Vol. 3 No. 66 More on Albie Thomas

This article from  Athletics New South Wales comes from Albie Thomas' closest friends and perhaps tells more about him than our previous article.  Special thanks to his mates Down Under for providing this tribute.  GB

VALE: Albie Thomas 1935 - 2013

Author: Athletics NSW Administrator/Sunday, 27 October 2013/Categories: News

After a year long illness Albie Thomas died on the morning of Sunday October 27, 2013 and the athletics’ world lost one of its greats.

Born in Hurstville on February 8, 1935, Thomas became one of Australia’s greatest distance runners. He broke world records, competed at three Olympic Games, was a dual Commonwealth Games medallist and after his career he coached and worked tireless for his athletics club.

 

The early years

Albert Thomas lost his mother while he was in primary school and was too small for any success at rugby league but in 1951, aged 16 years and while attending Canterbury Boys’ High School, he started to emerge as an athlete. In September at the Combined High Schools state carnival, Thomas won bronze in the open 880 yards and mile races, clocking times of 2:14.0 and 5:01.4. Seeing his talent Denis Wilson encouraged him to join St George Athletics Club and compete in the Tuesday night club races on Hurstville Oval. He initially ran in bare feet until he bought a second-hand pair of shoes. For the next two years Thomas won various club races, clocking cross country times of 10:16 (two mile) and 18:33 (three mile).

 

Cerutty influence

Things started to change in 1953 after a visit to Percy Cerutty’s Portsea training camp. Thomas was now following a training program written by Cerutty. He was also making progress in competition when in July 1953 he was third in the NSW junior cross country championship. Over summer he clocked times of 4:29.8 (mile), 9:47.6 (2 mile) and was second in the state two mile championship. During this period he did his six month national service at the RAAF base in Wagga Wagga. In July 1954, competing at his second home, Scarborough Park, he won the NSW Novice Championship, easily beating Pat Clohessy (who at the time was living in Newcastle) who placed third. His times were coming down and in the summer of 1954/55 he recorded 1:54.8 (880y), 4:14.6 (mile), 14:39 (3 mile).Excited about the upcoming Olympic Games, Thomas brought tickets to attend for his girlfriend Nola and himself. He certainly didn’t expect to be competing, however, a little over 12 months later, he would indeed run for Australia at the Olympics.

 

From nowhere to the Olympics

At the start of the 1955/56 track season Thomas really started to progress running 8:54.0 (2 mile) in December. In this race he beat Dave Power and it ranked him No 2 in Australia for the year ahead of Al Lawrence and Ron Clarke. In February he ran 13:36.0 for three mile, just outside the national record of 13:31.8 and a week later was less than one second behind Al Lawrence in the State Six Mile Chamionship. They recorded times of 28:39.0 and 28:39.8. Although Thomas didn’t compete at the national championships in Melbourne, Thomas was in the thick of things taking iconic photos of the most famous national championship race in history, where John Landy stopped mid-race to help Ron Clarke back to his feet after he had fallen, before going on to win the race.

 

In June 1956, Thomas was third in the NSW Cross Country Championship, but his attention was soon on track races in the lead up to the Olympic trials. In September Thomas ran a personal best of 14:04.0 in the 5000m and 29:23.0 in the 10,000m. At the Olympic trials he earned selection in the 5000m and was named reserve for the 10,000m. Just 21 years of age at the Olympic Games, he won his 5000m heat and placed fifth in the final. After the Games he won a three mile race at the British Empire Games team V USA meet in 13:43.2.

 

Post Melbourne Olympics

In the next 18 months there were many more highlights for Thomas, including running 28:30.4 in winning the NSW six mile title, the 1957 national three mile title and over a week late in 1957, a NSW mile record of 4:01.5 and an Australian three mile record of 13:26.0. In June 1958 he was preparing to depart Australia for Europe where he would compete in the lead-up to the Cardiff Commonwealth Games. But before he left, on June 14 1958, he clocked an Australian two mile record of 8:37.8.

 

World records and Commonwealth Games medals

In July he started a two month assault on Europe, clocking world records and winning Commonwealth Games medals.  His first race was on July 8 and he won a mile in Belfast in 4:07.4. But the next night in Dublin he set a world record for three miles of 13:10.8, nearly four second under the old record. Two weeks later he travelled to Cardiff to compete in the Commonwealth Games. His first event was the three mile. He led early and although he slowed the field down, no one would take the lead until the later stages of the race when New Zealander Murray Halberg surged to the front and ran away with the win. Thomas had to settle for the silver. He closed the Games with a bronze in the mile, in an Australian trifecta. Still in Europe in August he won a three mile race at White City, London, then travelled back to Dublin where he helped pace Herb Elliott to a 3:54.5 mile world record. Thomas finished the race fifth in 3:58.6. The next night at the same venue, a tired Elliot was unable to provide the required pace (hitting the mile six seconds too slow for Thomas) who was attempting a two mile world record. Taking the lead himself, Thomas nailed the record with a 61 second last lap, an extraordinary achievement. Over the next four weeks he raced in Germany and Scandinavia, including a race in Gothenburg where he again helped Elliott to a world record, on this occasion over 1500m.

 

1959 to 1965

Back in Australia, Thomas took up more of a family life, marrying Nola, working fulltime and starting a family.

On the track, there would be many more highlights including:

·         Competing at the 1960 and 1964 Olympics and 1962 Commonwealth Games

·         Winning four consecutive Australian mile titles from 1962 to 1965.

·         In 1959 running on the Australia team which broke the 4x 1 mile world record

·         In 1960 running the first sub-4 minute mile on grass in NSW, clocking 3:58.8

·         Setting Australian records: 1962 three mile (13:21.6), 1963 5000m (13:51.4) [In this era Australian records had to be set in Australia]

·         Commonwealth and Australia record: 1963 two mile on Chatswood Oval (8:33.0), Sydney.

·         World Indoor record in 1964 – three mile, in Toronto Canada (13:26.4)

·         In 1963 winning the NSW marathon title (2:29.04) and Australian mile title just three months apart.

 

Thomas achieved so much on the track, in an era where Australian distance running was at an all-time high. He was competitive with Herb Elliott, Ron Clarke, Al Lawrence, John Landy, Merv Lincoln, Trevor Vincent, John Murray, Denis Wilson, Dave Power, Dave Stephens, Robert Vagg, John Plummer, Keith Ollerenshaw, Graham Thomas, Tony Cook and Dave Chisholm.

 

Career winds down

After the 1965 season Thomas’ elite career started to wind down. In 1966 he started a 27 year career with Qantas.

