This Day in Track & Field History, February 15, 2024, the first Boston AA meet, Gerry Lindgren, Ed Cheserek, by Walt Murphy’s News and Results Service

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This Day in Track & Field-February 15

by Walt Murphy’s News and Results Service  (wmurphy25@aol.com), used with permission

1890–The first Boston A.A. meet was held in Mechanics’ Hall in Boston (14 laps to the mile). A crowd of 5,000 witnessed a series of handicap events, which included a Mile that drew 50 entries. The winner was Gil Collamore, who ran with a handicap of 85 yards.

(From Wally Donovan’s All-Time Indoor T&F Record Book/1962).

1963—Trailing Tom O’Hara by 2 yards at the bell at the NYAC Games in Madison Square Garden, Jim Beatty responded with a blistering kick over the last ½-lap to regain the lead and win the Mile in 3:58.6, breaking his year-old World Indoor Record of 3:58.9. O’Hara finished 2^nd in 3:59.2 to become the first man to run indoors for under 4 minutes in a losing effort!

As noted on February 13, O’Hara would return to the meet the following year and lower the record by a full two seconds by running 3:56.6, with Beatty as the official starter.

https://onceuponatimeinthevest.blogspot.com/2013/02/february-1963.html

Record Progression: http://www.tf-stats.com/world_indoor_men.php

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HWHUj_0457Q

1964–17-year-old Gerry Lindgren, a senior at Rogers H.S. (Spokane, WA), stole the show with his front-running battle against Australia’s Ron Clarke in the 2-mile at the Cow Palace in Daly City, CA. Clarke won the race in 8:36.9, while Lindgren, who would make the U.S. Olympic team in the 10,000 meters later in the year, ran an amazing 8:40.0 to set a U.S. High School record that would stand for 49 years until Edward Cheserek ran 8:39.15 at the 2013 Millrose Games!. En route, Lindgren also established a H.S. Record for 3000 meters, 8:06.3(Broken by Cheserek’s 8:05.46)

http://onceuponatimeinthevest.blogspot.com/2013/08/february-1964.html

ALL-TIME U.S. HIGH SCHOOL LIST-BOYS 2-MILE/INDOORS

(From Jack Shepard’s High School Track)

*-junior, **-sophomore

8:39.15      Edward Cheserek’ (St. Benedict’s, Newark, New…