This Day in Track & Field, March 31, John Uelses clears 4.89m /16 feet (1962), edited by Walt Murphy

Walt Murphy’s News and Results Service  (wmurphy25@aol.com)

This Day in Track & Field—March 31

1906–The Intercollegiate Athletic Association of the United States (later the National Collegiate Athletic Association) is established to set rules for college sports in the United States.

1962–He had already become the first man to vault 16’ (4.89m) indoors earlier in the year, so it was only fitting that John Uelses would also become the first to do it outdoors, clearing 16-3/4 (4.90m) in Santa Barbara, CA.

http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,829050,00.html  (For Subscribers)

Video: http://www.britishpathe.com/video/world-record-pole-vault-by-uelses

WR Progression: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Men’s_pole_vault_world_record_progression

Sports Illustrated Vault: https://vault.si.com/vault/1962/02/26/he-could-do-it-on-bamboo

Wiki Bio: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Uelses

2018—In one of the greatest Pole Vault competitions in history, France’s Renaud Lavillenie, the World Record holder in the event (at the time), beat Canada’s Shawn Barber and H.S. senior Mondo Duplantis at the Texas Relays, with all three clearing 19-5 (5.92). All three missed their three attempts at 19-9 (6.02).

Lavillenie had no misses through the winning height, while Barber missed once at 19-1 (5.82) and Duplantis cleared 19-5 on his 3^rd attempt to raise his U.S. and World Junior (and H.S.) Record from 19-4  ¼ (5.90), his winning height at the 2017 Texas Relays.

2023—Texas won the Sprint Medley on their home track at the Texas Relays in 3:36.10 to destroy the previous Collegiate Record of 3:38.93 that was set by Texas A&M at the 2022 Relays.

The event isn’t contested much (if at all) outside the U.S., but only 3 National teams from Jamaica have ever run faster! (3:34.56/2009, 3:34.64/2011, 3:35.37/2011—all at the Penn Relays).

The Longhorns got strong efforts from all 4 runners, with Julien Alfred, the 2023 NCAA Indoor Champion (and Collegiate Record holder) in the 60-meters and Rhasidat Adeleke, who briefly held the CR in the 400 earlier this year, handling the 200 legs. Kennedy Simon split close to 50-seconds flat on the 400 leg, and Valery Tobias finished things off by running 2:01.3 on the anchor 800 leg!

Arkansas, running without its #1 runner, Britton Wilson, finished a distant 2^nd in 3:41.51, but still became the 4^th-fastest squad in NCAA history (now 8^th)!

Sprint Medley All-Time Top-10 College (From T&F News)

3:36.10     Texas                       3/31/23

3:37.71      Clemson                         3/28/25

3:38.16      Arkansas                         3/28/25

3:38.93      Texas A&M                      3/25/22

3:38.95         Texas                          3/25/22

3:39:04         Texas A&M                   4/28/17

3:39.05      Oregon                           4/28/17

3:41.51     Arkansas                   3/31/23     

3:41.59      Stanford                         4/27/18

3:41.78      Tennessee                       4/23/04

https://texassports.com/news/2023/3/31/womens-sprint-medley-relay-break-collegiate-record-at-the-95th-clyde-littlefield-texas-relays.aspx

Born On This Day*

Allie Wilson  29 (1996)  2024 U.S. Indoor Champion—800m

         2024 U.S. Olympian (Repechage round); 2nd at the 2024 U.S. Olympic Trials, 6th on 2021

         All-American at Monmouth University (NJ)—2019 NCAA (5th, 4th Indoors)

         Winner at the 2021 Texas Relays, 2022 Drake Relays, 2023 Penn Relays

         Attended Strath Haven H.S. (PA), where her “main” sport was soccer.