However he continued to run regularly for his club and in 1972 ran the famous Bay to Breakers fun run. In 1975 he competed at the inaugural World Masters Track and Field Championships, where he won the 1500m (3:58.2) and 5000m (14:49.8).

 

Coaching and administration

Albie launched into coaching and increased his involvement with his club and was officially the club distance coach from 1973. He was still club President at the time of his death.

He coached a number of elite athletes including James Nipperess and Bridey Delaney and also guided many club athletes.

 

Nipperess, a dual World University Games representative, was coached by Thomas from 2003 to 2008.

“I would never have persued athletics as a sport outside of school competition if not for his offer to coach me,” Nipperess said.

“I owe all of my early success to him and his passion for the sport. He worked tirelessly for the St George community and was both an inspirational mentor and a friend.”

 

One of his favourite people was Bridey Delaney. This year she achieved something which had eluded him, when she won the National Cross Country Championship. Thomas had placed second in 1961 and 1963 and 50 years later Delaney went one better.

“I first met Albie when I was 11 years old. He coached me throughout my teenage years,” she said.

“To me Albie and Nola were surrogate grandparents. They played an important role in shaping the person I am today. Albie’s training environment was perfect for nurturing athletes through their youth. Albie was the perfect role model, not just because he was a legend of the sport but because he had a big heart. He gave so much back to the community. I have learnt a lot from Albie, which I will take with me throughout life. I will miss his mischievous grin, cheeky nicknames and sense of humour.”

 

Health

In 2004 after bypass surgery Thomas had a pacemaker installed. His health for eight years was good, but in 2012, he started to deteriorate and had some spells in hospital.

In later times his daughter Robyn and wife Nola were his carers and they welcomed many guests who visited Thomas over the last few months.

 

The honours for Albie were many and well deserved. One of the highest and proudest achievements was the awarding of an OAM in June 2013. As he was unwell, Governor Marie Bashir visited his home on August 23, 2013 to present the medal to Albie. He would wear it every day.

 

Albie Thomas was a special and rare person. He was a world beater in his sport and following his retirement  gave back enormously through coaching, administration and inspiring the next generation for 50 years after his racing career ended. The sporting community send our condolences and deepest sympathies to his wife, Nola; daughters Robyn and Patricia; and four grandsons, Thomas, Mark, Liam and Mathew.

 

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HONOURS

2013 received OAM

2006 Commonwealth Games Queens Baton Relay runner in Melbourne (25/1/06)

2000 Awarded Australian Sports Medal

2000 awarded Centenary Medal

2000 Sydney Olympic torch bearer (he ran through Hurstville on 12/9/2000)

1994 Plaque in the Path of Champions at the Sydney Olympic Park Athletics Centre

1994 Athletics NSW Merit Award winner

1983 St George District Athletic Club, Life Member
1983 Honored by Hurstville City Council in its Heritage Walk
1979 inducted in to the NSW Sports Hall of Champions (at Homebush)

1975 St George District Athletic Club, Merit Award winner
1957/58, 1958/59, 1962/63 and 1963/64 four-time winner of the Richard Coombes Memorial Medal, outstanding track and field athlete

At the Morton Pre-Games, in Ireland, an annual event is the Albie Thomas men’s 3000m

 

TRIBUTES

Olympian and St George club member, Ben St Lawrence:

“As president of St George, and all-round great bloke Albie and I would often talk. Albie would offer advice, encouragement and fascinating anecdotes from his time as an athlete. I was always amazed by his vitality and generosity. He had a great sense of humour and positive attitude to life. He will be sadly missed by all who knew him and the wider running community.”

 

Olympian and local athlete, Eloise Wellings:

“I'll miss his cheers of encouragement every time I trained over at Scarborough Park where he'd walk with Nola. "Go kid, pump your arms! Go! Go! Go!" An inspiring man and a life well lived. Rest in peace, Albie.”

 

Newcastle distance legend Jim Beisty:

“So sad to hear of the death of a man I admired all my athletics life. I remember sharing a run with him at Canberra only a few short years ago, two old blokes chasing the young ones they coached up a steep hill. Condolences to the family and to so many close friends he had worldwide. RIP.”

 

Leading Australian distance runner and good friend, Trevor Vincent:

“I'm devastated at the very sad death this morning of one of my oldest and best mates, the great Albie Thomas, in Sydney. Albie and I have been the best of friends off the track while tough rivals on the track for more than 50 years - with great mutual respect. Albie was one of the greatest Aussie distance runners of all-time – a three time Olympian, world record holder at two and three miles, as well as the 4x1 mile relay on the track. An incredible influence on our sport. Albie, always with the great support of his wife Nola, was a fine coach to a great many top athletes and a St George Club stalwart. He will be very sadly missed by all of his friends and the athletics community in general.”

 

World record holder and rival to Albie, Herb Elliott:

“He will be really missed. I admired his guts and determination, his wicked humour, his energy and his solid outlook on life family and friends.  Nola has been a wonderful support to him from his youth to now.”

 

Australian Cross Country Champion Eliza Stewart:

“He may have passed but will never be forgotten.”

 

Former AOC Secretary General and former St George distance runner Bob Elphinston:

“He was a great inspiration to me as an athlete and as a volunteer for the Sydney 2000 bid and Olympic Games.”

 

OTHER INTERESTING FACTS

·         Albie took care of a garden at the St George School for disabled children.

·         Member of St George Club from 1951 to 2013, 62 years.

·         President of St George club from 1995 to 2013, 18 years. Committee member for more than 25 years.

·         The actor Gregory Peck watched the 4x1 mile relay team break the world record in Melbourne in 1959.

·         Albie Thomas took iconic photos of Ron Clarke falling in the 1956 Australian mile championships.

 

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PROFILE and STATISTICS: Albert George Thomas

 

Known as: Albie or Alby

Birth: Hurstville, Sydney - February 8, 1935

DOD: October 27, 2013

Resident: Kogarah, Sydney, Australia

Club: St George

Height: 1.65m

Weight: 57kg

 

WORLD RECORDS

1958 – 9 July, Santry Field, Dublin IRE. Three mile 13:10.8

1958 – 7 August, Santry Field, Dublin IRE. Two mile 8:32.0

1959 – 22 March, Olympic Park, Melbourne AUS. 4 x 1 mile relay 16:25.6 (2nd leg, 4:06.5) with Denis Wilson, Herb Elliott and John Murray

1964 – 24 January, Toronto CAN. Three mile indoor 13:26.4

 

INTERNATIONAL RECORD:

1956 Olympics – 5000m 5th 14:05.33

1960 Olympics – 1500m 5th heat 3:46.95, 5000m 11th 14:20.88

1964 Olympics – 1500m 9th heat 3:54.9, 5000m 11th heat 14:27.8

1958 Commonwealth Games – 1 mile bronze medal 4:02.77, 3 mile 13:24.37

1962 Commonwealth Games – 1 mile 5th 4:11.19, 3 mile 5th 13:40.64

AUSTRALIAN CHAMPIONSHIPS

He won eight national titles and was placed on 18 other occasions.

