Walt Murphy is likely one of the best monitor geeks that I do know. Walt does #ThisDayinTrack&FieldHistory, a superb every day service that gives true geek tales about our sport. You’ll be able to try the service for FREE with a free one-month trial subscription! (e mail: WaltMurphy44@gmail.com ) for your complete every day service. We are going to put up just a few historic moments every day, starting February 1, 2024.
by Walt Murphy’s Information and Outcomes Service (wmurphy25@aol.com), used with permission
This Day in Monitor & Area—January 16
1925–Displaying no indicators of fatigue after his lengthy prepare experience from New York, the superb Paavo Nurmi lowered his day-old World File for 1-3/4 miles to 7:55.4 on the Illinois A.C. Handicap meet on the Chicago Coliseum. Ending a distant 2nd was Joie Ray, whose data at 1-1/4 and 1-1/2 miles survived Nurmi’s assault on this race. Nurmi may need gotten these extra data, however meet officers had modified the configuration of the monitor from 10-laps to the mile to 12-laps. Nurmi had deliberate his splits primarily based on the unique proposed structure and was so upset after the race that he threatened to chop brief his U.S. your. Fortunately, he had a change of coronary heart.
After spending solely three hours within the Windy Metropolis, Nurmi hopped again on a prepare for one more grueling journey again to NY Metropolis to run once more the next night time. (From the NY Instances Archives)
1937—Leslie MacMitchell (George Washington H.S.,NY) ran 4:28.6 on the Stuyvesant Video games at NY’s Armory to set a Nationwide U.S. Excessive College Indoor File within the Mile.
He would change into among the finest milers within the U.S. whereas attending NYU, successful IC4A (1940-1942), NCAA (1941), and U.S. (1941/1500m) titles. He additionally gained the Wanamaker Mile on the 1942 Millrose Video games and equalled the World Indoor File of 4:07.4 in 1941.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leslie_MacMitchell
1954—Tom Murphy (my cousin-WM), a senior at St.Augustine (Brooklyn,NY), ran 1:14.1 on the Cardinal Hayes Video games to set a Nationwide flat-floor H.S. File for 600-yards. He would decrease the report to 1:14.0 two weeks later on the NYU Interscholastic meet. (Each at NY’s Armory)
Murphy continued to compete on the Armory throughout his collegiate profession at Manhattan Faculty and for 2 years as a member of the NYAC. He gained the 800-meters on the 1960 U.S. Olympic Trials (semi-finalist in Rome) and was a member of a U.S. staff that set a World File within the 2-mile relay in 1960.
The complete Murphy clan turned monitor followers due to Tom’s success and he’s the explanation I’ve been concerned within the sport ever since!
1965–Ron Clarke acquired the primary of his 4 out of doors World Data at 5000-meters, working 13:34.8 in Hobart, Australia, to interrupt the 7+-year previous mark of 13:35.0 that was set by the Soviet Union’s Vladimir Kuts in 1957.
WR Development: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/5000_metres
Starting of an Period: https://www.worldathletics.org/information/function/running-world-records-clarke-keino-jazy-1965
1977— Two U.S. Excessive College Indoor Data had been set on the St.Francis Prep Video games at NY’s Armory.
Lincoln H.S. (Jersey Metropolis,NJ), with a lineup of Linda Pickering, Judy Davis, Cheryl Morrison, and Ruth Ford), ran 1:49.0 within the 880-yard relay, and Muriel Piluso (North Rockland-Thiells,NY) and Kim Coakley (Christ the King-Queens,NY) each ran 11.4 within the 100-yard sprint.
1982–Carl Lewis turned the primary man to interrupt the 28’ barrier within the Lengthy Leap indoors when he reached out to a mark of 28-1 (8.56) on the Vitalis/Olympic Inv. (Lewis held the earlier World File of 27-10 ¼ (8.49).
The meet, which had been held at NY’s Madison Sq. Backyard, returned after a yr’s hiatus and was held on the new facility on the Brendan Byrne Enviornment within the Meadowlands Advanced in New Jersey.
One other report was provided by Billy Olson, whose successful top of18-6 ½ (5.65) within the Pole Vault bettered Dan Ripley’s earlier American mark of 18-5 ¾ (5.63).
