With the year almost over, it’s time to remember a few Trojans who died in 2024.

USC shot putter Dallas Long, who won the gold medal at the 1964 Olympics in Tokyo, in November. He was 84.

Long also won a bronze medal in the 1960 Olympics. He was a three-time NCAA champion in the shot put. He probably would have been a four-time champion but freshman were ineligible in those days.

Long was the last of the great USC throwers along with Wilbur Thompson, Parry O’Brien, Sim Iness and Rink Babka. All except Babka were Olympic gold medalists between 1948-64 and Babka won a silver medal.

Long later went to USC dental school and became dentist but then became an emergency room physician.