Walt Murphy is among the most interesting monitor statisticians that I do know. Walt does #ThisDayinTrack&FieldHistory, a wonderful day by 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 day by day service. We’ll put up just a few historic moments every day, starting February 1, 2024.
Observe & Discipline Historical past is copyrighted by Walt Murphy Information and Outcomes Companies, and all rights are reserved. RunBlogRun makes use of this content material with permission.
This Day in Observe & Discipline–September 2
1901–John Flanagan set a pre-IAAF World Document of 171-9 (52.35) within the Hammer Throw at NY’s Celtic Park. Flanagan was a 3-time Olympic champion within the occasion (1900-1904-1908)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Flanagan_(hammer_thrower)
http://www.wingedfist.org/John_Flanagan_Hercules.html
1960–The sleek Wilma Rudolph received the primary of her three gold medals on the Rome Olympics, taking the Ladies’s 100 in 11.0w. She equaled the world file of 11.3 in her semi-final race. Successful silver and bronze had been Nice Britain’s Dorothy Hyman (11.3w) and Italy’s Giuseppina Leone (11.3w).
Ralph Boston set an Olympic Document of 26-7 ¾ (8.12) within the third spherical of the Males’s Lengthy Bounce however nearly had the gold medal “stolen” by U.S. teammate Bo Roberson, who jumped 26-7 ¼ (8.11) on his remaining try. Soviet Igor Ter-Ovanesyan received the bronze medal with a leap of 26-4 ½ (8.04). Boston would ultimately wind up with an entire set of Olympic medals, taking the silver 1964 and the bronze in 1968.
Unheralded Peter Snell, sporting New Zealand’s all-black uniform, received the Males’s 800 in 1:46.3. fifth with 200 meters to go, Snell hugged the rail across the remaining flip, then took benefit of a gap as Belgium’s Roger Moens, the World Document holder within the occasion, veered out to lane 3 within the remaining 50 meters. Jamaica’s George Kerr (1:47.1), the NCAA Champion (Illinois), completed third.
Snell’s teammate, Murray Halberg (13:43.4), received the 5000-Meters over East Germany’s Hans Grodotzki (13:44.6), and third was Poland’s Kazimierz Zimny (13:44.8). Halberg, who had constructed a lead of 20-meters with a spurt nearly 4000-meters into the race, misplaced most of that cushion however was capable of maintain on for the win.
The U.S. received a sweep of the medals within the 400-hurdles from Glenn Davis (49.3), the defending champion Cliff Cushman (49.6), and Dick Howard (49.7). They had been offered their medals by Lord David Burghley, the 1928 Olympic Champion within the occasion! Cushman, a Main within the U.S. Air Drive, was killed in motion in the course of the Vietnam Warfare in 1966.
The opposite Press sister, Tamara (Irina received the 80-hurdles the day earlier than), set an Olympic Document of 56-10 (17.32) to win the Ladies’s Shot Put. East Germany’s Johanna Lüttge (54-6 [16.61]) received the silver medal, and Earlene Brown received the bronze with a clutch remaining throw of 53-10 1/2 (16.42). That had been the one time that an American girl had received an Olympic medal within the Shot Put till 2016 when Michelle Carter received gold in Rio!
The 20k stroll was received by the Soviet Union’s Vladimir Golubnichiy (1:34:07.2), with silver and bronze going to Australia’s Noel Freeman (1:34:16.4) and Nice Britain’s Stan Vickers (1:34:56.4).
Medalists/Outcomes: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Athletics_at_the_1960_Summer_Olympics
Olympia Reviews: http://www.olympedia.org/editions/15/sports activities/ATH
Cushman: http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?web page=gr&GRid=62052064
Movies
Rudolph:
http://www.olympic.org/movies/rome-1960-wilma-rudolph-stormed-to-gold
Snell: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HWk_agnXLzI
Halberg: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9aW8B6BOLjs
1964—Norway’s Terje Pedersen broke two boundaries within the Javelin with one throw in Oslo, reaching out to a distance of 300-11 (91.72) to turn out to be the primary man in historical past to throw previous 90 meters and 300 toes! Describing his historic throw, Pedersen, who held the earlier World Document of 285-10 (87.12), mentioned, “My strategy run went properly—after which I felt myself connecting. And the way! It was an outstanding feeling. It was identical to throwing a stone. The javelin bore barely to the left, not straight forward as I’m used to, however I believe it was a bonus as a result of your proper arm describes an arc from proper to left whenever you throw, and it’s, due to this fact, pure for the javelin to go considerably to the left if the discharge is ideal.” (From the Development of World Athletics Information-2020 Version:
https://worldathletics.org/information/information/progression-of-world-athletics-records-on-sal
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Menpercent27s_javelin_throw_world_record_progression
1972–Dave Wottle, sixth with 200-meters to go, unleashed his well-known “kick” and caught a sprawling Yevgeniy Arzhanov (Soviet Union/Ukraine) within the remaining stride to win the Males’s 800-meters (1:45.9 for each) on the Munich Olympics. An in depth third was Kenya’s Mike Boit (1:46.1).