Working on the model new, 10-laps to the mile banked monitor, Alberto Salazar, regardless of falling on the 2nd lap, ran away from Suleiman Nyambui to win the 5000-meters, 13:23.08-13:32.23. Salazar simply missed his AR of 13:22.6, which was set whereas ending 2nd to Nyambui’s World File of 13:20.4 on the 1981 Millrose Video games.
Sports activities Illustrated Vault: https://vault.si.com/vault/1982/01/25/theyre-off-high-wide-and-handsome
1983–19-year previous Jerome Carter had created a little bit of a stir when he high-jumped a private better of 7-4 (2.235?) on the Towson Relays on January 2, however he actually acquired the game’s consideration when he cleared 7-7 (2.31) on at the present time at George Mason College.
It was chilly contained in the Mason area home, so Carter was carrying two sweatsuits to maintain heat. He saved them on as he missed his first try at 6-8. Indignant at himself for lacking such an “straightforward” top, he walked over to teach Alan Dean and stated, “That’s it. Don’t fear about it, the World File goes to return down tonight”! Courageous discuss for somebody who had by no means cleared 7-feet earlier than the season started, however Carter would quickly present that he wasn’t making an idle boast.
The 6-1 (1.855?), 160, Carter handed 6-10 (2.085?), then cleared 7-0 (2.135?) and 7-2 (2.185?) on his first jumps whereas nonetheless carrying the 2 units of sweats! He acquired critical at 7-4 (2.235?), taking off two tops and one pair of pants and cleared the bar simply to match his PB. With the bar now at 7-7, Carter deigned to take off the second pair of pants and once more cleared simply on his first try. Observers stated on the time that Carter had not less than two inches to spare when he went over the bar. “Then”, Dean stated, “we determined, ‘What the heck, let’s go for the report’.” Carter needed to wait round for 1/2-hour whereas officers looked for a metal tape to make sure a correct measurement. One was discovered and the bar was set at 7-8 ¾ (2.36), 1/4-inch larger than Vladimir Yashchenko’s World File.
Carter had been leaping with nice confidence up so far, however with the bar really set at a world report top, he admittedly tensed up and didn’t have a superb effort in his three makes an attempt. “He forgot to do the issues he was doing on the decrease heights”, stated Dean. “He is aware of he ought to have had it”. The information of Carter’s large clearance unfold rapidly over the monitor and area grapevine, and inside just a few days it appeared that each meet director within the nation needed him to compete of their meet.
Carter went on to have a superb profession, however he would by no means enhance on his 7-7 indoor greatest. Nevertheless, he did clear 7-9 ¼ (2.37) in the course of the 1988 out of doors season, made the U.S. top-10 rankings yearly from 1983-1990 (reaching a excessive of #2 in 1987, when he was ranked #10 on this planet), and was a member of the 1987 U.S. World Championships staff.
Carter’s rise to world-class degree was a swift one, nevertheless it was preceded by some exhausting occasions. As a junior at Harford Vocational H.S. in Maryland (coached by Dean), Carter cleared 6-8 (2.03) to win the 1980 Maryland Class “C” state title. He improved to 6-10 (2.085?) within the spring of 1981, however then broke his proper ankle. He was out of motion for 5 weeks, then returned to competitors in the summertime with a 6-11 (2.11) win on the East Coast Inv.
The damaged ankle had apparently scared off native faculties, so Dean known as Artwork Morgan, then the top coach at New Mexico State, who stated he’d like to have Carter on his staff. In Carter’s first semester at NMS, and even earlier than Morgan had an opportunity to see his star recruit bounce, he felt some ache in his ankle whereas enjoying basketball. Docs decided that the sooner break had by no means correctly healed. Surgical procedure was required and Carter’s schoolwork suffered whereas he tried to work his method again to full energy. He returned to Maryland earlier than the college yr was over and finally enrolled at Harford Neighborhood Faculty, the place Dean was now the top coach, within the fall of 1982. (From Japanese Monitor)
Sports activities Illustrated Vault: https://vault.si.com/vault/1983/02/21/the-quickest-takeoff-ever
1984–Carol Lewis topped her personal American (21-7 ½ [6.59]) and Collegiate (21-6 1 [2/6.56]) Data within the Lengthy Leap together with her successful mark of 21-10 ¾ (6.67m) in Osaka, Japan. Brother Carl didn’t fare as effectively, ending 2nd within the 60-meters to Australia’s Paul Narracott (6.62-6.69).
