This Day in Track & Field History, January 12, Eastern Track has first issue (1977), Born this Day, Sir John Walker (1952), by Walt Murphy

This Day in Track & Field–January  12

1957–While leafing through old issues of Track and Field News, it’s always a kick to come across what was probably the first mention of an athlete who went on to achieve greatness. Such was the case in the January, 1957, issue, when Joe Galli wrote, “Aussie track was lifted out of the ‘post-Olympic doldrums’ (WM-Melbourne had just hosted the 1956 Games) by the appearance of a potential top world class miler, Herb Elliott of Perth”.

The 18-year old Elliott, who was being coached by the legendary Percy Cerutty, had run 4:06.0 for the mile on this day at Olympic Park to break fellow Australian Ron Clarke’s unofficial World Junior record by .8s. Elliott went on to set World Records in the 1500 and mile and win the gold medal in the 1500-meters at the 1960 Olympics, and is considered one of the greatest milers in history.  Cerutty had predicted 2-years earlier that Elliott would become a world record holder, but the youngster’s career suffered a temporary setback in a freak accident in late 1955 when a  piano crushed his foot!

Elliott Photos: http://tinyurl.com/yaxxn9r

https://vault.si.com/vault/1958/11/10/the-amazing-herb-elliott

https://www.life.com/history/training-with-the-worlds-first-paleo-crossfitting-locavore/

1974–The 55th (and final) edition of the NY Knights of Columbus, once one of the crown jewels of the NY indoor circuit, was held at the Nassau Coliseum.

Among the highlights: Dick Buerkle,  a day after beating Steve Prefontaine at 2-miles in College Park, won the mile in 4:00.3; Dwight Stones won the High Jump (7-2 [2.18.5]), Herb Washington (6.1) won the 60y over Steve Williams (6.2); Rick Wohlhuter won the 880y (1:51.5); and Byron Dyce won the 1000y (2:09.3).

1975—The 1^st preliminary meet of the Colgate Women’s Games was held at NY’s Armory. The meet was founded by Fred Thompson, the coach of the Atoms Track Club. Among the athletes who have participated in the meet are Diane Dixon, Sandra Farmer-Patrick, and Dalilah Muhammad.

From the meet’s website:

“The Colgate Women’s Games is the nation’s largest amateur track series open to all girls from elementary school through college and beyond. Competitors participate in preliminary meets and a semi-finals to determine finalists who will compete for trophies and educational grants-in-aid from Colgate-Palmolive Company. Our goal is to provide an athletic competition that helps the participating young girls and women…