by RBR Admin
Walt Murphy is one of the finest track geeks that I know. Walt does #ThisDayinTrack&FieldHistory, an excellent daily service that provides true geek stories about our sport. You can check out the service for FREE with a free one-month trial subscription! (email: WaltMurphy44@gmail.com ) for the entire daily service. We will post a few historic moments each day, beginning February 1, 2024.
by Walt Murphy’s News and Results Service (wmurphy25@aol.com), used with permission
This Day in Track & Field-January 9
1965—Just 3 months after his stunning win in the 10,000-meter at the 1964 Olympics in Tokyo, Billy Mills pulled off another surprise by winning the mile on the 11-lap indoor track at the Examiner Invitational in San Francisco.
After leading a strong field of mile specialists by as much as 10 meters in the slow-paced race, Mills barely held on for the win over Great Britain’s Alan Simpson, who had finished 4th in the 1500 meters in Tokyo (4:08.1-4:08.3).
1976—Villanova senior Eamonn Coghlan, who hadn’t yet been dubbed “Chairman of the Boards,” combined the first indoor sub-4 mile of his career (3:59.7) with a win on the 11-lap banked track at the CYO Invitational in College Park, Maryland. Coghlan had just arrived in Philadelphia from Ireland the night before and slept most of the day before reluctantly making it to the starting line.
Dan Ripley vaulted 18-1 ¼ (5.52) to better his previous World Record of 18-1 (5.51).
The Women’s Mile Relay also produced a World Record, with the Florida T.C. winning in 3:44.2, just a tenth ahead of the Atoms T.C., the previous record holder (3:47.0). Running for the FTC were Rose Allwood (56.5), Debbie Pastel (57.1), Robin Campbell (56.2), and Debra Armstrong (54.4), who held off the Atoms’ Lorna Forde (54.1). Forde had earlier won the 440y in 55.1.
19-year-old senior Houston McTear won the 60-yards at the CYO Invitation in College Park, Maryland, running 5.9 to equal the U.S. High School Record set by Bill Gaines in 1966. McTear beat a field that included Hasley Crawford, who would win Olympic gold in the 100-meters later in the year, Steve Riddick, and Delano Meriwether.
From Track and Field News
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eamonn_Coghlan
http://www.racingpast.ca/john_contents.php?id=240
1994–Bert Nelson, who co-founded Track and Field News with his brother Cordner in 1948, died after a long battle with Parkinson’s Disease. Nelson was inducted into USATF’s Hall of Fame in 1991 (Cordner was inducted in 1988)
Said his brother at the time, “If you believe Track and Field News has contributed to the sport, then you have to credit Bert because, without him, there would be no T&FN.”
HOF Bio: https://www.usatf.org/athlete-bios/albert-bert-nelson
Significant Birthdays
Born On This Day*
Katarina Johnson-Thompson (“KJT”) 32 (1993) 2-time World Champion—Heptathlon (2019, 2023/5th in 2013 & 2017, 8th in 2022)
Ran a then-personal best of 2:05.63 in the final event (800) at the 2023 Worlds to beat American Anna Hall, the favorite, for the
gold medal. Her 20-point margin of victory (6740-6720) was the smallest in WC history. Had been hampered by injuries in recent
years.
Silver medalist at the 2024 Olympics (6th in 2016, 13th in 2012, withdrew in Tokyo in 2021 after suffering a calf injury
2018 World Indoor Champion-Pentathlon
2-time European Indoor Champion—Pentathlon
World-class performer in the High Jump & Long Jump
5th in the High Jump at the 2017 World Championships…11th in the Long Jump in 2015
Silver medalist in the Long Jump at the 2014 World Indoor Championships
2012 World Junior (Under-20) Champion—Long Jump
PBs: 2:04.90 (2024), 13.03 (2019), 6-6 (1.98/2016-Nat’ll Record), 22-9i (6.93/2015), 5000i (2015/NR/#5 All-Time),
6981 (2019/NR/#7 All-Time)
2024 SBs: 6-3 ½ (1.92), 6844
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Katarina_Johnson-Thompson
I’ve Got Unfinished Business (Olympics)
Videos: 2019 WC 2023 WC #1 2023 WC #2 2023 WC (interview)
Wang Junxia-China 52 (1973) 1993 World Champion-10,000m, 1996 Olympic Champion-5000m
Former World Record holder-10,000m-29:31.78
He was coached by the controversial Ma Junren until 1995.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wang_Junxia
https://worldathletics.org/athletes/pr-of-china/junxia-wang-14265107
WR Progression: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/10,000_metres_world_record_progression
WR: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PrFfqG92HJk
Germán Silva—Mexico 57 (1968) 2-time winner of the NY City Marathon (1994, 1995)
The 1994 race provided one of the most bizarre finishes in the event’s history. With less than a mile to go, Silva
was battling fellow Mexican (and training partner) Benjamin Paredes for the lead on Central Park South when he
mistakenly followed the lead vehicles, which were making a necessary early exit from the race, into Central
Park. Silva, reacting to the frantic gestures of officials and police officers, quickly went into reverse and eventually caught Paredes, winning by a mere two seconds (2:11:21-2:11:23).