Whereas it appears to be like like he was “kicking” within the final 200 meters, Wottle ran fairly even splits of 26.4, 26.9, 26.4, and 26.2 whereas others had been slowing down and returning to him!
He obtained a lot consideration when he forgot to take away his cap whereas enjoying the Nationwide Anthem in the course of the medal ceremony! Even his mom received on his case, asking, ”Why didn’t you’re taking your hat off” earlier than congratulating him on his win!

Whereas Wottle will endlessly be linked to the 800, he at all times thought of himself a miler first! (He received three NCAA titles within the 1500-‘72/mile-‘73/indoors & outdoor whereas at Bowling Inexperienced).
(Irrespective of how typically I watch the race video, I nonetheless have a tough time believing Wottle will catch Arzhanov!)
Operating out of lane 1, Uganda’s John Akii-Bua received the 400-meter hurdles within the World Document time of 47.82. Ending 2nd was American Ralph Mann (48.51-American Document), who had set a WR of 48.8 for the 440y-hurdles on the NCAA Championships in June, and third was Nice Britain’s David Hemery (48.52), the defending Olympic champion and the earlier WR holder (48.1). Hemery was additionally the 1968 IC4A and NCAA Champion whereas competing for Boston College. An in depth 4th was American Jim Seymour (48.64).
East Germany’s Renate Stecher received the Ladies’s 100-Meters in 11.07, breaking Wyomia Tyus’s World Document by .01s. A distant 2nd was Australia’s Raelene Boyle (11.23), and third was 17-year-old Cuban Silvia Chivás (11.24).
East Germany’s Wolfgang Nordwig (18-1/2 [5.50m]) received the Pole Vault over American Bob Seagren (17-8 ½ [5.40m]), the defending Olympic champion. American Jan Johnson received the bronze medal (17-6 ½ [5.35m]).
With 4-time gold medalist Al Oerter’s reign within the Males’s Discus at an finish, it was time for a brand new Olympic Champion to be topped. That honor fell to Czech Ludvík Daněk, who threw 211-3 (64.40) within the remaining spherical to maneuver from fifth to 1st and snatch the gold medal from American Jay Silvester (208-4 [63.50]), who at the least got here away together with his 1st Olympic medal. Ending third was Sweden’s Ricky Bruch (208-0 [63.40]). Daněk now had an entire set of Olympic medals, successful silver in 1964 and bronze in 1968.
Utilizing the brand new “Cata-Pole,” Seagren had set a World Document of18-5 ½ (5.63m) within the Pole Vault on the U.S. Trials in early July. The East Germans protested towards the brand new pole “as a result of it contained carbon fibers.” When it was identified that the pole didn’t comprise carbon fibers and that IAAF guidelines didn’t specify any materials prohibitions on poles, the IAAF banned it anyway as a result of the tools had not been out there to all opponents for the previous 12 months. It was additionally famous to the IAAF that their guidelines had no such requirement. Then, on August 27, the ban on the poles was lifted, and it was introduced they’d be allowed. Nevertheless, three days later, the IAAF once more reversed itself and reinstated the ban on the poles, confiscating them from the pole vaulters’ rooms within the Olympic Village”.
As soon as the competitors was over, a smiling Seagren returned his alternative pole to the person who had given it to him, Adrian Paulen, an IAAF official who reportedly believed the American was graciously presenting him with a present.
