1929—The NY Times reported that 45,000 fans turned out on the second day of the Penn Relays to see the incomparable Paavo Nurmi, the “Flying Finn.” The winner of nine Olympic gold medals at the last three Olympics didn’t disappoint, winning the 3-mile in 14:29-1/5. He had won the 2-mile the day before in 9:15.4, the fastest time ever run in the U.S.
George Simpson anchored Ohio State to victory in the 440-(42.2) and 880-(1:27.0) relays, which were run around two turns for the first time at Penn. Simpson also won the 2nd of his 3 Penn titles in the 100-yard dash (9.6).
Phil Edwards anchored NYU to a win in the Sprint Medley for the 2nd year in a row. Representing Canada, he won 5 bronze medals at 3 Olympics–1924-1928-1932(See link).
Yale’s Frederick Sturdy set a Relay Record of 13-5 ½ (4.10+) in the Pole Vault, and Army’s C.E. Green won the Long Jump (23-5 7/8 [7.15+]) and Triple Jump (47-2 3/8 [14.38+]). NYU’s David Myers set another relay record, throwing the Javelin 196-3 ¾ (59.83+).
https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1929/04/28/95936558.pdf?pdf_redirect=true&ip=0
1934–Jack Torrance had bettered the World Record in the Shot Put on two previous occasions, but his toss of 55-1 ½ (16.80) at the Drake Relays was the first to get official recognition from the IAAF.
WR Progression: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Men’s_shot_put_world_record_progression
1935— LSU, with Glenn “Slats” Hardin (1:53.6) on the anchor, got its first win at Penn in the 2-Mile Relay (7:49.0). It would be 44 years (1979) before the Tigers would win again at the Relays. Hardin won the 400 m Hurdles (54.7) and Olympic gold in Berlin in 1936.
Led by the “original” Ben Johnson, Columbia swept the 440y-(42.3) and 880y-(1:27.1) Relays. A World Indoor Record holder at 60-yards (with wins over Jesse Owens and Ralph Metcalfe, the gold and silver medalists in the 100 Meters at the 1936 Olympics), Johnson missed out on a chance to compete in Berlin after suffering an injury before the U.S. Trials.
Temple sophomore Eulace Peacock won the Long Jump with a leap of 25-1/4 (7.62+) and 100 meters in 10.6.
Johnson: https://blackhistory.news.columbia.edu/people/ben-johnson
1940— Maryland became the first team to sweep the 3 longest relays:2-Mile (7:48.4), 4-Mile (17:44.8), and Distance Medley (10:12.5) relays at Penn. Running on all 3 teams were Mason Chronister and Jim Kehoe, who became Maryland’s track coach and then Athletic Director…
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