Hal Davis broke records at every level at which he competed – almost as quickly as he could run around the track. By the time he finished college, he was called “the California Comet” and was recognized as one of the world’s best athletes. Born in Salinas and raised in Morgan Hill, Hal attended Live Oak High School, where he set league records in the 100– and 220- yard dashes and earned the first of his seven AAU titles.  In 1940, Hal entered Salinas Junior College, where he trained under coaching great Bud Winter (San Jose Sports Hall of Fame ‘96). After transfering to U.C. Berkeley, Hal became a double sprint champ, winning both the 100 and 220 yard races in the 1942 and 1943 NCAA Championships.  In 1942, he also tied the world record ibn the 100-meter dash with a time of 10.2 seconds. Hal would have been favored to lead the U.S. sprinters in the 1940 and 1944 Olympic Games had they not been canceled as a result of World War II.