1 mile – ’59 3rd 4:06.2, ’60 2nd 4:06.7, ’61 3rd 4:09.6, ’62 1st 4:06.5, ’63 1st 4:05.0, ’64 1st 3:58.3, ’65 1st 4:05.9

3 miles – ’57 1st 13:37.6,’58 1st 13:41.8, ’59 1st 13:42.8, ’61 2nd 13:50.2, ’62 2nd 13:36.4, ’63 2nd 13:46.6, ’64 1st 13:20.4, ’65 2nd 14:08.8

Cross Country – ’59 3rd 32:52.6, ’61 2nd 35:49.0, ’63 2nd 33:21.0

NSW CHAMPIONSHIP TITLES

He won 20 state titles.

1 mile – ’59 to ’65 (7 consecutive titles)

3 mile – ’58 to ’61 and ’63 to’65

6 mile – ’57 and ’65

10km cross country – ’59 and ’64

NSW Novice Cross Country - ‘54

Marathon – ’63

 

PERSONAL BESTS

1500m- 3:42.61st Melbourne21.03.64 (en route to a mile)

One mile - 3:58.3 1st Melbourne21.03.64

2000m 5:10.0 1st Narrabeen, Sydney 27.09.64

3000m8:01.4 Sydney 19.01.60 (en route to 2 mile)

Two mile- 8:32.0 1st Dublin 07.08.58

Three mile - 13:10.8 1st Dublin 09.07.58

5000m- 13:50.0 2nd Sydney 2.02.64

10,000m - 29:21.02nd Sydney 01.09.56

Six Mile – 28:30.4 Sydney 27.02.57

Marathon – 2:29.04 Sydney 29.06.63

 

David Tarbotton and Ron Bendall for Athletics NSW

Image: Albie Thomas beats Trevor Vincent in the 1965 Australian Mile Championship (courtesy of Trevor Vincent).

Vol. 3 No. 65 Albie Thomas, RIP

Albie Thomas
February 8, 1935-October 27, 2013

Melbourne 1956

One of the truly legendary figures in track and field passed away this week.   Albie Thomas, who many of our readers I'm certain remember as the fellow who paced Herb Elliot to his world record mile of 3:54.4 in Santry, Ireland (Albie had a 3:58.6 in that race) and turned around the next day and set his own world record in the 2 miles (8:32).  Small in stature but huge in heart and personality.  The inimitable smile and crew cut hair, off the ground style.  I never saw a picture of him looking tired and beaten in a race.  Stories about him include his purchasing tickets to see the Melbourne Olympics a year in advance, and then finding himself in the 5,000 meter finals the next year placing fifth in that race.   His initial racing barefoot until he got some second hand shoes and seeing his times drop.  His photographing an iconic picture of John Landy stopping mid race to help up a young Ron Clarke who had fallen,  then going on to win the race.   The outpouring of stories and sympathies and remembrances of this man say much about how others who knew him, felt about him.   The link below is Albie's story in his own words.  Such a good man that so many already miss. 

http://www.sgdac.org/About/LifeMembers/A_Thomas/LM_AThomas.htm

I've also included a link from Athletics Ireland relating Albie's visit in 2008 to Ireland and pictures with Ron Delany.
http://www.athleticsireland.ie/content/?p=4488

Lining up for Peter Snell's WR Mile in New Zealand
Albie is second from left

Photo taken by Albie Thomas of Landy helping Clarke after his fall.

Landy went on to win the race.

Vol. 2 No. 32 May , 1961

MAY 1961




May? Wait a minute, the last entry was March, what happened to April? Good question. I have all the issues organized in folders, but there is no April. Think my mom tossed it along with all my baseball cards. (Do you have any idea what a Mickey Mantle rookie card would be worth today? Don't get me started.) Anyway we are going to skip over April just like it never existed.

Here's your Mickey Mantle rookie card, Roy, that'll be $10,000 to my account.
George

That said, we have the West Coast, Drake, Penn, Mt. SAC and Kansas Relays and more. We will take them chronologically.

April 22 finds us in Lawrence, Kansas for the Kansas Relays where Baylor wins the 440 and 880 relays and takes five individual events. Jim Grelle runs a 4:07.4 mile, leaving Ernie Cunliffe and Jim Dupree in his wake. Cliff Cushman takes the 400H in 51.0 to beat 120HH winner Rex Stucker. The 10,000 is definitely not the event of the day. The winning time is 34:23 and there are only two finishers, probably better described as survivors.

The next weekend we have the three big relay meets. We'll start in Philadelphia and work our way west. Abilene Christian has come east for the Penn Relays, but things don't go as planned. Earl Young looks good anchoring the 440R to a meet record 40.9, but though he brings the stick home in 20.1 on the 880R, Frank Budd's 20.0 third leg for Villanova has created too much of a gap and the Wildcats win 1:24.8 to 1:25.0. Michigan takes the 2M and 4M relays while Yale wins the sprint and distance medleys. The big field event news is that Don Bragg is beaten by Villanova frosh Rolando Cruz, both at 15-0.

Des Moines and the Drake Relays is next stop on our trip across the country on this the last weekend in April.

Drake Stadium about 1907 (Click on picture for an enlargement.)

The big news here is the record breaking performance of the Western Michigan four mile relay team. Make that “records” breaking, as the Broncos' 16:50.4 effort breaks the Drake record of 17:15.2 by Oregon in 1959, the collegiate record of 16:53.2 by Occidental and the US record of 16:52.6 set in 1952 by the national team of Montes, Druetzler, Santee and Barnes. The 4:07.0 third leg by John Bork is the decider.

John Bork, Penn Relays?

John Bork Today
Bork's 1:48.7 split in the distance medley is instrumental in the Broncos winning that event also. Kansas, paced by Bill Dotson's 1:51.0 anchor, wins the two mile relay with the fastest time in the nation, 7:28.6. The best marks come in the field events where Ralph Boston leaps 26-1½ and George Davis, after two failures at the opening height of 13-6, vaults a personal best of 15-6 before failing at a world record 15-10.

