Walt Murphy’s Information and Outcomes Service (wmurphy25@aol.com), used with permission.
This Day in Observe & Area–Could 30
1975 (50th Anniversary)–Steve Prefontaine died when his automotive overturned as he was returning dwelling from a post-meet occasion shortly after operating his remaining race at Hayward Area in Eugene, Oregon.
From Tom Jordan, the writer of “Pre!” and the previous director of the Pre Basic: “That I each wrote the e book and ended up the director of the Prefontaine Basic generally appears nearly mildly mystical to me. It’s not like I got down to grow to be the meet director of the Pre Basic. I wrote the e book whereas working at Observe & Area Information in California in 1977, and didn’t transfer to Eugene till 1982”.
“When the place got here open in 1984, the Oregon Observe Membership requested me to take over, and I’ve been doing it ever since (he retired after the 2021 meet). That it was a meet named after Steve Prefontaine made it greater than only a job. I actually did wish to see it mirror the affect he had upon my technology, and to have it assist maintain his reminiscence alive. Due to the nice assist from Nike, we’ve completed that.” people should purchase the 2nd version of the PRE! e book, which has a very totally different set of photographs than the primary quantity, from amazon.com http://tinyurl.com/mcq5f4
Associated hyperlinks:
The Pre Chronicles-Taken from the pages of Observe & Area Information, this 19-part collection covers Pre’s profession from the start to the top. This remaining installment contains hyperlinks to the earlier 18 chapters:
https://trackandfieldnews.com/the-pre-chronicles-part-19-the-final-lap/
40 Years Later: http://grantland.com/options/steve-prefontaine-death/
Tribute Web site: http://myhero.com/myhero/hero.asp?hero=Prefontaine_Fredricksberg_Academy_03
“With out Limits”-Behind the Scenes:
http://without-limits.warnerbros.com/cmp/realaudio/primary.html
“Hearth on the Observe”: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WnFTtodGHvk
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1260355/
50 Years Later
https://www.runnersworld.com/runners-stories/a64673912/steve-prefontaine-the-front-runner/
1896—Georgetown’s Bernie Wefers, a future Corridor-of-Famer, gained the primary of his two IC4A 100-yard sprint titles in New York with a time of 9-4/5 to tie the World & American File that he already shared with others. Wefers, who additionally gained the 220y on this present day, gained the 100y-220y double three years in a row on the U.S. Championships (1895-1897).
https://www.usatf.org/athlete-bios/bernie-wefers
1902—Martin Sheridan, one other Corridor-of-Famer-to-be, set a World File of 125-3 (38.18) within the Discus in New York.
HOF Bio: https://www.usatf.org/athlete-bios/martin-sheridan
1908–It doesn’t maintain the identical place in historical past as one other British barrier-breaker (Roger Bannister), however Harold Wilson was clocked in 3:59.8 in London to grow to be the primary man to run 1500-meters in underneath 4-minutes.
Wilson (to not be confused with the later British Prime Minister of the identical title) went on later within the season to win Olympic silver within the 1500. (Received gold within the 3-mile workforce race). He ran for Hallamshire Harriers, the identical membership as Seb Coe, who emulated Wilson many years later by breaking the 1500 WR but additionally successful TWO Olympic 1500s, whereas Wilson may “solely” end second to American Mel Sheppard in 1908.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harold_A._Wilson
https://www.olympedia.org/athletes/69607
WR Development: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1500_metres_world_record_progression
1911—Dan Ahearn set the primary IAAF-recognized World File within the Triple Soar with a leap of 50-11 (15.52) at Celtic Park in Queens,NY.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dan_Ahearn
WR Development: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Triple_jump_world_record_progression
1931—USC senior Vic Williams ran 47.4 on the IC4A Championships at Franklin Area in Philadelphia to equal Ben Eastman’s World File for 440-yards. Williams would win the NCAA title per week later in Chicago.
1943–Holland’s Fanny Blankers-Koen bettered the present World File within the Ladies’s Excessive Soar 3-times on the Olympic Stadium in Amsterdam, clearing 5-5 ¾ (1.67m) and 5-6 ½ (1.69m) earlier than topping out at 5-7 ¼ (1.71m).
NY Occasions Obituary: http://tinyurl.com/28kovpa
WR Development: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ladies’s_high_jump_world_record_progression
1954-Czech Emil Zátopek set a World File of 13:57.2 within the 5000 meters at a meet in Colombes, France.
