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 (WaltMurphy44@gmail.com), used with permission
This Day in Track & Field/X-Country–March 21
1953–The Grand Street Boys’ “Dream Team” of Herb McKenley (48.2), Andy Stanfield (49.8), George Rhoden (48.5), and Mal Whitfield (47.9) set an American and World Record of 3:14.4 in the Mile Relay on the 220y-flat board track at the 174th Armory Games in Buffalo.
McKenley was a 2-time Olympic silver medalist in the 400-meters (1948, 1952); Stanfield was the 1952 Olympic 200-meter champion; Rhoden was the gold medalist in the 400 in 1952; and Whitfield won the 800 at the 1948 and 1952 Games. McKenley and Rhoden ran on Jamaica’s winning 4×400 relay in 1952.
From Dave Johnson: “…it was only in the early ’60s that the relay team national homogeneity definition changed. Before that, the A.R. could be set by any U.S. club, college, or national team regardless of the nationalities of the runners.” (World Indoor Records weren’t officially recognized by the IAAF/World Athletics until 1987)
This was the 6th World Indoor Record of the season for Whitfield.
https://forum.trackandfieldnews.com/forum/historical/2967-grand-street-boys
1977—Thom Hunt’s individual win in the Junior race (7.5km) led the U.S. to the team title at the World X-Country Championships in Düsseldorf, Germany. The other scorers for the U.S. were Mark Spilsbury (5th), Marty Froelick (12th), and Chris Fox (18th).
Léon Schots beat Portugal’s Carlos Lopes in the Senior race to lead Belgium to the team title.
Spain’s Carmen Valero won the Women’s Senior race (no Junior race for women), while runner-up Lyudmila Bragina led the Soviet Union to the team title. The U.S. won the silver medal.
Other notable finishers:
Senior Men (12.3km): 4. Franco Fava (Italy/became one of the leading journalists in the sport), 7.Karel Lismont (Belgium), 24.Jeff Wells (USA), 30.Fernando Mamede (Portugal), 37.Rob de Castella (Australia), 42.Gary Tuttle (USA), 44.Jos Hermens (Netherlands), 45.Dave Bedford (Great Britain), 91.Ray Treacy (Ireland),…
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