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Today at the Races – September 3
1904— Another All-American (except for 1 medal in the discus) day with a not-so-good turnout (from other countries) at the St. Louis Olympics.
Jim Lightbody led the US to a 1-4 sweep 1500 meters At the St. Louis Olympics, he set a world record of 4:05.4. Lightbody previously led another USA sweep by going 1-4 in the 800 (1:56.0) and also won the 2,500m.
Archie HahnAlready a winner of the 60 and 200, he won his 3rd gold medal by capturing 100 meters 11-in the apartment. 2:th and 3th were Nate Cartmell (11.2 rated) and William Hogenson (11.3e).
Martin Sheridan and: Ralph Rose were connected Discussion with their best throw of 128-10 (39.28), Sheridan won the gold medal with the only throw in Olympic history, 127-10 (38.96) to 120-7 (36.75). The only medal that the American did not win on the day was the bronze, which was won by Nikolaos Yorgantas of Greece (123-7 (37.68)).
Ray Airyalready the winner of the standing high jump and long jump, won 3th in the gold medal Standing Triple Jump (34-7 ½ (10.55)). 2:th and 3th Charles King (33-4 (10.16)) and Joseph Stadler (31-6 (9.60))
Medal winners in other tournaments.
Men’s 110 Hurdles: 1.Fred’s school(16.0), 2. Thaddeus Scheideler (16.2 rated), 3. Leslie Ashburner (16.4e)
Men’s pole vault: 1.Charles Dvorak (11-6 (3.505)), 2. Leroy Samse (10-11 ¾ (3.35)), 3. Louis Wilkins (10-11 ¾)
(3.35),
Medal winners: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Athletics_at_the_1904_Summer_Olympics
“Olympedia Reports”.: http://www.olympedia.org/editions/3/sports/ATH
1922–Charles Hoff of Norway set the first of his four world records in the pole vault with a distance of 13-6 ¼ (4.12 m) in Copenhagen, Denmark.
WR progress: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Men’s_pole_vault_world_record_progression
Hoff: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles_Hoff
1927— Many American records were set at the US Women’s Championships in Eureka, California.
100 years old — Elta Cartwright (11.4/par)
220 years old — Ellen Brough (26.8)
60yh-Helen Filkey (8.2)
HJ – Kathryn McGuire (5-1/2 (1.53))
DT — Lillian Copeland (103-8 1/16 (31.60))…1928 Olympic gold medalist
JT — Margaret Jenkins (127-3 ½ (38.80))
Jenkins’ mark was also a world record. From American Women’s Racing by Louisa Mead Tricard (1895-1980). No official seal was burned on the spear and Lillian Copeland’s trainer protested against the use of this spear. Jenkins then “furiously” picked up Lillian’s javelin and threw it to set a new world record.
WR progress: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Women%27s_javelin_throw_world_record_progression
Cartwright: http://www.humboldt.k12.ca.us/hdnleagu/notable/Cartwright.html
Copeland:
Hall of Fame Biography: https://www.usatf.org/athlete-bios/lillian-copeland
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lillian_Copeland; http://www.jewishsports.net/BioPages/LillianCopeland.htm
Jenkins: http://www.mercurynews.com/ci_10989865
American Women’s T&F Volumes 1 & 2
http://www.amazon.com/Louise-Mead-Tricard/e/B001JRWMU4
Mead Tricard obituary: http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9E03EED6123AF931A25753C1A96E9C8B63
1956–Perry O’Brien twice broke his own world record in the shot put at the Olympic Development Meet in Eugene, Oregon, first to 62-3 (18.97) and then to 62-6 ½ (19.06). (Only 2nd sign validated as WR)
WR progress: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Men’s_shot_put_world_record_progression
1958– Great Britain’s Derek Ibbotson, who set a world record of 3:57.2 the previous year, claimed the honor of becoming the world’s first true 4-minute miler when he ran 4:00.0 in London in a race won by Australia’s Herb Elliott. 3:55.4 (Elliott had smashed Ibbotson’s WR the previous month when he ran 3:54.5 in Dublin).
Finishing behind Ibbo was fellow Brit Mike Blagrove, who also ran 4:00.0.
https://www.athleticsweekly.com/athletics-news/derek-ibbotson-dies-aged-84-57936/
1960— Italian fans get excited as their own Livio Beruti takes out American Les Carney (20.6) Men’s 200 at the Rome Olympics and tied the world record for the 2nd time at 20.5 (also ran 20.5 in his semi-final race). Ray Norton, who had set the WR at the US trials, finished another disappointing 6th (same as 100). Stone Johnson, who also ran a 20.5 at Trials, was 5th. Berruti’s automatic times were 20.65 and 20.62.
Sadly, Johnson, an NFL rookie with the Kansas City Chiefs, died 3 years later after suffering a broken neck in an exhibition game (see link).
Poland’s Zdysław Krzyszkowiak, who set a world record of 8:30.4 in June, set an Olympic record of 8:34.2 to win the event. Hiking. 2:th and 3ththe Soviets were Nikolai Sokolov (8:36.4) and Semyon Rzhishchin (8:42.2). American Charles “Deacon” Jones finished 7th (9:18.2).
It Hammer throw won by Vasily Rudenkov of the Soviet Union, who set an Olympic record of 220-2 (67.10). Silver and bronze went to Hungarian Gyula Životsky (215-10 (65.79)) and Polish Tadeusz Rut (215-4 (65.64)). Defending champion Hal Connolly of the United States took 8th place with a throw of 208-7 (63.59).