Medalists/Outcomes: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Athletics_at_the_1972_Summer_Olympics
Olympia Reviews: https://www.olympedia.org/editions/18/sports activities/ATH
Sports activities Illustrated Vault:
https://vault.si.com/vault/1972/09/11/saved-by-a-very-fast-wottle
Movies:
Wottle(ABC Protection): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5LHid-nC45k
Akii-Bua: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V9llJeNmhNc
The John Akii-Bua Story-An African Tragedy ( a 90-minute documentary
Akii-Bua’s Life in Idi Amin’s Uganda:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/sport/2008/aug/06/athletics.olympicsathletics
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Akii-Bua
Wottle Seems Again
(Video w/Billy Cvecko): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wpdk8txdb8c
Pole Vault Controversy:
Munich Olympics, 1972: The 'Other' Controversy You May Have Forgotten
Steve Smith, who didn’t make the ultimate, was additionally affected by the ban on the brand new poles (he had beforehand used a “Sky-Pole”).
http://www.sanclementetimes.com/not-your-typical-olympic-story/
1977–The inaugural World Cup (Sep.2-4), held in Düsseldorf, Germany, was the setting for a lot of nice matchups and performances. It additionally stirred ideas of one other international occasion–as a prophetic Garry Hill wrote in Observe and Discipline Information, “Greater than ever, we want a real World Championships. That was the message introduced house by the World Cup”.
Maybe stung by his first loss in a 12 months to West Germany’s Harald Schmid the week earlier than in Berlin, 1976 Olympic Champion Edwin Moses reaffirmed his standing because the #1 man in his occasion by successful the 400-hurdles (9-2) in 47.58, the 2nd-fastest time in historical past on the time (behind his world file of 47.45). Ending far up the monitor had been East Germany’s Volker Beck (48.83) and Schmid (48.85), each of whom set Nationwide Information. Moses’s victory would have added significance through the years since this started his exceptional 109-meet successful streak.
Kenya’s boycott of the 1976 Olympics saved Mike Boit from difficult Cuba’s Alberto Juantorena for the gold medal within the 800-meter. The 2 lastly met in Zürich per week earlier, with Juantorena getting the higher hand. The anticipation was excessive for his or her rematch right here (9-2), and the 2 warriors didn’t disappoint, waging a terrific homestretch battle to the wire, with World Document holder Juantorena successful by a tenth of a second (1:44.0-1:44.1). The anticipated matchup drew a lot consideration it was proven stay on ABC!
Juantorena, aka “El Caballo” (The Horse), got here again two days later to win the 400 (45.36). The 400 was first run on Saturday (9-3), with East Germany’s Volker Beck successful 45.79. Juantorena, claiming he didn’t hear the gun, protested, and his attraction was upheld. Beck completed 2nd to Juantorena (45.36) within the rerun and ran 45.50, a Nationwide Document.
Steve Williams, injured on the 1976 U.S. Olympic Trials, received the Males’s 100 (9-2) out of lane 1 over East Germany’s Eugen Ray (10.13-10.15), who was on his approach to a #1 World Rating.
Displaying stick-passing abilities typically lacking from U.S. groups, a lineup of Invoice Collins, Steve Riddick, Cliff Wiley, and Williams set a World Document of 38.03 within the Males’s 4×100 relay (9-3).
Nice Britain’s Steve Ovett broke open a detailed race with a blistering remaining 200 to win the Males’s 1500-meter
(9-3) with a British file of three:34.45. John Walker, the World Document holder within the mile on the time, dropped out with 150 meters to go after main on the bell. Ending seventh was a younger Steve Scott, who had received the primary of six U.S. titles within the 1500 in June.
With the sphere enjoying into his palms with a sluggish tempo, Ethiopia’s Miruts Yifter unleashed his potent kick (25.1 final 200, 54.3 final 400) to win the ten,000 (9-2/28:32.3). Ending third was Holland’s Jos Hermens, at present one of many main brokers within the sport. Yifter (13:13.8-NR) returned on 9-4 to win the 5000 over Marty Liquori, who set an American Document of 13:15.1.
Reversing the order of their 1-2 end within the Males’s Discus (9-2) on the earlier 12 months’s Olympics, East Germany’s Wolfgang Schmidt got here from behind to beat American Mac Wilkins (220-3 [67.14]) to 218-8 [66.64]).
Francie Larrieu fought out of a field to complete a satisfying 2nd within the Ladies’s 1500 (4:12.7-4:13.0) behind the Soviet Union’s Tatyana Kazankina, who received the 800 and 1500 on the 1976 Olympics.

Jan Merrill led the Ladies’s 3000 for a lot of the race earlier than Norway’s Grete Waitz took over and received in 8:43.5. Merril was edged for 2nd by the Soviet Union’s Lyudmila Bragina, the world file holder. Nonetheless, she received some comfort by breaking Francie Larrieu’s American Document (8:55.0) along with her time of 8:46.6.
