| 1930 –Born in Keota, Oklahoma. | |
| 1934 –Migrated to California’s San Joaquin Valley and city of Tulare. | |
| 1945 –Enters Tulare Union High School. | |
| 1946 –As sophomore at Tulare Union High School, begins participating in football and track. Won first medal ever in track; bronze medal. |
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| 1948 –Graduates Tulare Union High School along with friend and teammate Bob Mathias. Competes in Olympic Trials. |
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| 1948-1949 –Enters Compton Junior College, participating in football and track. Plays in Junior Rose Bowl. Enters Naval Reserves. |
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| 1949 –Enters University of Southern California, participating in track. | |
| 1951 –Temporarily drops out of USC in order to support his family. | |
| 1952 –Returns to USC. Competes in Olympic Trials. Wins gold medal XV Olympiad, Helsinki, Finland, setting Olympic record. Competes in post-Olympic AAU tour in Europe. Briefly participates in football at USC. |
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| 1953 –Sets World Record. Competes in AAU tour of Scandinavia. Last collegiate track season at USC. Honorably discharged from Naval Reserves. |
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| 1954 –Appears in movie “Lady Godiva”. Appears in movie “Sign of the Pagan”. Graduates from USC with BA in Education. |
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| 1955 –Bows out of movie “The Harder They Fall”. Moves to Porterville, California to begin teaching and coaching football at Porterville High School. Retires from discus competition. |
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| 1960 –Carries Olympic torch through city of Tulare along with friend and teammate Bob Mathias, for 1960 Squaw Valley Winter Olympics. |
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| 1967 –Moves to Porterville College, teaching and coaching football and track. |
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| 1973 –Retires from coaching. | |
| 1994 –Retires from teaching. “Sim Iness Gymnasium” dedicated at Tulare Union High School. |
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| 1996 –Passes away at the age of 65 in Porterville, California. | |