Rex Cawley

And now to Walnut, California where the third annual Mt. SAC Relays provides a show that puts the two traditional meets to shame. It is a very good day if you are or were a USC Trojan. Indeed Rex Cawley and Bob Avant are named the outstanding track and field athletes. Avant becomes the fourth American 7 foot high jumper (and second SC 7 footer behind Dumas). Cawley outfinishes Eddie Southern in the 400 hurdles, 50.6 to 50.7 and splits 20.5 in the 880 relay as the Trojans win easily in 1:23.6, but the heroics are still to come. With the Trojans trailing Arizona State on the anchor leg of the mile relay,

Cawley takes the baton three yards down to Arizona's Mal Spence. Spence matches the 46.4 third leg split run by his twin, Mel, but it isn't enough to hold off Cawley whose 45.4 brings the Trojans home in 3:07.6 for a new collegiate record. A-State's 3:07.9 equals the old mark.

There is more USC flavor to the field events as current Trojan Dallas Long takes the shot at 61-9½ and former SC star Rink Babka takes over the world lead in the discus with a 194-7½. But the guy they beat in each of those events is the star of the day. Army lieutenant Jay Silvester produces a 61-1¾ PR in the shot and then PRs again in the discus with a throw of 192-5½ for the greatest weight double in history. Hal Connolly shows he is back on track in the hammer, as his 220-8 is 35 feet better than second.

There are some familiar faces in the open events and some not so familiar. Olympians Jerry Siebert and Ernie Cunliffe tangle in the 880 with Siebert winning by half a second in 1:50.7. Jim Beatty knocks off a 4:04.9 mile to easily dispose of Lazlo Tabori. The open 440 provides a couple pleasant surprises as Keith Thomassen edges Canadian Bill Crothers 46.1 to 46.2, but the real story is their improvement. Thomassen knocks half a second of his best, while Crothers lowers his PR by a jaw dropping 1.2 seconds.

Dennis Johnson, who has run 9.3 four times this season, finally gets his 9.2, well, sort of. There is an aiding wind of 11.2 mph and the notation that he had a rolling start. Remember the comment in the January entry that Bobby Poynter had left some personal problems behind at San Jose State and now was enrolled at Los Angeles State? Well, apparently things changed – perhaps explained in the missing April issue – because he runs the second leg of San Jose's winning 440 relay (40.5) and places fifth in the 100.

The following is information collected from columns. There were no meets at the LA Coliseum last year and there will be none this year. Something about the Dodgers playing baseball there.

In 1932 LA Coliseum

LA Coliseum for Baseball

By next year the team will have its own stadium and track can resume in the Coliseum. Bert Nelson makes two suggestions: “Make every effort to put in the fastest, best wearing all-weather track possible – - and protect it from desecration forevermore.” When that is done, he says it should be an oval with no extension running back into the tunnel for a 220 straightaway. Previously 220's were started well up the tunnel and spectators couldn't see the runners until the race was underway....Olympic 100 meter champion, Armen Hary, is retiring because of a knee injury.....Manhattan coach George Eastman says that ACC's Earl Young will run a 44.0 400 before he graduates. No pressure on Earl. .....

Bill Neider

Last we heard, Olympic shot put champion Bill Nieder had tested for the role of Jack Dempsey in an upcoming film. Bill, a big strong guy, apparently has all the qualifications except boxing ability. Obviously the fine line between boxing in a movie and real life has become blurred.

Name: Bill Nieder
Born: 1933-08-10
Nationality: US American
Hometown: Los Angeles, California, USA
Height: 6′ 3″ / 191cm
Boxing Record: click

1960 Olympic shot put Champion, after his only pro bout he observed "when you throw an iron ball it doesn't come back at you". A graduate of the University of Kansas. Bill was an all-round athlete; highjump 6-1, ran 100 in 10 flat. He has bowled a highgame of 224.

Amateur boxing record: 6 - 0 , All 6 wins by KO, no defeats, no draws.
Pro boxing record 0-1, he fought James Wyley (7-17-3 lifetime) on May 15, 1961 at the Alhambra A.C. in Philadelphia, PA. Neider was KO'd at 2:10 of the first round. Went on to announce his retirement from the ring 3 weeks later on June 10, 1961.

He tests the professional boxing waters and sinks like a rock as his first professional fight ends with big Bill on the receiving end of a first round knockout.....

Neider came to Kansas on a football scholarship , but injured his knee in his varsity debut against Texas Christian and never played again.

Steak dinner for the record: Blake Hocking, left, got to meet and have a steak dinner with former Olympic gold medalist and three-time world record holder Bill Nieder recently in Lawrence. Nieder had always said he would treat the person who broke his high school record to a steak dinner, and he flew here from California. Nieder called Blake several months ago to congratulate him on beating his high school record in shot put that had stood at Lawrence High School for 59 years. Hocking threw the shot put 62 feet, 9 inches — 2 feet further than Nieder's previous record. .


Loose lips sink ships and apparently Swedish milers as well. In a bylined article in a Swedish magazine, Dan Waern reveals that he has received under-the-table payments for running in meets.

Waern and Young Swedish Admirers

Now, thanks to those busybodies at the Swedish tax assessment board, he is facing a possible $10,000 fine. That no one finds out about secret under-the-table payments is sort of what the under-the-table part is all about, Dan.

Dan Waern, Percy Cerutty, Herb Elliot

Vol. 2 No. 22 October 1960 The Season Just Keeps Rolling Along

OCTOBER, 1960

The Rome Olympics are history, but the season goes on in Europe. The headline on the cover of this issue of TFN reads, “Bolotnikov 28:18.8, Brumel 7-2 ¼, Rowe 62-8½.” The first is a world record, the other two are European records. Pytor Bolotnikov, having followed in the steps of his mentor, Vladimir Kuts, as Olympic 10,000 champion, now eyes Kuts' world records at 5000 and 10,000.

