This Day in Track & Field–July 29
1928–John Kuck won the gold medal in the Shot Put at the Amsterdam Olympics with a World Record toss of 52-3/4 (15.87). Finishing 2nd (51-8 [15.87) was Herman Brix, who later became better known as actor Bruce Bennett (Tarzan). Winning the bronze medal was Germany’s Emil Hirschfeld (51-7 [15.72]).
Passing Finnish teammate Ville “Willie” Ritola (30:19.4) in the homestretch, Paavo Nurmi (30:18.8/OR) won the 10,000 meters to regain the title he first won in 1920. 3rd was Sweden’s Edvin Wide (31:00.8).
Bob King (6-4 ¼ [1.94) and Ben Hedges (6-3 ¼ [1.91]) gave the U.S. a 1-2 finish in a marathon High Jump that lasted five hours. France’s Claude Ménard (6-3 ¼ [1.91]) finished 3rd.
Medalists/Results: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Athletics_at_the_1928_Summer_Olympics
Olympedia Reports: https://www.olympedia.org/editions/9/sports/ATH
Brix Obituary: http://www.nytimes.com/2007/03/02/obituaries/02brix.html
https://www.olympedia.org/athletes/78150
Kuck: https://www.olympedia.org/athletes/78669
WR Progression: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Men’s_shot_put_world_record_progression
1949—Curt Stone, 6th in the 5000 at the 1948 Olympics, set an American Record of 30:38.4 for 10,000-meters in Oslo. Stone was a 3-time U.S. Olympian at 5000-meters (’48-‘52’;56). He also competed in the 10,000 at the 1952 Olympics.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Curt_Stone
https://www.olympedia.org/athletes/79099
1961—With an ailing Dyrol Burleson on the sidelines, Jim Beatty won the 1500-meters on the first day of the USA-Poland dual-meet in Warsaw and tied Burly’s American Record of 3:40.9.
Wilma Rudolph, a 3-time Olympic gold medalist the previous year in Rome, won the Women’s 100 in 11.5 and helped the U.S. win the 4×100 in 45.0.
http://tinyurl.com/1961US-Poland
Hall of Fame Bios
Beatty(1990): https://www.usatf.org/athlete-bios/jim-beatty
Rudolph(1974-Charter Member): https://www.usatf.org/athlete-bios/wilma-rudolph
1976–Winner of the 800 four days earlier, Cuba’s Alberto Juantorena completed his historic Olympic double in Montreal by…
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