Charles Joseph Bacon, Jr. (January 9, 1883 - November 15, 1968) was an American athlete, winner of 400 m hurdles at the 1908 Summer Olympics.

Just month and a half before the London Olympics, Charles Bacon ran in Philadelphia a new unofficial world record of 55.8 in the 400 m hurdles.

At the Olympic Games itself, he and Harry Hillman of the USA went over the last hurdle simultaneously, but Bacon won the run to the tape to win in a new world record 55.0. This record recognised by IAAF, thus Bacon became the first world record holder in the 400 m hurdles.