On September 28 he runs a 1500 PR of 3:47.4 then returns the next day for a shot at the 10K record. His 28:32.4 misses by two seconds. On October 7 at halftime of a soccer match in Kiev, he takes on Kuts' 13:35.0 5K mark. Running without significant competition, he clocks 13:38.1. If at first you don't succeed, try and try again is his motto. On a warm, windless afternoon on October 15, again in Kiev, he leaves Russia's best runners behind early and achieves his goal at 10,000, clocking 28:18.8 to break his hero's record by 11.4 seconds. How far distance running has come can be measured by combining the best 5000 times of two of the greatest, Paavo Nurmi and Emil Zatopek. Together they total 28:25.2, 6.4 seconds slower than Bolotnikov's effort this day.
Valeriy Brumel, the precocious Soviet 18 year old, marks himself as a threat to John Thomas' WR with a 7-2¼. Apparently on the same day he has a very close miss at 7-4 1/8. Time will tell, but it seems to be on the kid's side. Great Britain's Arthur Rowe atones for a disappointing Olympics with a put of 62-8½, an effort not only a European record, but equal to the fourth best ever, tying him with Dave Davis.
Europe or anywhere else for that matter hadn't seen much of Herb Elliot for the last couple years. The great Aussie makes up for that starting in mid-September. He races 11 times in 19 days, winning all but one, including three classic races with Sweden's Dan Waern.
The journey begins in London on September 14 where he runs a mile in 3:58.6, leaving a surprisingly good Terry Sullivan of Rhodesia well behind in 4:00.9. Three days later in Cardiff he attempts to finish in a dead heat with Tony Blue. The judges give him the win anyway in 1:52.8. The first of the matches with Waern is the next day in Goteborg at 1500. Blue, the pace setter, takes them out too fast; 54 and 1:54. Elliot is content to stay two seconds off that pace. When Blue drops off on the third lap, the race is all Elliot's or so it would seem. He opens up five meters on the backstretch and spectators entertain visions of his Olympic finish two weeks earlier. But Waern, who barely missed making the Olympic final, has other ideas. To the delight of the hometown fans, he catches Elliot at the bell. They battle around the curve and into the straight. Down the homestretch they come, Elliot on the inside, Waern on his shoulder. With ten meters to go, Elliot leads by inches. Waern can't hold on and the race belongs to Elliot by a meter. His 3:38.4 is his fourth fastest. Waern's 3:38.6 is the Swedish record.
Fans don't have to wait long for the next match between these two as it comes two days later over a mile at Malmo. Once again Blue is the pacesetter. It appears that he has mastered even pacing. Three laps go off in 60.5 each, reaching the bell in 3:01.5. Waern, Albie Thomas and Elliot follow in that order. Spurred by the wildly cheering fans, Waern takes the lead and begins a long drive. This time it is Elliot hanging on. At the top of the straight he moves into the lead and ever so slowly pulls away for a narrow win 3:58.6 to 3:59.0.
Now Elliot is off for Dublin, where two days later he will toe the starting line in an 880 against two other Olympic champions, Rome's 800 winner Peter Snell and Melbourne's 1500 champion Ron Delany, the obvious favorite of the Irish fans. No details of the race are given, but Elliot can do no better than fourth. Snell takes it 1:47.9 with Delany second at 1:48.2 (an Irish record), the same time as Tony Blue. Elliot takes his only loss of the tour with a 1:48.4.
Having lost to Snell at the New Zelander's distance, Elliot looks forward to meeting him on the same track the next day at his distance, a mile. This time the heavy lifting falls to Albie Thomas who takes the field through a 1:57.0. Lazlo Tabori leads at the bell in 2:59.0. At this point Elliot makes sure it is over early. He leaves no doubt about who is the king at this distance, winning in 3:57.0. Terry Sullivan breaks four for the first time in placing second in 3:59.8, a tick ahead of Gordon Pirie. (*editor's note This is possibly the first 4 minute mile by a native born African runner.. When I lived in Zimbabwe from 1982-85, Sullivan was still there in the construction business.) Tabori is fourth at 4:00.7. Snell places fifth in 4:01.5. Any disappointment that may have resulted from this loss is mitigated by the fact thatn this is a 9 second improvement on his PR, perhaps an indication of better things to come.
Elliot fills the rest of the month with less competitive races. He wins a 1000 meter race in Glasgow (2:20.7) on the 24th. The 28th sees him in London for a mile (3:59.8). On the 30th he takes another 1000 in 2:23.1 in Manchester. October 1 is taken up with a 1320 in Birmingham (2:57.8). This would seem like a lot, but there is one more page to be turned before the book on Herb Elliot's magical 1960 season can be closed. Tomorrow Dan Waern will be waiting for him in Stockholm for a race at 1000 meters, an event in which the Swede set the world record of 2:18.1 two years ago before lowering it to 2:17.8 last year.
This will be no easy task for Elliot. It has been an intense stretch in which he has raced 11 times in 2½ weeks. Popular as Elliot is, the Stockholm crowd will be wildly enthusiastic for the hometown boy, Waern. Not only is this Waern's crowd, it is probably his best distance. Herb will not be able to mail this one in.
Chances for a world record go out the window right away. The plan was to have a rabbit take the field through a fast 400 and then Per Knuts, “a good Swedish half miler” was to take over. When Knuts fails to take over after a pedestrian 55.4 opening go around, Waern finds himself in the lead about 500 meters before he wants to be. His 57.6 (1:53.0) puts the race in the tactical category. There is no description of the race other than those splits, but both finish strongly with Elliot the winner, 2:19.1 to 2:19.4. This was the year's final race for both. Elliot is off to bask in Australia's spring and summer while Waern looks forward to a season of ice fishing.
And yes, there are still Americans in Europe. Olympic 400 champ, Otis Davis, tangles with silver medalist Carl Kaufmann twice.

The first, in Cologne, is closer than their Olympic finish. They are given a tie at 45.7. Four days later in Wuppertal, Kaufmann wins 46.5 to 46.7. Previous to these races, Davis had been nipped by George Kerr in Amsterdam, 47.0 for both.
The balance in the season long competition between Lee Calhoun and Willie May has shifted. After Calhoun's ever so close victory in the Olympics, May wins three over the Olympic champ, then three over Olympic finalist Keith Gardner of Jamaica.
Imagine that you have come to the meet in Paris on Oct. 2 to see the great American pole vaulter, Don Bragg. Then imagine your shock when you see him fail at 13-9. The competition is won at 14-1, but wait, there's more. Bragg is going to give the fans their money's worth with an exhibition. He clears 15-1 and everyone goes home happy.
In the Cologne meet Ernie Cunliffe takes the 1500 in 3:48.0. Five days later he tangles with Kerr in an 800 in Frankfort and comes out on the short end, 1:48.9 to 1:49.1.
Perhaps when it is all said and done, the American who will go home with the best memories of the Europe tour will be Max Truex.