Poland’s Irena Szewińska, who received the 200 on the primary day of competitors, accomplished a double by successful the Ladies’s 400 over East Germany’s Marita Koch (49.52-49.76).
The U.S. males had been poised to win this first-ever international workforce competitors because the 4×400 relay received underway, however anchorman Maxie Parks pulled up on the backstretch with a hamstring damage and couldn’t end the race. East Germany was the workforce champion by scoring 127-120 over the U.S. Europe edged East Germany for the ladies’s title(107-102). (Because of Observe and Discipline Information for a lot of the above data)
Medalists: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1977_IAAF_World_Cup
SI Function(Juantorena): https://vault.si.com/vault/1977/08/29/el-caballo-is-off-and-running
Merrell Noden Seems Again on the 800(2002):
https://vault.si.com/vault/2002/12/23/runners-mike-boit-and-alberto-juantorena-september-12-1977
Movies: Males’s 800, Males’s 100, Males’s 1500
Different Occasion Movies: Half 1, Half 2, Half 3, Half 4, Half 5
1985–Charlie Simpkins, a red-shirt junior at Baptist Faculty (now referred to as Charleston Southern), set a Collegiate Document of 58-7 ¼ (17.86) within the Triple Bounce on the World College Video games in Kobe, Japan. He moved (on the time) to #3 on the All-Time world listing behind World Document holder Willie Banks (58-11 ½ [17.97]) and Brazil’s Joao Oliveira (58-8 ½ [17.89]). (Now #6 All-Time U.S.). He turned a 2-time U.S. Olympian, ending fifth in 1988 and successful the silver medal in 1992.
(For subscribers): https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1986-02-19-sp-9593-story.html
1987—This was the off-day on the World Championships in Rome. NBC, in want of further programming for the “Highlights” present that might air that evening, determined to host a lunch at an outside restaurant within the hills of close by Tivoli and invite some athletes, a few of whom had already competed on the Worlds. This was the brainchild of producer John Gonzalez, who at all times managed to rearrange a singular eating expertise for the crew each time NBC was masking a T&F occasion in a international land. When Gonzalez proposed the concept to Dick Enberg, who was serving because the host for every of the day by day exhibits, the veteran announcer beloved it, and the plan was set in movement.
With the cameras rolling, the primary visitors to reach had been the NBC announcers—Enberg, who apparently had beforehand been to the restaurant, Charlie Jones, Dwight Stones, Frank Shorter, and Missy Kane. They had been quickly joined by New Zealand’s John Walker, the previous World Document holder within the Mile.
After they had been seated, Enberg then began introducing the all-star solid of invited athletes:
Edwin Moses—had received his 2nd World title within the 400-hurdles
Jackie Joyner-Kersee—winner of the Heptathlon. She was joined by her husband/coach, Bobby and brother
Al, the 1984 Olympic Champion within the Triple Bounce.
John Brenner—winner of the bronze medal within the Shot Put
Evelyn Ashford—injured however a part of NBC’s broadcast workforce
Grete Waitz—on crutches as a result of a stress fracture, 1983 World Champion within the Marathon
My task had been to select up Carl Lewis at his resort. Nonetheless, he was busy assembly Maradona, the legendary soccer participant (at the least that’s what my reminiscence tells me!), and would arrive later, together with Joe Douglas, his supervisor and the coach of the Santa Monica Observe Membership. Carl’s mother, Evelyn, and sister, Carol, joined me for the experience to Tivoli. (Carl had completed 2nd to Ben Johnson within the 100 however was declared the winner when Johnson was later disqualified).
When requested lately about what it took to draw such an illustrious group, Gonzalez replied, “I actually wasn’t positive till the final minute who would present up, however I needn’t have nervous. Once I talked about one after the other to all these stars {that a} free meal was concerned, nobody declined. The bus experience up was one thing I’ll always remember, as in all places round me was one other celebrity. The bus experience down was much more in order Carl joined us, and by that point, everybody had imbibed in additional than somewhat Chianti”!
I had been racking my mind attempting to recollect all the members on this memorable tour when, due to Google and YouTube, I discovered the video of your complete present! See how the remainder of the lunch performed out by going to: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mTrsZYiioA0 (consists of some occasion movies)
2007—The winner of the 1500 earlier within the week, Bernard Lagat, received the Males’s 5000 on the ultimate day of competitors on the eleventh World Championships in Osaka, Japan, turning into the primary man to finish that double on the Worlds. A sluggish tempo, which performed into his palms, led to Lagat’s successful time of 13:45.87, the slowest in World Championships historical past.
