This Day in Track & Field, March 13, 2024, Loren Murchinson, Marty Liquori, Merlene Ottey, by Walt Murphy News and Services

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.

This Day in Track & Field–March 13

(1920 U.S. Nationals, Vince Cartier, Keith Holley, 2010 WIC/NCAA, 2011 N.B./Verzbicas-Cheserek, 2016 NB-10 NRs, 2021 NCAA/Born On This Day-R.I.P./Ellery Clark, Barney Berlinger)

1920—Loren Murchison won the second of his five U.S. Indoor titles at 60 yards, equaling the World Record of 6.4. He also won the 300-yard race in 32.0.

Joie Ray (2:15.2) gave the sellout crowd of 5,000 at NYC’s 22^nd Regiment Armory (the current Armory) a thrill by coming from behind to win his 3^rd straight title in the 1000y.

1971—Marty Liquori won the Mile (4:04.7) and the 2-Mile (8:37.1) at the NCAA Indoor Championships in Detroit’s Cobo Arena to lead Villanova to the team title over UTEP (22 to 19-1/4 [score 5 places/6-4-3-2-1).

Other notable winners were Wisconsin’s Mark Winzenried (1:50.9) in the 880y, Duke’s Bob Wheeler (2:07.4) in the 1000y, and Wisonsin’s Pat Matzdorf in the High Jump (7-2 [2.18+]). In July, Matzdorf would set a World Outdoor Record of 7-6  ¼ (2.29+, ratified as 2.29).

http://trojanforcestats.us/iNCAA-Meet-Results/iNCAAresults1971.pdf

1972–Vince Cartier (Scotch Plains, NJ) ran the Mile in 4:06.6 at Princeton. That stood as the fastest time ever run indoors in a high school-only race until Alex Hatz (Fayetteville-Manlius, NY) ran 4:05.50, 38 years later, at the 2010 Nike Indoor Nationals.

1976—UTEP got wins from Arnold Grimes (53-5  ½ [16.29]) in the Triple Jump and Emmit Berry (65-8 [20.01+]) in the Weight Throw. The Distance Medley (9:43.16), anchored by Wilson Waigwa, as the Miners won the team title at the NCAA Indoor Championships in Detroit’s Cobo Arena.

Villanova’s Eamonn Coghlan (4:01.48) won the Mile for the 2^nd year in a row, and teammate Mark Belger (2:07.29) won the 1000y over Boston College’s Keith Francis (2:07.68) and Ohio State’s Tom Byers (2:07.69).

Western Kentucky’s Nick Rose (8:30.91) won the 2-mile over Illinois’ Craig Virgin (8:33.71), Auburn’s Harvey Glance won the 60y (6.21), Arkansas State’s Earl Bell (18-1/4 [5.49+]) won the Pole Vault, and Long Beach State’s Dwight…