Coming off his great performance in the Olympic 10,000, he has no let down. In Cologne he wins the 3000 in an American record of 8:03.6. He is cheered vigorously by the home town crowd as he is wearing a German Olympic uniform. He wins two 5000's in Germany before suffering his only defeat of the tour, a three mile in London where he is third, four tenths behind the winner. His last race is in Paris where he is supposed to meet French star Michel Bernard over two miles. Bernard pulls out and Max runs near to the American record with an 8:44.2. A great Olympic race and four wins in five tries afterward. Good job, Max.
Items gleaned from various columns: Lee Calhoun, Ron Morris, Parry O'Brien, Tom Murphy and Rafer Johnson have retired. Jerry Siebert almost added his name to the list, but has decided to run one more year as a member of the Santa Clara Valley Youth Village, saying, “I want one more crack at Snell.” The SCVYV could be pretty good in the middle distances. Jack Yerman and Ernie Cunliffe may wear there colors next season. Cunliffe, now a graduate student at Stanford, just became engaged......Carl Kaufmann, silver medalist in the 400 at 21, has decided that track and field is not the fast track to big money. He will devote his energies to a singing career...*editor Wasn't this Lauer who became the C&W singer?....The Styron twins are following coach Lew Hartzog from NE Louisiana to Southern Illinois.....Jim Dupree, feeling a lack of support from his coach at New Mexico, is joining them at SIU.....Hammer thrower Al Hall has decided not to devote full time to his job as a chicken inspector. He will continue his track career. Bill Dellinger will take a year off from competition. He will continue to run however, with an eye towards 1962.....Deacon Jones is a multi-talented guy. Aside from competing in the steeplechase in Rome, he kept his teammates looking sharp by cutting their hair. “I've been a licensed barber since 1950.”.....We won't see Phil Coleman on the boards this winter. He is eschewing competition in favor of working on his PhD at the University of Illinois......Add Glenn Davis and Ray Norton to the list of those who won't be back. Both will play football; Davis for the Lions, Norton for the 49ers. Rafer Johnson, though retiring, will not join them in the NFL. He squelches the rumor that he will play for the Rams, saying that he hasn't played football since 1954 at Kingsburg High......Billy Mills has been named captain of the Kansas cross country team.....If you are waiting to see Olympic 100 meter gold medalist, Armin Hary, in the leading role in three non-sports films, you will be disappointed. He demanded $23,800 for each film from the company that held the option and was turned down. Armin is now spending time writing his memoirs......500 German boys and girls were sent to Rome as winners of a nationwide contest. They camped in the outskirts of the city and rooted on their favorites from the standing room area at either end of the stadium. Their most notable shout of Teutonic support was, “Hoy, hoy, hoy, Lauer, Lauer, Lauer, cha, cha, cha!” Say it a few times and it grows on you. Not to be outdone, the British fans showed their support with the more traditional, “Two, four, six, eight, who do we appreciate, P-I-R-I-E, Pirie, Pirie, Pirie!”.....Apparently whatever the cost of the Track and Field New tour was, it was money well spent. Many of the group were housed at the luxurious Rome YMCA.
Did You Say Rome YMCA? Two Versions Below

Posh Version

American Version

Vol. 1 No. 79 March, 1960

MARCH 1960

A conundrum to test your problem solving skills. To wit: An athlete sets a world record. Two weeks later he still is the record holder only now three competitors have passed him and indeed have left him in the dust. Your homework for tomorrow is to have a logical explanation for how this seemingly incongruous situation has come about. Be prepared for class discussion.
Our protagonist is one Parry O'Brien, the two time Olympic shot put champion, the world record holder in both the indoor and outdoor shot, the man who has dominated the event like no other since Ralph Rose 50 years ago. As we pick up our story it is March 5 and O'Brien's co-holder of the WR, 19 year old Dallas Long, has just bettered the 63-2 record they share by five inches. But it doesn't count because it was his seventh throw of the day. Still, the message has been sent.
March 12 sees O'Brien break his indoor WR (62-1¾) at the Milwaukee Journal Games with a throw of 62-5, leaving his most significant competitor, Dave Davis, nearly two and a half feet behind. On the West Coast, Long throws 61-4 in a dual meet.
The next week the track world is shocked by Bill Nieder. Competing in the Stanford Invitational, Big Bill drops it 63-10 from the toe board. And he isn't alone; Dave Davis has raised his PR to 62-8. Long is in the West Texas Relays where he throws 61-8¾. He and Davis (have shot, will travel) will tangle next week in the USC – So Cal Striders meet.
And what a match up it is. Long explodes 64-6½. This jaw dropping effort is needed because Davis is close behind at 63-10½. Nieder's WR has lasted a week.
At the end of the day the all time list reads:
Long 64-6½
Davis 63-10½
Nieder 63-10
O'Brien 63-2
In two weeks Parry O'Brien has gone from world record holder to a distant fourth. Can the Air Force lieutenant find another gear or will the young guys pull away? He will begin his outdoor season next month. Stay tuned.........Oh, and as for that class assignment, O'Brien is still the world record holder indoors.
Speaking of world records, John Thomas just upped his half an inch, jumping 7-2½ in the Chicago Daily News Relays.
Stanford's Ernie Cunliffe has busied himself racing longer than his usual 880. On March 5 the Stanford Winter Championships sees him split 58-2:00-3:03 en route to a solo 4:04.4 mile. Two weeks later in the Stanford Invitational his 2:55.7 1320 relay leg is the highlight of the track activity. “The Stanford co-captain hit 55.7, 1:56.6 and finished strongly, unlike his usual dying half mile windup, in 2:55.7. Only Brian Hewson (2:55.2) has run faster and the best on record by an American is Jim Grelle's 2:57.7.” No results for the Stanford team are given. Eight days later the then politically correct Indians take a shot at the American record for the four mile relay in a dual meet with the Santa Clara Valley Youth Village (identified as SCVYV from now on). Although their time of 16:57.8 misses by 5.2 seconds, it isn't Ernie's fault. His 4:02.4 anchor is the second fastest mile of the year.
Aside from the aforementioned world records, the most amazing performance of the month is that of San Jose State sophomore, Vance Barnes. Not even on the team three days earlier, Barnes, a basketball player with a high jump best of 6-4, is pressed into service at the Stanford Relays when the Spartans third string jumper is injured. Six feet four inches is achieved easily enough and so are 6-6 and 6-8 on his first efforts. Six feet nine inches doesn't come until his second try as does 6-10. When he finally misses it is at 6-11, a foot over his head. We'll have to see what the future holds for this young man.
On March 12 Bobby Morrow makes his 1960 debut in Southwest Recreation meet in Fort Worth, winning special races in 9.5 and 21.3, but real stars are the Styron twins.