Silva, a good sport, helped recreate the moment the following night in a skit on David Letterman.
Show!
6th in the 10,000-Meters at the 1992 Olympics and 6th in the Marathon at the 1996 Olympics
PBs: 13:26.11 (1993), 27:46:52 (1992), 2:09:18 (1994)
’94 NYC: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zzMi5zzHHic
https://worldathletics.org/athletes/mexico/german-silva-14213297
Mick Byrne 69 (1956) Director of X-Country and T&F at Wisconsin. Previously coached at Iona.
https://uwbadgers.com/sports/mens-track-and-field/roster/coaches/mick-byrne/1669
2011 Article(After winning NCAA XC title)
http://www.runnersworld.com/rt-web-exclusive/5-minutes-with-mick-byrne
Russ Rogers 86 (1939) Coach (retired), Essex CC, FDU, Ohio State, 1962 All-American–440y-hurdles (Maryland
State/NCAA-3rd)
Ranked #2 in the U.S. in the 400-hurdles in1967/World-#4 (1962-4/World-6, 1963-5, 1968-5)
5-time NAIA Hurdles Champion:1961 (440y), 1962 (120y,440y), 1963 (120y,440y)
Member of the Penn Relays Wall of Fame
Won the 120y/440y hurdles double in 1961 (Outstanding Performer) and 1962 while at Maryland State
Ran the 2nd leg on Winston-Salem’s winning team in the Shuttle Hurdles Relay in 1959
https://www.worldathletics.org/athletes/united-states/russ-rogers-014344673
2014 Article: https://ohiostatebuckeyes.com/news/2014/12/31/catching-up-with-russ-rogers
https://pennrelays.com/honors/hall-of-fame/russ-rogers/79
Deceased
Bob Giegengack 80 (1907-May 25, 1987) Former coach at Fordham and Yale
Head U.S. Men’s coach at the 1964 Olympics, Assistant Coach in 1956
Among the athletes he coached at Yale were Frank Shorter, Wendell Mottley, Jay Luck, and Mark Young. Field event
stars who competed for Yale during Giegengack’s time at the school included Calvin Hill, Jim Fuchs, and Vic Frank.
Began his coaching career at Fordham in 1938 at the age of 31, making him the youngest head T&F coach in the
U.S. Led the Rams to the 1941 IC4A Indoor team title.
Inducted into the National Hall of Fame in 1978.
The Giegengack Award is presented annually at the USATF Meeting to a person “who excels in contributing to the excellence and
high standards of the sport of Athletics.”
http://www.ustfccca.org/awards/bob-giegengack-ustfccca-special-inductee
https://theolympians.co/tag/bob-giegengack/
Charles Bacon 83 (1885-Nov.15, 1968) 1908 Olympic gold medalist—400m Hurdles (1904-1500/9th)
Ran 55.0 in the Olympic final, setting the first IAAF-Ratified World Record. He had earlier run a “WR” of
55.8 at the Eastern U.S. Olympic Trials
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles_Bacon
https://www.olympedia.org/athletes/78064
Ollie Manninen 81 (1917-Jan.7, 1999) 1948 U.S. Olympian-Marathon (24th)
Completed 18 Boston Marathons
From Olympedia: Manninen served in the 10th Mountain Division under General Lucien Truscott during World War II.
In combat near Castel d’Aiano in April 1945, Manninen saw a fellow soldier taken down by German machine gun fire.
He was obviously grievously injured, so Manninen risked his own life under fire to go 40 meters out onto the field
and bring the soldier back to safety in a shell crater where he could be treated.
The man he saved was Bob Dole, who had suffered nerve damage to his right arm that would affect him for the
rest of his life. However, this did not prevent Dole from entering politics, serving in the US Senate, and serving as
the Republican vice-presidential candidate in 1976 and the Republican presidential candidate in 1996, although he
did not win either election.
Manninen received the Silver Star for his rescue of Dole, was frequently mentioned by Dole in his speeches, and
was publicly thanked by him in his first Presidential debate with future President Bill Clinton. He later included more
details of Manninen’s heroism during a speech to the National Italian-American Foundation in Washington, DC. Dole
also included the story in his memoir One Soldier’s Story, published in 2005, six years after Manninen’s death at the
age of 81. “Ollie’s quick thinking and courageous action probably prevented me from being shredded by the German
machine-gunners,” Dole wrote.
http://www.olympedia.org/athletes/78733
https://www.spokesman.com/stories/1996/oct/03/soldier-who-saved-dole-steps-forward-nightmares/