1987–Greg Foster topped an awesome area within the 60-meter hurdles on the Sunkist Inv. in Los Angeles, working 7.36 to beat Tonie Campbell (7.54), Renaldo Nehemiah (7.59), and Roger Kingdom (7.64). Monitor and Area Information reported on the time that Foster and the remainder of the sphere acquired away with a collective flyer, and thought for positive that Foster’s time wouldn’t be accepted as a World File. However it was, and stood because the American File (later equaled by Allen Johnson and Terrence Trammell) till Grant Holloway ran 7.35 in 2019! It was the primary main indoor meet for Nehemiah since being reinstated as an newbie in 1986 after his transient profession within the NFL with the San Francisco 49ers.
Sports activities Illustrated Vault
1987–Ken Lowery set a World and American File of 1:00.17 for 500-meters in Indianapolis. Michael Franks (1:00.45) was additionally underneath the earlier mark of 1:00.86, which was set the yr earlier than by Clarence Daniel.
1987–Competing in Simmerath, Germany, Carlo Thränhardt set a World Indoor File of 7-10 ½ (2.40m) within the Excessive Leap.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carlo_Thränhardt
https://www.worldathletics.org/athletes/germany/carlo-thranhardt-2896
WR Development: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Menpercent27s_high_jump_indoor_world_record_progression
2005–Janine Davis-Hunter (Queen of Peace,NJ) set a U.S. Excessive College File of 1:29.27 for 600-meters at NY’s Armory (since damaged).
2010–Penn State freshman Casimir Loxsom set an American Junior Indoor File of 1:16.92 for 600-meters (since damaged) on his dwelling monitor.
http://therealtrain.blogspot.com/2015/01/cas-loxsom-and-600m-sweet-spot.html
2011—Former Duke star Sally Meyerhoff gained the Rock ‘n’ Roll Arizona Marathon in 2:37:56. Sadly, she was killed lower than two months later after being struck by a pickup truck whereas biking as a part of her cross-training.
Meyerhoff gained 3 ECAC titles on the monitor whereas at Duke earlier than turning her consideration to street racing (2004-5000, 2005-3000i, 2007-5000i). She was 20th on the 2008 U.S. Olympic Marathon Trials.
Kate Van Buskirk honored her former Duke teammate by getting a tattoo on her stomach—“Be Relentlessly Constructive”
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/03/17/sports activities/17meyerhoff.html
Remembering:
https://www.runnersworld.com/superior/a20824608/in-memoriam-sally-meyerhoff/
2014—Cheered on by coach Alberto Salazar, Galen Rupp ran 13:01.26 for 5000-meters at Boston College to smash Lopez Lomong’s American File of 13:07.00. Sam Chelanga, who stayed with Rupp for a lot of the race, completed 2nd in 13:04.35.
Mary Cain gained the 1000-meters in 2:39.25 to interrupt Diana Richburg’s 32-year previous World and American Junior File of two:40.2. She would decrease the mark to 2:35.80 the next month. Cain, a senior at Bronxville(NY) H.S., additionally bettered the Nationwide H.S. File of two:43.40, however had turned professional and was not eligible to set prep data.
FloTrack Video(5k-full race): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QG6RLh5hdb4
2016—Penn State senior Brannon Kidder set a Collegiate File of two:18.26 for 1000-meters on his dwelling monitor. The earlier mark of two:18.55 was set by Boston College’s Wealthy Peters in 2014. Kidder went on to complete 7th within the 800 on the NCAA Indoor Championships, and 4th within the 1500 Outside. His report lasted till Texas senior Yusuf Bizimana ran 2:18:10 in 2024)
https://tfrrs.org/athletes/4066179/Penn_State/Brannon_Kidder.html
2016—Texas A&M freshman Donavan Brazier ran 1:45.93 on his dwelling monitor in Faculty Station, Texas, to set the American Junior Indoor File for 800-meters. The earlier mark of 1:47.84 was set by Villanova’s John Marshall again in 1982.
Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=meuxK6LFLp0
2022—American Data had been set in Houston by 37-year previous Keira D’Amato, who gained the Marathon in 2:19:12, and 38-year previous Sara Corridor, who ran 67:15 whereas ending 2nd to Kenya’s Vicoty Chepngeno (65:03) within the Half-Marathon. The earlier ARs had been held by Deena Kastor (2:19:36/2006) and Molly Huddle (67:25/2018).
https://trackandfieldnews.com/article/houston-marathon-american-record-for-keira-damato/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nv0m6jTFFQ0
D’Amato Response: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=__h1FsqydTs
https://abc13.com/2022-chevron-houston-marathon-womens-winner-keira-damato-mom/11476072/
https://www.runnersworld.com/ladies/a40221547/keira-damato-is-chasing-happiness/
Sigbificant Birthdays
Born on This Day*
Debbie Ferguson-McKenzie—Bahamas 48 (1976) One of many “Golden Ladies” from the Bahamas. Gold medalist within the
4×100 on the 1999 World Championships and 2000 Olympics;
2001 World Champion-200m (bronze-2009); 2004 Olympic bronze medalist—200m;
5-time Olympian; 1998 NCAA Champion 100m&200m (Georgia);
PBs:10.91 (2002), 22.19 (1999),
Assistant Coach at Kentucky (had been at Houston)
https://ukathletics.com/sports activities/monitor/roster/coach/debbie-ferguson-mckenzie/
Wiki Bio: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Debbie_Ferguson-McKenzie
Stats:
http://www.all-athletics.com/node/117044
https://www.olympedia.org/athletes/64991
Anthony Washington 59 (1966) 1999 World Champion—Discus (1993(10th) ; PB:233-5 (71.14/#4 All-Time U.S.)
All-American at Syracuse—NCAA-1987 (3rd), 1989 (2nd), 1990 (4th)
3-time Olympic finalist—1992 (12th), 1996 (4th), 2000 (12th)
Son Turner, additionally a discus thrower, gained 4 NCAA titles (1-Discus, 3-Shot Put), and threw 227-10 (69.44) with the
H.S. Discus in 2017 (#4 All-Time U.S. Preps).
WC Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8uq2pJHRdF4
https://www.olympedia.org/athletes/79168
https://www.worldathletics.org/athletes/united-states/anthony-washington-14254295
2000 Article: http://tinyurl.com/hshnx2u
Wolfgang Schmidt—Germany 71 (1954) Competing for East Germany, he was the 1976 Olympic silver medalist—
Discus (1980-4th);
Former World File Holder (233-5 [71.16], 1978); spent 15 months in an East German jail (see Wiki hyperlink). Was
allowed to maneuver to West Germany in 1987, however the paperwork was delayed to make it inconceivable to characterize
his “new” nation on the 1988 Olympics
Ranked by T&F Information among the many top-10 on this planet 12 occasions between 1975 and 1992 (#1 5 occasions). And he
wasn’t ranked in any respect from 1981-1987!) https://trackandfieldnews.com/rankings/
WR Video: https://vimeo.com/40663104
From East to West:
https://www.olympedia.org/athletes/69883
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wolfgang_Schmidt
Thrown Free-The Odyssey of Wolfgang Schmidt: https://www.ebay.com/p/1497834
Deceased
Eric Liddell-Nice Britain 43 (1902-Feb.21, 1945) 1924 Olympic gold medalist—400m, topic of the Academy
Award-winning film Chariots of Hearth
“Gorgeous Olympic Second”
http://www.theguardian.com/sport/2012/jan/04/50-stunning-olympic-moments-eric-liddell
Heroic Dying:
http://www.todayifoundout.com/index.php/2013/12/heroic-death-chariots-fires-eric-liddell/
http://www.biographyonline.web/sport/athletics/eric-liddell.html
http://www.ericliddell.org/ericliddell/dwelling
Wiki Bio: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eric_Liddell
https://www.olympedia.org/athletes/69245
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IYNUxdoIacA
Documentary(1h,17m): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0F3NEVzK-Ik
Chariots of Hearth: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chariots_of_Fire