As Pat Butcher writes on the hyperlink under, it was a report that had eluded the legendary Zátopek, who nearly wasn’t allowed again into France after some feedback he made after getting back from an earlier journey have been construed as criticism of the nation!
Two days after setting the 5k report, Zátopek stopped in Brussels on the best way dwelling and set the final of his 5 World Information within the 10,000-meters (28:54.2)!
“But it surely was the 5000 meters world report that happy him most, principally as a result of (his spouse) Dana had been chiding him about his failure to interrupt it for some appreciable time; and had even promised to bow right down to him publicly ought to he break the report. However when she was one of many group that greeted his airplane again in Prague, she requested timidly if she won’t kow-tow again at dwelling. He insisted that she maintain her promise to do it publicly. As he recorded of their autobiography, ‘And so Dana actually bowed down in entrance of me, all the best way right down to the bottom. And since there have been so many photographers round, it was in all of the newspapers the next day.‘And I’ve saved the images, simply in case anybody tells me that I by no means achieved something by operating’.”
To purchase QUICKSILVER – The Mercurial Emil Zátopek, go to:
https://www.amazon.com/Quicksilver-Mercurial-Pat-Butcher-author/dp/0957033222
WR Development: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/5000_metres
https://onceuponatimeinthevest.blogspot.com/2021/01/v-11-n-3-quicksilver-mercurial-emil.html
1959–The College of Texas, with a lineup of Wallace Wilson, Eddie Southern, Hollis Gainey, and Ralph Alspaugh, ran 39.6 on the California Relays in Modesto to interrupt Abilene Christian’s World File (39.7) within the 440y-relay, which had been set on the identical meet the earlier 12 months.
1964—St.John’s Tom Farrell (1:49.5) upset Noel Carroll (1:49.6) on his dwelling monitor at Villlanova to win the 880y on the IC4A Championships.
1968—The Oregon T.C., with a lineup of Roscoe Divine (4:03.2), Wade Bell (4:01.0), Arne Kvalheim (4:03.3), and Dave Wilborn (3:57.5/nonetheless at school!), all of whom ran for the College of Oregon, ran 16:05.0 within the 4-mile relay on their dwelling monitor in Eugene. Their time bettered the World File of 16:09.0, which was set by the College of Oregon in 1962, nevertheless it couldn’t be ratified for the next purpose (from the Development of IAAF World Information):
“…not a bona fide race and subsequently not acknowledged. Initially a race between the College of Oregon and the Oregon T.C. had been deliberate, however since initially the tempo was protracted, a flash resolution was made that the primary runner in every case to make the trade could be assigned to the “World File” relay workforce(!) and thus towards the foundations”.
1969–Australia’s Derek Clayton turned the primary man to run underneath 2:09 for the Marathon when he clocked 2:08:33.6 in Antwerp, Belgium. Clayton was additionally the primary man to interrupt the two:10 barrier when he ran 2:09:36.4 in Fukuoka, Japan, in 1967.
WR Development: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marathon_world_record_progression
1969—Senior Rod Milburn (Clark-Opelousas,LA) gained the 120y-Hurdles on the Houston Meet of Champions in 13.7 to set a Nationwide H.S. File for the 42” boundaries. The earlier mark of 13.8 was set by Richmond Flowers. Milburn went on to grow to be one of many best hurdlers in historical past, setting World Information and successful the gold medal within the 110-hurdles on the 1972 Olympics.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rod_Milburn
1977–It was one of many nice days in monitor, not to mention H.S. monitor. The setting was the Jap States Championships at St.John’s College in Jamaica,NY, and there have been at the very least three wind gauges useful, all due to one runner–Renaldo Nehemiah, a senior at Scotch Plains-Fanwood(NJ) H.S.
