William Robbins (athlete)

In 1908, he was involved in a controversial race in the final of the Men's 400 metres and was later part of a team which broke the world's record for the one mile relay.

Robbins and fellow American John Taylor refused to compete in the second final in protest of Carpenter's disqualification.

He was... (a) Cornell University student, and first came to prominence by the part he played in the 400-meter race held at London in 1908.

'Yank,' as he (was) called by his team mates, ran the first 300 yards at such a clip that it 'pulled the great Halswell's cork,' the later finishing in third place.

"[2] At the Amateur Athletic Union metropolitan championships held at Travers Island in 1909, Robbins was part of the Irish American Athletic Club's four-man relay team that broke the world's record for the one mile relay, with a time of 3 minutes 20 2/5 seconds.