This day in the field of athletics – October 29
1911— Competing at Celtic Park in Long Island, New York, Matt McGrath put his single throw in the hammer to good use, setting a pre-IAAF world record of 187-4 (57.10).
The 4-time Olympian was a hammer gold medalist in 1912 and won silver medals in 1908 and 1924, the latter when he was 46.
The Irish native was inducted into the US Hall of Fame in 2006
HOF Organic (2006). https://www.usatf.org/athlete-bios/matt-mcgrath
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Matt_McGrath
http://www.wingedfist.org/McGrath_article_by_Dooley.pdf
https://www.olympedia.org/athletes/78764
Born on this day*
Jaida Ross 23 (2002) 2024 NCAA Champion — Shot Put (Oregon), 2:00 p.mth Inside;
NCAA. 2022-5th2023-5th8 o’clockth/inside
Set 3 college records in 2024: 64-8 (19.71/twice), 65-7 ¾ (20.01)
Completed at 3:00 p.mth to the 2024 US Olympic Trials; 4:th at the Olympic Games in Paris; 8 o’clockth in 2025 world championship
Best in high school was 48-5 (2019)
Has a twin sister, Jazlee
PBs: 66-1/2 (13/20/2025/#6 All-Time USA)’ 65-7 ¾ (01/20/2024/CR, 62-3 1/4i (18.98/2025);
196-0 (59.74/2024)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jaida_Ross
https://citiusmag.com/articles/catching-up-with-collegiate-record-holder-jaida-ross
Martin Lell-Kenya 47 (1978) 2003 World Half Marathon Champion
5:00th In the 2008 Olympic Games marathon
Double winner of the New York City Marathon (2003, 2007)
3-time London Marathon winner (2005,2007,2008/2)th in 2006, 2011, 2012)
3:th Boston Marathon in 2003 and 2004
Inducted into the NY Road Runners Hall of Fame in 2018
PBs:59:30 (2006), 2:05:15 (2008)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Martin_Lel
https://www.nyrr.org/about/hall-of-fame/martin-lel
https://www.worldathletics.org/athletes/kenya/martin-kiptoo-lel-14208864
2005 Article: https://www.runnersworld.com/advanced/a20841997/martin-lel/
Vonetta Flowers-Jeffery 52 (1973) 2002 Olympic gold medalist in 2-woman bobsled. First African American woman
to win a gold medal at the Winter Olympics
All-American at T&F at Alabama-1995 NCAA. 100 (5:th), 200 (8:th), 1996 NCAA. Long Jump (5:th)
Switched to bobsled after failing to make Team USA in long jump at 2000 Olympics.
PBs: 7.28 (1999), 11.32 (1995), 23.05 (1995), 21-8 ¾ (6.62/1994)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vonetta_Flowers
https://www.olympedia.org/athletes/101654
2002 AND:: https://www.youtube.com/shorts/0K7bAI37CGA
Alabama Sports Hall of Fame: https://ashof.org/inductees/vonetta-flowers/
https://www.vonettaflowers.com/
Michael Carter 65 (1960) 1984. Olympic silver medalist — Shooting
7-time NCAA Champion – Shot Put (SMU)
Outdoor (3)-’80,’81, ’83 (2nd-’84, despite throwing PB 71-4 ¾ (21.76); Indoor (4)-’80,’81,’83,’84)
It was an All-Pro nose tackle on a San Francisco 49er football team that won three Super Bowls.
Set an “unbreakable” high school record of 81-3 ½ (24,775?) in the 12-pound shot in 1979.
Three of his children have also achieved success in sports. Daughter Michelle won the shootout
2016 World Indoor Championships and 2016 Olympics and are the former US Indoor and Outdoor Games
Record holder. Her sister D’Andra was the 2009 NCAA discus champion (Texas Tech) and
brother, Michael Jr., was the 2009 junior college shot put champion.
From This Day in T&F (June 16, 1979)
Senior Michael Carter (Jefferson-Dallas, TX) already held the national HS record in the shot put with a throw of 77-0 (23.47m) earlier in the season (nearly five feet shy of the 2nd best prep mark in history), but no one was ready for what he did at the Golden West Invitational in Sacramento.
Already victorious in the discus (201-2/61.32m), Carter opened with a solid 75-1 (22.88m?), followed by a modest 67-7 ½ (20.61m). He improved to 75-4 1/4 (22.96m?) in his 3rd throw, fouled in his 4th round and came close to his record 76-4 ¼ (23.27) in the 5th round.
