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
This Day in Track & Field–November 1
1953–Emil Zátopek set World Records at 6-miles (28:08.4) and 10,000-meters (29:01.6) in Stará Boleslav in the Czech Republic.
WR Progression: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/10,000_metres_world_record_progression
http://www.runningpast.com/emil_zatopek.htm
1956(1-2)–Before embarking on their long trip to Australia for the Melbourne Olympics, the U.S. team put on a show for fans in the Los Angeles area. Competing at the Coliseum on the 1st, Parry O’Brien produced the greatest shot put series ever, topped by two World Records, 62-8 (19.10m) and 63-2 (19.25m). In the 5000-meters, Bill Dellinger (14:16.2) outdueled Max Truex (14:16.7) as both bettered Truex’s 2-week old American Record of 14:22.8. The following day at Occidental, Hal Connolly won the Hammer Throw with a toss of 224-10 1/2 (68.54m) to set the first of his six World Records in the event. O’Brien and Connolly went on to win Olympic gold in Melbourne.
WR Progressions
Shot Put: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Men%27s_shot_put_world_record_progression
Hammer: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Men%27s_hammer_throw_world_record_progression
Hall of Fame Bios
O’Brien(Charter-1974): (Currently not available); Wiki Bio
Connolly(1984): (Currently not available) Wiki Bio
Dellinger(2000): https://www.usatf.org/athlete-bios/bill-dellinger
The TCS New York City Marathon
1987–Great Britain’s Priscilla Welch, a 42-year-old former smoker who took up running in her 30s, won the women’s title at the NY City Marathon in 2:30:17. In the men’s division, Long Islander Pat Petersen, who competed locally for Manhattan College, led at 10K and halfway. Eventual winner Ibrahim Hussein (2:11:01) of Kenya passed Petersen on First Avenue and ran unchallenged to the tape; Petersen finished fourth in 2:12:03, one place behind Pete Pfitzinger (2:11:54).
In one of those unfortunate moments in live TV, ABC missed Hussein…
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