Edward Milde put Worcester Polytechnic Institute athletics on
the map by tying the world indoor record in the 50-yard dash in
1928.
Breaking 36-year-old records in the 100-yard dash and the
220-yard dash, events in which he was Eastern Intercollegiate
Champion during his freshman, junior, and senior years, earned him
the nickname "Tech's Fastest Human." He was New England 220-yard
champion (22.4) in 1930. Incredibly, in four years he lost just
four races, two by forfeit due to injury. And it was an injury that
ultimately kept him out of the Olympic qualifying finals.
When he wasn't giving his all on the track, he volunteered his
time and energy to the community and the Institute. A former
president of the Athletic Association, he was twice
student president of the American Institute of Electrical Engineers
and vice-president of his class. A member of Phi Sigma Kappa
fraternity, Sigma Xi, the scientific research society, he also
received the prestigious Skull Award, giving annually to the
freshman who did the most for the Insitute.
His involvement with WPI continued after he received his
undergraduate degree. As a graduate student, he was an
instructor in physics and assistant head of the Physics
Department.
It is with great pleasure that we honor Edward Milde for his
outstanding accomplishments as a student-athlete by inducting him
into the WPI Athletic Hall of Fame.