It appeared each weekend produced spectacular a number of performances for the Maryland-bound Nehemiah, whether or not or not it’s sprints, lengthy soar, highs, intermediates, or relay legs. However even his most optimistic followers needed to be shocked by his three races within the 120-yard hurdles on Memorial Day. He began with a 13.0 warmth, a brand new Nationwide File by .2s(The wind was OK). Instantly, officers measured the monitor, discovered it to be 2-3/4” brief, though the monitor had been licensed by a surveyor. As a substitute of remeasuring, they simply prolonged the end line three inches to be on the protected aspect for the following two rounds. Nehemiah “solely” ran a wind-aided 13.1 within the semis, regardless of hitting a few hurdles. He saved his finest for final, operating 12.9, one of many best performances in H.S. historical past. As Elliott Denman wrote on the time, “It was a utopian efficiency….on, appropriately, the monitor on Utopia Parkway..”(From Jap Observe). Nehemiah acquired some wonderful teaching from Jean Poquette throughout his highschool profession.
http://hurdlesfirstbeta.com/free-articles/profiles/jean-poquette-guide-great-one/
1980—Louise Ritter added ½-inch to her American File within the Excessive Soar by clearing 6-4 ¾ (1.95) on the T&F Affiliation/USA Championships in Wichita,Kansas. Ritter would win Olympic gold 8 years later in Seoul and was inducted into the Nationwide Corridor of Fame in 1995.
https://www.usatf.org/athlete-bios/louise-ritter
1981—A 12 months to the day after Ritter’s soar, Pam Spencer took the AR away along with her clearance of 6-5 ½ (1.96) on the identical meet in Wichita. Spencer was a 3-time U.S. Olympian (’76,’80,’84) and a 2-time U.S. Champion (’81,’84).
(Reported on the time as 6-5 ¼, however the right conversion from 1.96 is 6-5 ½)
http://www.nytimes.com/1981/06/01/sports activities/pam-spencer-breaks-high-jump-record.html
1981—Working on his dwelling monitor on the Jumbo Elliott Memorial, named in honor of the legendary Wildcat coach, Villanova’s Sydney Maree completed 2nd to Steve Scott (3:52.26) within the Males’s Mile, setting an “in-season” Collegiate File of three:52.44 (Kansas’ Jim Ryun had set his two World Information of three:51.3 and three:51.1 after the NCAA Championships in 1966 and 1967). Subsequent throughout the road have been New Zealand’s John Walker (3:55.89), Craig Masback (3:55.95), Georgetown’s John Gregorek (3:57.10), and former Villanova star Eamonn Coghlan (3:58.57). Maree’s mark continues to be the Collegiate Out of doors File
In different highlights, Edwin Moses (48.65) gained the 400-Meter Hurdles, Jan Merrill (9:03.71) gained the Ladies’s 3000-Meters over Francie Larrieu (9:05.84), and James Robinson ran a world-leading 1:44.63 within the Males’s 800-Meters.
1981—Nebraska senior Merlene Ottey gained the 100 (11.20w) and beat UCLA’s Florence Griffith(Joyner) to win the 200 (22.78-23.11) on the AIAW Championships in Austin, Texas. The native of Jamaica set a Collegiate File of 11.07 in her 100 semi-final (5-29).
Oregon’s Leann Warren was additionally a double champion, successful the 800 (2:06.07) over the Tennessee duo of Delisa Walton(Floyd/2:08.37) and Joetta Clark(2:08.79), and the 1500 (4:15.00).
Clark and Walton (51.8-anchor) helped Tennessee set a Collegiate File within the 4×400 (3:31.70), and Walton (51.1) additionally anchored the Vols to a CR within the Dash Medley (1:36.70/5-29).
Tennessee’s win over UCLA within the 4×400 clinched the workforce title over the Bruins (61-57).
(From T&F Information)
1992—Danny Everett was the winner of the Males’s 400-meters in 45.08 on the Bruce Jenner Basic in San Jose, California.
Watching from the sidelines was a annoyed Butch Reynolds, the World File holder (43.29) within the occasion, who had hoped to compete within the race.
Reynolds had been hit with a 2-year suspension by the IAAF in November, 1990, for a doping violation, a ruling he had been battling ever since. A choose in Columbus, Ohio, had issued a brief restraining order towards the IAAF that ought to have allowed Reynolds to compete in San Jose. Nevertheless, the IAAF took a tough line on the problem, threatening to model the entire different athletes entered within the meet as “contaminated” if Reynolds have been allowed to compete.
With the Barcelona Olympics on the horizon, Meet Director Bert Bonanno, not prepared to jeopardize the eligibility of everybody else, reluctantly withdrew Reynolds’ invitation!
The difficulty would come up once more on the U.S. Olympic Trials in June. The U.S. Supreme Courtroom backed up one other restraining order, permitting Reynolds to compete. He completed 5th within the 400 remaining, which might ordinarily have certified him for the 4×400 pool, however the IAAF banned him from competing on the Olympics.