Running in the college division, Dave takes the 100 and 220 while Don wins the highs and lows. They both run on the winnng 440 and mile relay teams. Don also runs a heat in the 440 before being relieved of duty for the final when the team championship is assured. His 22.4 time in the lows is the fastest in the world this year and his seventh race of the day.
A week later Morrow's comeback hits a bump in the road when he is defeated twice by Jimmy Weaver who runs 10.5 and 21.0. No time is given for the Olympic champ. Eddie Southern is third and fourth.
After a low key year, Herb Elliot is preparing for the Olympics. On March 5 he runs 1:50.1 and 4:02.1, but nine days later the best he can do is a 1:53.5 sixth place behind some guy from New Zeland named Snell who runs 1:51.3. Five days later Elliot clocks 1:52.1.
Another Australian is setting records in the US. On March 2 in Houston Al Lawrence runs 10K in 29:36.4 to meet the Olympic qualifying standard and set the American record. Wait a minute, he isn't an American. Apparently citizenship isn't required to set an AR. All that is needed is that you set the record on US soil. The record he broke was 30:11.4 set in 1932 by Poland's Janusz Kusocinski.
As T&F News is located in the Bay Area it is privy to the doings of Cal, Stanford, San Jose State and the SCVYV. This time we have Cal time trials for you. Recently Jerry Siebert and Jack Yerman tangled in a 660 with Yerman winning by inches in 1:18.0 for both. In another workout Siebert ran a 1320 in 3:00.0. Other bits and pieces from columns: Glenn Davis is teaching junior high mechanical drawing in Columbus, Ohio. He is ten pounds overweight, but is working at losing it by the National AAU meet..... A high school junior in Compton, CA has just set the class record 48.0 in the 440. His name is Ulis Williams.....Ron Delany and Don Bowden are training together on the polo field in San Francisco's Golden Gate Park. Both are recovering from tendon problems and hope to race in April......Ira Murchison has recovered from the illness that saw his weight to drop to under 100 pounds. He is now at his usual 135 and feeling strong.
From the Quotable Quotes column come the following. Glenn Cunningham: “Our races were strictly competitive, to beat the other fellow. But in the workouts sometimes I did run all out. Yes, I bettered four minutes. But I didn't think anything about it. I was just curious to see what I could do,”......J.D. Martin: “Jim Graham, the Oklahoma State vaulter, helped me a lot when I competed against him last year. He's that kind of a guy. At the Drake Relays I was trying 14-6. I'd never cleared it. Graham told me that I wasn't rocking back on my pole at the top of my jump. On my last jump, I rocked and sailed over. Graham knew that if he gave me that tip I might beat him. Of course, I didn't. He was first and I was second.”

J.D. Martin early in his coaching years, about 1968
We'll close with the first non-track related add I can remember. It is for the Desert Star Motor Hotel in Phoenix, AZ. Among its many benefits are air conditioning, phones and TV, a heated swim pool, and private sun decks. A little short on folding money? Not to worry, all this can be paid for with a credit card.

Vol. 1 No. 47 September , 1958

September, 1958

This issue is pretty much devoted to goings on in Europe. The big meet is the European Championships in Stockholm. The most significant events were the 1500 where Brian Hewson of Great Britain blew away a good field including Olympic champion Rod Delany to win in 3:41.9. Hometown boy Dan Waern was second two tenths back, two tenths ahead of Delany.

The 100 went to Germany’s Armin Hary in 10.3. More on him later. Poland’s Zdzislaw Krzyszkowiak (say that three times fast) dominated the distances, winning both the 5 and 10K in 13:53.4 and 28:56.0. Martin Lauer, on his way to a great career, dominates the hurdles in 13.7, with second a distant 14.1. A 20 year old Igor Russian, Ter-Ovaneyan, takes the first of his many major championships with a 25-7 broad jump. Countryman Vasiliy Kuznyetsov, a legitimate rival of Rafer Johnson, takes the decathlon by a whopping 536 points. Overall the competition was great, but the marks weren’t much by US standards.

The real news is that Herb Elliott is running wild in Europe. He has already run his WR 3:54.4 mile (covered in an issue I don’t have). Now the 3:38.1 1500 meter record of Stanislav Jungwirth is on the menu. It is August 28 in Goteborg, Sweden, 7:24 in the evening to be precise, when he lines up against “the greatest 1500 field in history”. Jungwirth is there. So are former mile record holder Derek Ibbotson and Dan Waern and Albie Thomas and Murray Halberg. Thomas takes the field through 56.0 (Elliott 58.0) and 1:57.5. At this point Elliott puts all doubts to rest with a 58.0 third lap. The bell is sounded at 2:42.0 and the finish line is reached 54.0 seconds later for a WR of 3:36.0. Jungwirth is second at 3:39.0 with Halberg PRing in third at 3:39.4.

Six days later in London Elliott takes on European 1500 champ, Hewson, and thumps him by 3 ½ seconds in the second fastest mile ever run, 3:55.4. Two days later the Herb Elliot Show is in Oslo, where “reportedly tired”, he outruns Halberg 3:37.4 to 3:38.8, another PR for the New Zealander.

And now back to Armin Hary. It is Sept. 6 and we are in the southern Germany town of Friedrichshafen. Hary wins the 100 in 10.3, the same time he ran in winning the European Championship. No big news there. Here is where it gets strange. Hary and the second and third placers (both 10.7) like the track so much that they request a rerun. Hey, the European champ wants another race, he’s got it. “An hour later they were sent off by starter Max Muller in what was obviously an unofficial race. Hary took the lead after 10 meters and accelerated gradually. He won by a wide margin.” The three official watches have him in 9.9, 10.0 and 10.0. The backup timers have 10.0, 10.0 and 10.1. The wind is legal. It is a new world record. Or is it? The second placer runs 10.3, two tenths faster than his best and four tenths faster than an hour ago. Hmmm. Turn to Cordner Nelson’s column on the back page and we get a different view. “Mike Agostini says that the fast gun is prevalent in Northern Europe and that all smart sprinters take advantage of the situation.”

The track is recalibrated. Yep, it is long enough, but it is downhill by 10.9 centimeters, apparently a quarter inch more than the allowable. Leamon King is still the WR holder at 10.1 with Ira Murchison waiting approval to share the record.

