SO SORRY TO HEAR OF THE RECENT PASSING OF THE FAMED OLYMPIC CHAMPION
AND WORLD RECORD-BREAKER VINCENT – BUT ALWAYS JUST KNOWN AS GEORGE RHODEN …
He was one of many heroes of my early days of changing into a observe fanatic.
A Jamaican at Morgan State College of Baltimore, he was
NCAA 400 champion (as one of many very earliest NCAA worldwide champions)
Penn Relays glorious, a serious star on the indoor circuit, which stuffed
large arenas like Madison Sq. Backyard usually, and extra…
However much more exceptional was his Olympic 400 triumph at Helsinki in 1952
and as star of the Jamaica WR-setting 4×400 (beating Workforce USA)
in 1952 Oly Video games.
He lowered the WR within the 400 to 45.8 in a well-known 1950 race in Eskilstuna, Sweden,
Bear in mind studying that AP story within the NY Instances and saying, “Wow!!! “
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And listed below are my private reminiscences…
As a child, I’d go to meets (with large brother Marty) and sometimes ask the celebrities if I might snap their pictures…
On the Seton Corridor Relays at Newark Faculties Stadium, I effectively bear in mind asking,
“Mr. Rhoden, might I take your picture?”
and he very fortunately obliged by stepping into the “set” place.
One among his well-known teammates at Morgan State was the famend Bob Tyler of Asbury Pk.
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When he and his well-known Jamaica teammates, Herb McKenley, Arthur Wint
and Leslie Laing received the 4×400 at Helsinki in 1952; that Jamaica staff was coached
by certainly one of my early guiding lights, the nice Coach Joe Yancey of the NY Pioneer Membership,
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After the 1952 Olympics, with the “previous” Shore AC fading away
(doubtless due to diminishing funds), it was “previous” Shore AC
founding father Mr. James Wisner, who formulated the
celebrated and famed “Dream Workforce” (4×400) of all Oly. gold medalists,
now working for the Grand St Boys Membership of NYC…
That staff was Mal Whitfield, Andy Stanfield, Herb McKenley….and George Rhoden..
By way of one superb winter, they broke each indoor 4×400 report within the books.
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In 1971, once we organized a Shore AC staff journey to Scandinavia,
I at all times needed to carry the group to Eskilstuna, Sweden,
in remembrance of George Rhoden’s well-known 45.8 there…
Nicely, we couldn’t work that out, however we nonetheless had a good time in
Denmark, Norway, and Finland !!
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Right here (under) is the George Rhoden obituary…
Hope you’re okay with this story of previous private adventures…
Finest to all,
Elliott Denman
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August 26, 2024
KINGSTON, Jamaica — Following the passing of double Olympic gold medallist George Rhoden, the Jamaica Athletics Administrative Affiliation (JAAA) has honoured the veteran athlete, calling him “one of many constructing blocks of our sport in Jamaica.”
In a press release to the media on Monday, the JAAA expressed its grief saying it’s “in mourning as we be taught of the passing of double Olympic gold medallist George Rhoden.”“George Rhoden was one of many constructing blocks of our sport in Jamaica. He demonstrated true grit and willpower in each single certainly one of his races and was a reliable staff member,” mentioned Garth Gayle, President of the JAAA. “He would grind out each occasion, giving every part for his staff and his nation. His performances in 1952 will at all times be remembered as they laid the groundwork for the robust observe and subject nation we’re right now.”
Rhoden, who received the 400m and was a member of the Golden Quartet that received the 4x400m on the Helsinki Olympics in 1952, handed away in america over the weekend.