Reynolds Timeline(pre-Trials/subscription required):
https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1992-06-21-sp-1475-story.html
2009–Tyson Homosexual, whose 2008 Olympic goals have been minimize brief by an harm suffered on the U.S. Trials, returned with a vengeance on the Reebok Grand Prix at Icahn Stadium on NY’s Randall’s Island, successful the 200 in 19.58, making him the Third-fastest man in historical past on the time.
Bernard Lagat was edged within the Males’s 5000 by Kenya’s Micah Kogo (13:02.90-13:03.06). Swirling winds saved Lagat from reaching his purpose of breaking Bob Kennedy’s American File of 12:58.21.
Outcomes: https://www.flashresults.com/2009_Meets/out of doors/ReebokGP/index.htm
All-Time Checklist: http://www.alltime-athletics.com/m_200ok.htm
http://www.runblogrun.com/2009/05/reebok-grand-prix-simply-the-best-rgp-ever-by-larry-eder.html
David Monti’s Report: https://www.runnerspace.com/information.php?news_id=5869
2010— Chaunté (Howard) Lowe high-jumped 6-8 ¼ (2.04) in Cottbus, Germany, to interrupt Louise Ritter’s 22-year previous American File of 6-8 (2.03m).
“I’ve been getting extra constant on the heights and I’ve been in a position to execute my method lots higher in coaching,” Lowe informed Common Sports activities. “Earlier than, I used to be robust sufficient and quick sufficient to recover from the bar even when my method wasn’t that sharp. However, not too long ago we’ve actually been hammering down my method. I knew that it was going to return some day, I simply didn’t know what day it might be.”
Lowe would increase the File to its present top of 6-8 ¾ (2.05) the next month on the U.S. Championships.
The 37-year previous (on the time) mom of three had hoped to qualify for her 5th U.S. Olympic workforce in 2021, regardless of being identified with breast most cancers and having a double mastectomy in 2019 (And a battle with Covid!). Nevertheless, she may solely handle to clear 5-10 ¾ (1.80) in 2021 (She was the bronze medalist on the 2008 Olympics).
https://www.si.com/olympics/2020/05/29/chaunte-lowe-breast-cancer-olympics-tokyo-track-and-field
https://www.olympedia.org/athletes/107100
2014—Galen Rupp ran 26:44.36 on Distance Evening on the Prefontaine Basic in Eugene to interrupt his personal American File for 10,000 meters.
https://www.letsrun.com/information/2014/05/flash-galen-rupp-runs-2644-36-break-american-record/
2015—Jenny Simpson gained the Ladies’s 1500-meters on the Prefontaine Basic in 4:00.98, whereas Alexa Efraimson, a senior at Camus H.S.(WA) completed 7th in 4:03.39, breaking Mary Cain’s 2-year previous American Junior File of 4:04.62, which can be the U.S. Excessive Faculty File. Efraimson didn’t get credit score for a brand new H.S. File, since she had already signed knowledgeable contract!
Two sections of the Ladies’s 100-meters produced a sensational set of occasions. Oregon alum English Gardner gained the “B” part over unheralded Elaine Thompson of Jamaica, with each being timed in 10.84. Thompson would go on to win the 100 and 200 on the Rio Olympics in 2016, and repeated these wins on the Tokyo Olympics in 2021!
It was a blanket end within the seeded part, with Jamaican Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce (10.81) successful over the Ivory Coast’s Muirelle Ahouré (10.81), American Tori Bowie (10.82), and Nigeria’s Blessing Okagbare (10.87). SAFP was the Olympic gold medalist within the 100-Meters in 2008 and 2012.
In a battle of future Corridor-of-Famers, Allyson Felix (50.09) gained the 400-meters over Sanya Richards-Ross (50.25).
LetsRun Protection: https://www.letsrun.com/occasions/2015-prefontaine-classic-eugene-diamond-league-track-and-field/
Outcomes: https://preclassic.runnerspace.com/eprofile.php?do=data&event_id=120&12 months=2015
Concession Stand on the new Hayward Area
Born On This Day*
Margaret Okayo-Lenya 49 (1976) Winner of 4 World Marathon Majors
New York-2001, 2003, Boston-2002, London-2004
PBs: 1:07:23 (2003), 2:22:31 (2003/present NY course report)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Margaret_Okayo
NYRR Corridor of Fame: https://www.nyrr.org/about/hall-of-fame/margaret-okayo
https://worldathletics.org/athletes/kenya/margaret-okayo-14289395
David Mack 64 (1961) 1982 NCAA Champion—800m(Oregon (6th-1980);
PBs:1:14.15/600m (1986/#7 All-Time U.S.), 1:43.35 (1985/#10-All-Time U.S.)