         PBs: 1:57.52 (2024), 2:00.33i (2023), 4:04.22 (2022)

         https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Allie_Wilson

         https://www.instagram.com/allie_oop9/?hl=en

         https://monmouthhawks.com/sports/womens-track-and-field/roster/allie-wilson/9118

         2024 Trials: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kVyNuM-jUAA

         2024 U.S.i: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RPP8z2uB45c

Ken Harnden-Zimbabwe 52 (1973)  1995 NCAA Champion—400-meter hurdles (North Carolina) 6’-5”, 196 (1.98, 89kg)

         1995 NCAA Indoor Champion-4×400 (anchor)

         7^th at the 1995 World Championships

         2-time Olympian—400m Hurdles (1996/semi-final, 2000/heat)

         Currently an Assistant Head Coach at Auburn—previously coached at Georgia, Florida State, and Tennessee

         Named the 2025 Assistant Coach of the Year by USTFCCA

         PBs: 45.19 (1999), 48.05 (1998)

         https://auburntigers.com/sports/xctrack/roster/coaches/ken-harnden/3722

         https://auburntigers.com/news/2025/03/25/harnden-named-ustfccca-national-assistant-coach-of-the-year

         http://www.olympedia.org/athletes/79538

         https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ken_Harnden

Ron Brown 64 (1961) 1984 Olympic gold medalist-4×100 (100-4^th);

         PB-10.06 (1983)

         Began his NFL career right after the Olympics!

         https://www.olympedia.org/athletes/78164

         http://www.nfl.com/player/ronbrown/2510437/careerstats

         Best of Both Worlds:

         www.upi.com/Archives/1984/08/17/A-year-ago-Ron-Brown-turned-down-a-multi-million/7709461563200/

Roger Black 59 (1966) 2-time Olympic silver medalist—400, 4×400 (1996)/1992-bronze/4×400

         2-time World Champion-4×400 (1991,1997)

         Silver medalist in the 400 and 4×400 at the 1987 and 1991 World Championships, respectively

         2-time European Champion-400m (1986, 1990)

         PB:44.37 (1996)

         https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roger_Black

         https://www.olympedia.org/athletes/68892

         https://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-6082545/Roger-Black-52-conservatory-Surrey-home.html

         Motivational Speaker: https://champions-speakers.co.uk/sports-speakers/olympic-speakers/roger-black-mbe/

Craig Masback—70 (1955) 1980 U.S. Indoor Champion-Mile

         1975 NCAA Indoor Champion: 2-mile relay/anchor (Princeton)

         1973 Golden West Champion-880y (White Plains H.S.,NY)

         Set an American Record of 5:00.11 for 2000-meters in 1982 in Bordeaux, France, breaking the last of Steve

               Prefontaine’s American records

          In 1978 became the first man to run a sub-4 minute mile on the Iffley Road track in Oxford, England, since

                Roger Bannister famously broke the 4-minute barrier there in 1954!

          Served as the CEO of USATF from 1997-2008

          Member of NBC’s T&F broadcast crew that covered the 1992, 1996, 2008, 2012, and 2016 Olympics

          Formerly Nike’s Senior Director, Sports Marketing, Global & North America Running/Track & Field

         PBs:1:47.55 (1979), 3:35.28 (1982), 3:52.02 (1979), 5:00.11 (1982), 7:52.89 (1979), 13:47.90 (1979)

         https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Craig_Masback

         That Mile in Oxford

         https://bringbackthemile.com/news/detail/my_first_sub_411

         https://www.iaaf.org/news/news/usatf-ceo-masback-to-take-on-new-challenge

Oscar Moore 87 (1938)  1964 U.S. Olympian—5000-meters (1^st round)

         All-American at Southern Illinois—1966 (6-miles/4^th), 1967 (3-miles/6th, 6-miles/2^nd)

         Attended White Plains (NY) H.S., the alma mater of Larry James and Craig Masback

         PBs:3:45.7 (1967), 4:06.2 (1967), 13:51.31 (1967), 29:27.77 (1967), 9:02.8sc (1964)

         Former coach at Rowan University

         https://www.rowanathletics.com/news/2009/8/4/MXC_0804091426.aspx?path=mcross

         https://www.olympedia.org/athletes/78808

         http://ramscrosscountry.blogspot.com/2010/05/great-oscar-moore.html

         Ted Corbitt’s son Gary prepared this tribute to Moore in 2019.

