OSU marks Jesse Owens' anniversary

COLUMBUS (AP) — Ohio State University is celebrating the 75th anniversary of track star Jesse Owens’ stunning performance at the 1936 Olympics in Berlin.

In a stadium built by Adolf Hitler, Owens stole the show and made a mockery of Nazi claims of Aryan supremacy. He became the first American track athlete to win four gold medals at one Olympics.

At Ohio State, Owens was nicknamed “The Buckeye Bullet.” The university says he set three world records and tied a fourth all within 45 minutes at the 1935 Big Ten championships.

Members of the Owens family are expected to attend a statue unveiling Thursday afternoon at Ohio State’s track stadium named for Owens. In the evening, comedian Bill Cosby will host a dinner to benefit the Ruth and Jesse Owens scholarship program.