Haverford College Recognizes Its First Black Athlete
From the Haverford College Athletics Department
Osmond Pitter ’26 is recognized as the first Black student at Haverford College. In addition to his lasting legacy on the College, Pitter made his mark on varsity athletics as a four-year member of both the track & field and cricket teams.
As a member of the track & field team, Pitter was a part of one of the most dominant throwing squads in the Middle Atlantic Conference. With some of his toughest competition in the conference coming from his own teammates, Pitter took home the gold medal as a senior during the 1926 conference championships as he launched the javelin 161 feet, three and one-eighth inches (49.15 meters).
According to the Haveford website, “Pitter originally hailed from Newport, Jamaica and the British West Indies prior to enrolling at Haverford.” However, in 1925 when Pitter competed in the Middle Atlantic States Track and Field Meet (the meet was held Haverford College that year), the Associated Press reported that “Osmond Pitter, son of an Indian Chieftain of Bombay, India, will represent Haverford in the javelin throw and high jump.”