         Celebrating African American Running History

         African American Running History Timeline Project (1880 – 1979)

         Oscar W. Moore Jr.

         Happy 81st Birthday (March 31) & Congratulations!

         2019 National Black Distance Runner Hall of Fame Inductee – March 2, 2019

         2019 Road Runners Club of American (RRCA) Hall of Fame Inductee – March 30, 2019

         “What an honor and privilege it was for me to introduce Oscar Moore in Little Rock for his induction into the National Black

            Distance Running Hall of Fame. I was 10 years old in 1961 when I first started watching Oscar Moore, Pete McArdle, and

            Gordon McKenzie dominate the New York running scene. Seeing Oscar’s running form was akin to watching a dancer

            gliding majestically across a stage – Speed & Grace.”

The Oscar Moore Record:

September 15, 1963 -Defeated Pete McArdle in the NY Metropolitan AAU 20K Championship. This was perhaps the greatest road race in

New York City history. Oscar led the entire way in a neck and neck battle. He pulled away in the last lap to win by a mere 11 seconds. It was McArdle’s first defeat in the New York area in 4 years. Oscar set 4 course records during this race on the Macombs Dam Course in the Bronx at Yankee Stadium.

October 16, 1964 –Becomes the first African American to represent the U.S. at the Olympic Games for the 5,000 meters.

November 1, 1964 – Sets the 5 mile cross-country record of 24:41 at Van Cortlandt Park.

November 15, 1964 –Sets the 6 mile cross-country record of 30:09.9 at Van Cortlandt Park. The previous mark of 30:34.6 was set by

Pete McArdle in 1963. This was a 6 mile handicap race put on by the Road Runners Club: New York Association.

November 30, 1964 –Won the 7th Annual RRC: NY Association 9 Mile cross-country race. He lowered his Van Cortlandt Park course record

to 46:19.6. His 3 mile and 6 mile spits were 15:07 and 30:45.

March 4, 1967 – Tracy Smith sets a world indoor record for 3 miles of 13:16.2, winning over Moore, who set the pace for most of

the race and recorded a collegiate record of 13:22.2. The race was the AAU National Championship in Oakland, CA.

Recorded victories over these great runners during his career: Jim Ryun, Jim Beatty, Billy Mills, John Lawson, Conrad Nightingale, and Ron Larrieu. He also had some close races with Gerry Lindgren.

Holds the Southern Illinois University 5,000 meter record both indoors and out. That’s 50 years holding these school records.

Was the track & field and cross-country coach at Glassboro/Rowan University for 22 years 1971 to 1993. His successes as a coach were rewarded with his 2009 induction into the U.S. Track & Field and Cross-Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) Hall of Fame.

Oscar’s greatest gift is the impact he’s had on people through his years as a coach and his ministry that continues today as an ordained minister in Glassboro, New Jersey.

Les Carney 91 (1934)  1960 Olympic silver medalist in Rome—200m (finished inches behind Italy’s Livio Berutti)

         Finished 3^rd, just ahead of reigning Olympic Champion Bobby Morrow, at the 1960 U.S. Olympic Trials

         Almost passed up the Olympics to attend the funeral of his grandmother, but his grandfather insisted that he make

             the trip to Rome—“Make us proud”.

         All-American at Ohio University—3^rd in the 220y at the 1959 NCAA Championships (7^th in 1958)

         Left Ohio U. after his freshman year to join the U.S. Army…returned to the school in 1957, where he was coached by

             future Hall-0f-Famer Stan Huntsman

         A talented football player at Ohio U., he was drafted by the NFL’s Baltimore Colts

         Oldest Living Olympians: https://acsweb.ucsd.edu/~ptchir/

         https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lester_Carney

         https://www.olympedia.org/athletes/78199

         (2021 Article): https://wtov9.com/sports/olympics/hometown-olympians-les-carney

         Ohio U (2023)   Catching Up (2024)