Life took a flip for the more severe after turning into a police officer (test the hyperlinks under).
He was convicted of armed theft in reference to a financial institution heist and sentenced to 14 years in jail (launched in 2010).
He was additionally linked to the killing of rapper The Notorius B.I.G., however he’s all the time maintained he performed no function in that crime.
“For now, these chapters of Mack’s life will stay closed. There’s a biography within the works, and Mack would possibly contemplate giving
his aspect of the story sooner or later”. The L.A. native, who left Oregon after his junior 12 months, returned to Hayward Area in
2018 to see his previous coach, Invoice Dellinger. Learn extra on this Register Guard article.
http://www.streetgangs.com/police/rampart/091399_mack#sthash.ML8C05Xq.dpbs
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_Mack_(police_officer)
Allison Roe—New Zealand 69 (1956) Winner of the Boston and New York Marathons in 1981; PB: 2:26:46 (1981)
Inducted into the NY Street Runners(NYRR) Corridor of Fame in 2019
Suffered a hamstring harm that ended her operating profession earlier than having an opportunity to compete within the first
Olympic Marathon for ladies in 1984.
Later took up biking and Triathlons. In 2017, she gained a gold medal in mountain biking on the World Masters
Video games.
Since 2010, she has championed well being and environmental points as an elected member of Auckland’s
Waitemata District Well being Board.
http://www.nzhistory.internet.nz/web page/allison-roe-wins-boston-marathon
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dZzWXLx83ng
(2012)http://www.runnersworld.com/races/allison-roe-stays-in-shape
https://www.nyrr.org/about/hall-of-fame/allison-roe
Deceased
Gale Sayers 77 (1943-Sep.23, 2020) Former Nationwide H.S. Indoor File holder within the Lengthy Soar (24-10 ½
[7.58/1961/OmahaCentral,NE)
Oh, and he also became one of the greatest players in NFL history!
Brother Roger was a 3-time NAIA sprint champion at Omaha(1962-100y, 1963-100y,220y)
https://www.nytimes.com/2020/09/23/sports/football/gale-sayers-dead.html
https://bleacherreport.com/articles/2015519-the-25-best-rookie-seasons-in-nfl-history
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gale_Sayers
https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/S/SayeGa00.htm
https://www.profootballhof.com/players/gale-sayers/
Video Highlights: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lcll_wwpT6I
Wyndham Halswell—Great Britain 32 (1882-March 31, 1915) 1908 Olympic gold medalist—400 Meters
Won the race in a “walk-over”
From Olympedia:
After setting an Olympic record of 48.4 in the second round, Halswelle was easily the fastest of the qualifiers. In
the final he faced three Americans, John Carpenter, John Taylor, and William Robbins and the race resulted in
possibly the most controversial finish in Olympic track & field history.
Carpenter was drawn on the inside with Halswelle, Robbins, and Taylor outside him in that order, and after
Robbins had been involved in some over-rigorous jockeying for position, Carpenter entered the home straight
with Halswelle at his shoulder. At this point, Carpenter, in order to prevent Halswelle from passing him,
moved progressively farther towards the outside of the track, forcing Halswelle to within 18 inches of the
outside curb. By this time the British officials had seen enough and Dr. Arthur Roscoe Badger, the judge on
the final bend, ran up the track signalling the judges to break the tape. Carpenter crossed the line in an
unofficial 48.4, while Halswelle slowed to a jog.
After a lengthy inquiry on the evening the race, Carpenter was disqualified and the race was ordered to be re-
run two days later, in lanes (then termed strings, as strings separated each lane), but without Carpenter. The
precise statement was, “The judges have decided that the race is void, and order same to be re-run in strings
on Saturday next [25 July], at 12 o’clock. J. C. Carpenter is disqualified.” American officers ordered Robbins
and Taylor not to participate within the re-run and Halswelle ran alone to take the Olympic title.
Was killed in motion throughout WWI
