at the Olympics. The 110 m hurdles final turned into a personal race between Curtis and Grantley Goulding from Great Britain, because Frantz Reichel and William Welles Hoyt withthrew from the competition. At the start Curtis gained a small lead, but Goulding reached him at the first hurdle. At the Last hurdle, Goulding was already leading, but Curtis managed to throw himself to the line first. The officials stated that Curtis had won by 5 cm.

As an eager amateur photographer, Curtis made many valuable pictures in Athens. He served as captain in the Massachusetts National Guard and was a military aide to Massachusetts Governor Calvin Coolidge in World War I. He also participated in the development of the toaster and published severlal humorous memories about the first modern Olympic Games. The most famous of them is High Hurdles and White Gloves (1932).

External link

• Some of Curtis' memories about the first modern Olympic Games (http://web.mit.edu/newsoffice/1996/olymp1896-curtis.html)