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Biography
Ned Alvin Merriam (October 26, 1884, Wisconsin – July 9, 1956, Tinley Park, Illinois) was an American athlete and coach.
Merriam attended the University of Chicago, where he starred in football and track between 1905 and 1908. He was a member of the American track and field team at the 1908 Summer Olympics in London. In the 400 metres, Merriam won his preliminary heat with a time of 52.2 seconds. He advanced to the semifinals, where he finished third in his heat to be eliminated from further competition—the only 400-meter race he ever lost.
Merriam later coached track at Iowa State University, Texas A&M University, DePauw University, and Yale University. He was head track coach at the University of Chicago from 1929 until his retirement in 1950. He died of leukemia in Chicago in 1956.