Bobby Madrid was Pasadena Junior College's first great distance runner in 1937 and 1939. As a freshman, he proved what an exceptional athlete he was by setting a national JC record in the 880-yard event (half-mile) in 1:55.8 in a meet at UCLA. Later that night, he won the 112-pound division Golden Gloves boxing crown. In 1939, he lowered the half-mile record to 1:55.2, won the SoCal mile in 4:21, and captured the 2-mile national title in 9:32.5--all three PJC school records. Madrid later raced at Fresno State, winning the National AAU 5,000 meters in 1940. That year, a panel of track and field experts voted Madrid on to the honorary USA Olympic team when the Olympic Games were canceled due to the start of World War II.