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.
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This Day in Track & Field–April 6
(Olympics Reborn, John Camien, “You’re Fired”, Roy Martin, Johnny Gray, Hardee/Birthdays-Catalano, Samara, Bob Soth Arnie Sowell)
1896—The Olympic Games (April 6-15) were reborn in Athens, and the first gold medals of the Modern Era were won by Americans James Connolly in the Triple Jump (44-11 ¾ [13.71]) and Bob Garrett in the Discus (95-7 1/4/WR/29.15). Garrett would come back the next day to win the Shot Put (36-9 ¾ [11.22]) and also finish second in the Long Jump.
The day started with the Opening Ceremony, with 60,000 fans cheering as Greece’s King George I declared the Games open.
The American team, which would dominate these Games, was drawn from Princeton University and the Boston Athletic Association.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1896_Summer_Olympics
NY Times(for subscribers): https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1896/04/08/105746357.html?pageNumber=4
Panathenaic Stadium—Site of the 1896 Olympics
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Panathenaic_Stadium
1963–John Camien, a sophomore at Emporia State(KS) ran down Dyrol Burleson, the former American Record holder in the event, to pull off an upset win in the Mile at the Texas Relays (4:02.6-4:02.8).
Camien, a NY State champion in the 880 and Mile while at Sewanhaka H.S. on Long Island, won seven NAIA titles while at Emporia: two in cross-country (1963, 1964), three in the mile (1962, 1966, 1965), and one at 1500 meters (1964). He probably would have won more, but the NAIA didn’t sponsor an indoor championship until 1966!
George Brose of Once Upon a Time in the Vest, a sophomore at Oklahoma, took the video linked below from the infield. He also offers some other details from the meet at: https://onceuponatimeinthevest.blogspot.com/2013/02/april-1963.html (Scroll Down)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1i6EtzHNSuo
Kansas Hall of Fame: https://www.kshof.org/team/john-camien
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