He waited till the ultimate straightaway earlier than sprinting into the lead, then held off the late surge of Kenya’s Eliud Kipchoge (13:46.00), the 2003 Champion. Uganda’s Moses Kipsoro (13:46.75) simply edged American Matt Tegenkamp (13:46.78) to win the bronze medal. Ending sixth was future nice Mo Farah (13:47.54) of Nice Britain, and eleventh was the third American within the race, Adam Goucher (13:53.17).
Finland’s Tero Pitkämäki (296-4[90.33]) received the Males’s Javelin over Norway’s Andreas Thorkildsen (290-8 [88.66]) and American Breaux Greer (282-10 [86.21]), who was disillusioned together with his bronze medal efficiency. “Normally, I’ll catch one or two out of six, however I didn’t catch something tonight. I believe possibly I used to be too aggressive. Man, I used to be simply going for a World Document at this time. That was my dangerous”.
Pitkämäki’s throwing model, which left him face down on the runway, reminded veteran observers of the model utilized by Al Cantello, the previous World Document holder within the occasion.
Kenya’s Catherine Ndereba, the 2003 Champion, received the Ladies’s Marathon in 2:30:37. She would win her 2nd straight Olympic silver medal the next 12 months in Beijing. Successful silver and bronze had been China’s Zhou Chunxiu (2:30:45) and Japan’s Reiko Tosa(2:30:55).
Croatia’s Blanca Vlašić (6-8 ¾ [2.05]) received the Ladies’s Excessive Bounce over Russia’s Anna Chicherova and Italy’s Antonietta DiMartino, who tied for 2nd with their clearance of 6-8 (2.03). Clearing 6-6 ¾ (2.00) on this deep subject had been Russia’s Yelena Slesarenko and Yekaterina Savchenko. 32-year-old Amy Acuff, competing in her seventh World Championships, completed twelfth (6-4 ¼ [1.94]). She would additionally end twelfth at her eighth (and remaining) Worlds in Berlin in 2009.
Canada’s Gary Reed (1:47.10) had the lead coming off the ultimate flip within the Males’s 800 however was handed simply earlier than the end line by Kenya’s Alfred Kirwa Yego, whose successful time of 1:47.09 remains to be the slowest, by far, in World Championships historical past. The subsequent slowest successful time is David Rudisha’s 1:45.84 in 2015. Successful the bronze was Russia’s Yuriy Borzakovskiy (1:47.39), who received silver on the 2003 and 2005 Worlds. He would win a 2nd bronze in 2011.
Medalists within the Ladies’s 1500-Meters had been Bahrain’s Maryam Jamal (3:58.75), Ukraine’s Iryna Lishchynska (4:00.69), and Bulgaria’s Daniela Yordanova (4:00.82). Russia’s Yelena Soboleva (3:58.99) initially completed a detailed 2nd to Jamal however was retroactively stripped of her silver medal for a doping violation.
Shericka Williams (50.5) led Jamaica on the opening leg of the Ladies’s 4×400, with DeeDee Trotter (51.3) bringing the U.S. in 4th. As soon as Allyson Felix received the baton, the race was successfully over, her 48-flat break up giving the U.S. a cushty lead they’d by no means relinquish, successful in 3:18.55 (now #9 All-Time U.S.). Ending up the U.S. win had been Mary Wineberg (50.2) and Sanya Richards (49.1). Ending 2nd and third had been Jamaica (3:19.73) and Nice Britain (3:20.04), with each setting Nationwide Information.
The U.S. accomplished a sweep of the 4 relays by successful the Males’s 4×400 in 2:55.56, the 2nd-fastest time in historical past (on the time—nonetheless #4). It was a one-team race from the start, with LaShawn Merritt (44.4), Angelo Taylor (43.8), Darold Williamson (44.3), and his former Baylor teammate, Jeremy Wariner (43.1) every having the quickest break up on their respective legs. Silver and bronze went to the Bahamas (2:59.18) and Poland (3:00.05).
Medalists/Outcomes: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2007_World_Championships_in_Athletics
IAAF Protection
Further Reviews/Quotes
https://worldathletics.org/information/information/osaka-2007-womens-high-jump-beating-back-th
Movies: WMAR M5000 W1500 M800 W4x400 M4x400 WHJ