WR progress. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Men%27s_200_metres_world_record_progression
Medal winners: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Athletics_at_the_1960_Summer_Olympics
“Olympedia Reports”.: http://www.olympedia.org/editions/15/sports/ATH
1970--Wolfgang Nordvig of East Germany added an inch to his own world record in the pole vault, clearing 17-11 (5.46) at the World University Games in Turin, Italy.
WR progress: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Men’s_pole_vault_world_record_progression
Nordvig: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wolfgang_Nordwig
1972– in 10,000 men At the Munich Olympics, Finland’s Lasse Viren was involved in a chain-reaction collision with Belgium’s Emil Puttemans and American Frank Shorter, losing nearly three seconds after falling on the track. He quickly got back into the mix and won the race in a world record 27:38.35. 2nd was Puttemans (27:39.58) and 3rd was Ethiopia’s Miruts Yifter (27:40.96). Shorter, who was born in Munich(!), finished 5th in 27:51.32, breaking his previous American record of 27:58.2, which he set in his heat. He would write his name in history by winning the marathon a little later.
Tunisia’s Mohamed Gamoudi, a 10k medalist at the two previous Olympics (1964-silver, 1968-bronze), fell hard on the track after trying to block the fallen Viren and was unable to finish the race.
British Mary Peters won in 2 days Pentathlon and set a world record of 4801 points. Germany’s Heide Rosendahl took first place in the 200m and effectively held the world record of 4,791 points until Rosendahl crossed the line 1.12 seconds later (22.96-24.08). Watch the video attached below to see Peters’ reaction when he found out he won.
Peters had a big lead after the first day of competition, but he knew that Rosendahl, who was 5th after the first 3 events was very strong in the 2ndth day Rosendahl, who won the long jump three days earlier, had closed the gap to 22-5 (6.83) in her major, just one centimeter short of her own world record of 22-5 ¼ (6.84).
In 2012, on the occasion of the 40th anniversary of her victory, a plane bearing the name “Dame Mary Peters” was unveiled at Belfast City Airport. https://www.telegraph.co.uk/travel/news/Aircraft-named-in-Dame-Mary-Peterss-honour/
West Germany’s Klaus Wolfermann thrilled the crowd with a scrappy victory. Men’s spear and setting an Olympic record of 296-10 (90.48/old machine). 2nd was world record holder Janis Lusis from the Soviet Union (and Latvia). Defending champion Lucis won gold four years ago at the last round in Mexico City and did almost the same here, falling just two centimeters short of another Olympic title with his final throw of 296-9 (90.46). The bronze medal went to Bill Schmidt (277-0 (84.42)), still the only American since 1952 to win an Olympic medal in the event.
Schmidt, who became a pioneer in sports marketing, is credited with the Gatorade household name. He was a former board member of the National Scholastic Athletics Foundation (NSAF) and helped the group launch the Chicagoland Throwers series in 2013.
It Women’s 800 meters Another thrill for the German fans was provided when their own Hildegard Falk (1:58.55/OR), the event’s world record holder, held off a late rush to victory by the Soviet Union’s (and Lithuania’s) Niyole Sabaite (1:58.65). women’s 800 m. 3:th what Günhild Hofmeister of East Germany (1:59.19).
Medal winners Men’s 50k-Walk Bernd Kahnenberg of West Germany (3:56:11.6), Veniamin Soldatenko of the Soviet Union (and Kazakhstan) (3:58:24.0) and Larry Young of the United States (4:00:46.0), who won his 2nd.th bronze medal in the tournament.
Medal winners: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Athletics_at_the_1972_Summer_Olympics
Olympiad Reports:: https://www.olympedia.org/editions/18/sports/ATH
Videos:
M10k:: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nf5DauPzJWw
PENT: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zmrLisn-fkw
WR Progression (10,000). http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Men’s_10,000_metres_world_record_progression
Elliot Denman on Schmidt (2013): http://www.nationalscholastic.org/cts/article/1383
Side note –In celebration of the 50th anniversary of the Munich Games in 2022, a wonderful 4-part documentary “72 Gathering of Champions” has been released. A number of 1972 gold medalists, including gymnast Olga Korbut and swimmer Mark Spitz, along with a host of T&F stars returned to Munich, the places where they wrote their names in Olympic history.
One episode featured Heide Rosendahl recalling her victory in the long jump and Mary Peters doing the same for the pentathlon. Peters, 33, competing in his 3th At the Olympics, he was determined to win the gold medal because he wanted to “bring some good” to his hometown of Belfast, where he witnessed first-hand the violence that had taken place during the war. “problems” in Northern Ireland.
On a lighter note, as Peters was wrapping up his interview at the Olympic Stadium, Rosendahl surprised him by quietly walking up behind him and tapping him on the shoulder, much to Peters’ delight as the two former rivals happily hugged each other.
Memory Lane (also featuring Kip Keino): https://olympics.com/en/original-series/episode/memory-lane-72-a-gathering-of-champions
Other episodes (free subscription required, or you can watch on Peacock)
Victory and tragedy (Lasse Viren talks about his fall in the 10k)
Gold medals survived (Dave Wattle, Valerie Borzov)
Becoming an Olympic legend (Mark Spitz)