And now another “stumper” for the boys at the Dew Drop. Bet the next round on who can correctly name the first four minute miler. Some doof will call out Roger Bannister. Hold your ground and smugly refute his claim. The first four minute miler, the first man to run exactly four minutes – 4:00.0 – is Derek Ibbotson who runs that time Sept. 3 at White City Stadium. Apparently this was an “invitational” race that preceded Elliot’s 3:55.4 effort mentioned earlier, as specific mention is made of Britain’s Mike Blagrove becoming the second to accomplish this feat in the race Elliot won the same day. Odd, but true.

The IAAF has made some changes. Now there will be official world record status for 200 meter and 220 yard races run around a curve (on a track not larger than 440). And no more wild and crazy hammer and discus throwing. The sector for these events has been reduced from 90 to 60 degrees.

The track world is lessened by the death of Ben Ogden, the coach at Temple for 30 years. He invented the starting gate, the automatic foul check for broad jumping and the pole vault safety net.

There are differing views on the future of Herb Elliott. Cordner Nelson says that “Elliott may have turned professional by the time you read this. In fact, I am only surprised that he has not done so already. He has no regard for amateurism and little for records and championships. He does have a high regard for money, and in his position I can only approve his action.” He goes on to say, “I still believe that properly organized professional track would be a boon to amateur track.”

Page 14 has a photo taken from an elevated angle of the AAU 100. Morrow has a foot on Murchison with Willie White another two feet back. Then come five runners in a blanket finish two feet further back: Givens, Collymore, Norton, Woodhouse and Coia.

Palo Alto High’s Mike Lehner dropped his own world’s best two mile for 15 year olds to 9:48.5.

Half of page 3 is devoted to an ad, “A Message from Mal Whitfield”. You can win $100, a 30 day supply of his food supplement and copy of his booklet on how to maintain a healthier body and mind by naming his new product. There is an order form with which you can order any of his three current supplements. “Guaranteed Results or Money Back”.

Vol. 1 No. 44 July, 1958

JULY, 1958

And a very good issue it is with reports on the NCAA meet in Berkeley and the AAU in Bakersfield.

Glenn Davis might turn out to be pretty good. In the NCAA meet he sets the WR around two turns, running 45.7 to crush Eddie Southern’s 46.5. Jack Yerman is third at 46.6. Eight days later Davis breaks Josh Culbreath’s 50.5 WR in the 440 hurdles with a 49.9. Admittedly the metric times in both these races are superior: Lou Jones 45.2 and Davis 49.5, but, hey, a WR is a WR.

Hal Connolly sets a monster WR in the hammer, 225-4, after a Bakersfield blacksmith repairs the ball that had been “flattened” by hitting a wall in practice. Connolly’s wife, “the pretty Olympic discus champion” Olga, apparently makes her husband nervous when she watches so she hides behind some bushes, only to run out at the announcement of the record, “crying with joy” and gives her “embarrassed husband a bruising hug and kiss”. No mention is made of what happened at the motel later that evening.

Olympic champions of past and future win the miles in these meets. In the NCAA Ron Delany runs 4:03.5 to leave Jim Grelle 4:04.8 and Gail Hodgson 4:04.9 in his wake, then doubles back to take the 880 in 1:48.6 over Frank Murphy’s 1:49.4 to complete a great career at Villanova.

The AAU mile is Herb Elliot’s time to shine. Though countryman Merv Lincoln throws down a 54.7 final lap, Elliot covers it with his own 54.1 to finish in 3:57.9, his second best time and maybe a new world record, but actually only tying a previous WR which wasn’t allowed. Confused? I’ll bet. Sit down, listen carefully and I’ll tell you how this worked. Derek Ibbotson’s 3:57.2 and Elliot’s own 3:57.8 may not be approved because they were….are you ready?... “paced”. Imagine someone resorting to that. If they are not approved, then this time would beat John Landy’s record of 3:58.0. But wait, there’s a catch to that too. Landy actually ran 3:57.9, but four years ago in the dark ages of 1954, records in the mile were not recognized in tenths of a second. Bet you can’t wait to run this by the guys at the Dew Drop Inn tonight.

But not to discredit the rest of the AAU field. Lincoln runs a stout 3:58.5. He is followed by Ed Moran of Penn State, who until three weeks ago had never broken 4:10, but this night clocks 4:01.7, the same time as fourth and fifth placers Jim Grelle and Jerome Walters. They are followed by Don Bowden, 4:02.9, and Gail Hodgson, 4:04.5. Oh, and the future of American miling was visible in the heats. High schooler Dyrol Burleson ran a nonqualifying 4:12.2.

The giants of the discus world tangle in both meets. Rink Babka and Al Oerter “tie” at 186-2 in the NCAAs. The rule to break a tie with the second best mark was not yet in place. Babka takes the AAU 187-10 to 181-6.

As far as developing international competitors, the AAU has made the effort by including the intermediates, hammer and hop-step-jump. The NCAA has none of these. What is does have is team scoring. The first person to recognize a major southern school (think current SEC or ACC), raise your hand. USC 48, Kansas 40, Villanova 33, San Jose State 20, Winston-Salem 20, Illinois 17, the Ohio State University 17, Nebraska 14, California 13, Manhattan 12, Texas 12, Western Michigan 12, Indiana 12, Arizona State 11, SMU 10, Pacific Lutheran 10, Occidental 9, Oregon 9. While there were a lot of fractions in those scores (which I am not doing), what there wasn’t were any relays.

And Negroes are still being identified. Ernie Shelby, who wins the BJ in both big meets, is a regular run of the mill Negro, but Hayes Jones is a medium-sized Negro, Ray Nickleberry a short Negro and John Thomas a thin Negro.

The Frosh and JC Marks list contains a triple-double-double. That would be three sets of twins, each making the list in two events. The Styron twins are in the house. Dave has run 9.6 and 21.2. Don has hurdled 14.5 and 22.8 for NE Louisiana State. The McKeever twins are freshmen at USC. Mike has weight marks of 52-6 ½ and 153-3 ½ while Marlin has thrown 52-5 and 156-8. Finally, we have Mel and Mal Spence of Arizona State. Mel has a 47.9 to his credit while Mal is a tenth back. Not sure about the 880. Mel ran 1:52.3 while Mel is credited with 1:53.0. Obviously one of these is supposed to be Mal. I just report ‘em, I don’t ‘splain ‘em.

On the next to last page, sacrilege, a blow has been struck against Clifford Severn and Adidas. Indeed a quarter of a page is devoted to an ad proclaiming the superiority of Rawlings Fleetfoot track shoes, “the shoes built for that ‘fit and feel’ so necessary to track men”. Not to worry. Cliff and Adidas confidently occupy their usual spot on the lower right corner of the last page.