Entering the ring with a 12-pounder for his final effort, Carter unleashed his monster throw, achieving an incredible Beamonesque 81-3 ½ (24.775m?), a mark that could last for generations, if not forever. Carter also won the 16-pound weight class with a toss of 62-11 (19.17m?) and took the national record in that event to an equally untouchable 67-9 (20.65) in the postseason. (At least it was considered untouchable at the time: Jordan Geist threw 68-4 (20.82) with the indoor device in December 2016.)
Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lMVgbAgDSzg&feature=related
https://www.worldathletics.org/athletes/united-states/michael-carter-014360982
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michael_Carter_(nose_tackle)
Herman Fraser 71 (1954) 1976 Olympic gold medalist — 4×400 (bronze-400); PB:44.95 (1976)
1977 NCAA Champion – 400m (Arizona State/Anchored teams that finished 2th 4×100 and 4×400 to help
The Sun Devils win the team title.
Completed 2:th In the NCAA 400 in 1975 and 1976.
1976 NCAA Champion — 4×400
Anchored Arizona State to victory in the 4×100 (39.57), 4×200 and 4×400 at the 1977 Penn Relays. It
The 4×200 team set a world record of 1:21.4 and the 4×400 team set a collegiate record of 3:01.9.
a mark that stood for 27 years as the Penn Relays Record (2004 Florida ran 3:01.10).
Studied at Germantown HS in Philadelphia. Competed one year for Denison University in Ohio
Before moving to Arizona State.
Currently the senior associate director of athletics at Syracuse and the Bowerman Chair
Advisory Board
PBs10.36 (1977), 20.75 (1977), 44.95 (1976)
Biography of Syracuse: https://cuse.com/staff.aspx?staff=265
The Bowerman: http://www.ustfccca.org/the-bowerman/the-bowerman-advisory-board
Sports Illustrated Archive (’77 Penn).
https://vault.si.com/vault/1977/05/09/the-old-order-holds-at-penn
Denison: https://denisonbigred.com/honors/varsity-d-association-hall-of-fame/herman-frazier-/72
Gary Wilson 79 (1946) Former coach at Wisconsin-La Crosse and Minnesota
Inducted into the USTFCCCA Coaches Hall of Fame in 2015
http://www.ustfccca.org/awards/gary-wilson-ustfccca-class-of-2015
Retirement: https://mndaily.com/200705/uncategorized/coach-wilson-calls-it-career/
https://minnesota.cbslocal.com/2019/05/31/retirement-cant-stop-legendary-track-coach-gary-wilson/
Dead
Frank Wykoff 70 (October 29, 1909 – January 1, 1980)
3-time Olympic gold medalist — 4×100 (1928, 1932, 1936)
All 3 teams set world records: 41.0, 40.0, 39.8
Two-time NCAA champion (USC) — 100 years old (1930,1931); 3-time IC4A champion – 100 years old (1930-1932)
2-time US champion – 100 m (1928), 100 years (1931)
Former 100-yard dash world record holder (April 9, 1930)
Set US high school records in 1928 in 100m (9.5) and 200m (20.8) … won 100m at 1928 USA.
Olympic Trials — Completed 4th 100 in the 1928 Olympics.
Inducted into the USA Hall of Fame in 1977
Inducted into the National HS T&F Hall of Fame in 2018.
https://www.olympedia.org/athletes/79221
HOF Organic: https://www.usatf.org/athlete-bios/frank-wykoff
WikiBio:: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frank_Wykoff
HS HOF induction: http://www.usatf.tv/gprofile.php?mgroup_id=45365&do=videos&video_id=236376
Video (9.4): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QIapTkqgZrY
Larry Ellis 70 (1928-Nov. 4, 1998) Head coach of the US team at the 1984 Olympic Games.
Men’s coach at Princeton from 1970-1992 (1St An African-American coach at an Ivy League school
Coached for over a decade at Jamaica HS (Queens, NY), one of his athletes was Bob Beamon
From 1992 to 1996, he was the president of the US T&F. One of the runners he coached at Princeton, Craig Masbeck,
was USATF Executive Director from 1997-2008).
ran X-Country and Track for DeWitt Clinton HS in the Bronx, NYU and NY Pioneer Club
Inducted into the National Hall of Fame in 1999
Member of the USTFCCCA Coaches Hall of Fame
https://www.usatf.org/athlete-bios/larry-ellis
https://www.nytimes.com/1998/11/06/sports/larry-ellis-olympic-coach-for-us-track-dies-at-70.html
https://www.worldathletics.org/news/news/usatf-past-president-and-coach-larry-ellis-ha
https://goprincetontigers.com/news/2018/7/26/mens-track-and-field-larry-ellis.aspx
http://www.ustfccca.org/awards/larry-ellis-ustfccca-class-of-1999
https://gonyuathletics.com/honors/hall-of-fame/larry-ellis/114
