V8 N. 59 MARCH, 1968, #2

MARCH , 1968 (#2)

In the three previous NCAA indoor championship meets, there have been no double winners. This year Jim Ryun and Bob Beaman turn the trick.

Beaman dominates the long jump, breaking Rainer Stenius' meet record on all five of his legal jumps en route to raising his own WR to 27-2¾. (more on Stenius below) Whereas the long jump was never in doubt, the triple jump was. After jumping 52-3 on his second jump, Beaman meant to say that he was passing his final jump in the trials, but instead of saying “pass”, he says “scratch” thereby eliminating himself from further competition. He could only watch as Nebraska's Lennox Burgher exceeds 51' five times to come ever so close with a best of 52-1.

Bob Beamon (Getty Images)

It was understood that Ryun would win the mile, but Kansas needs the points that a double will bring. Which way to go, down to the 880 where he will tangle with Villanova's Dave Patrick or up to the two mile, where (Washington State) Gerry Lindgren and his streak of 8 NCAA championships (indoor, outdoor and cross country) awaits? The decision to move to the two mile, though presenting a daunting challenge, proves propitious for the Jayhawks as Ryun hangs with Lindgren before unleashing his unmatched finish to win 8:39.0 to 8:40.8. World record holder Kerry Pearce is third at 8:45.0.

Jim Ryun leads the mile
(Getty Images)

The mile doesn't require as much energy as the pace dawdles, allowing Ryun to finish in 54.7 en route to a 4:06.8 win over (Kent State) Sam Bair's 4:07.2.

Villanova wins the team title with 16 of their 35 1/3 points coming in relays. With Larry James anchoring in 46.6, the Wildcats take the mile relay in 3:14.4. They also win the distance medley in 9:49.6 and take second in the two mile relay, as Patrick's 1:49.2 can't quite catch Harvard, 7:26.8 to 7:27.4.

George Lawrence "Larry" James (November 6, 1947 – November 6, 2008)

James wins the 440 in an 11 lap to the mile WR of 47.0. Patrick and Frank Murphy go 1-2 in the 880 and the Wildcats go home happy.

Last year's champion, USC, scores a mere point less this year but their 25 isn't a challenge to Villanova. Oklahoma 17, Kansas 15 1/3 and El Paso 15 round out the top five.

While the boards are being pounded in Detroit, the outdoor season is getting started the same days in the Texas Southern Relays in Houston. Southern's Harvey Nairn catches fast starting Roy Hicks of Texas Southern in the high hurdles. Their times of 13.6 and 13.7 are 1-2 on the world list. Hicks has no reason to hang his head. He wins the long jump in a PR of 25-2 and takes fifth in the high jump (no height mentioned).

The following weekend the big boys come out to play in Santa Barbara's Easter Relays. Southern California and San Jose State tangle in the 440, 880, mile and 2 mile relays. SC's world record holding 440 team (McCullouch, Fred Kuller, OJ Simpson and Lennox Miller) (see more about that 440 team below) win over the Spartans 39.7 to 40.4. The same quartet repeats in the 880, 1:23.6 to 1:24.0. San Jose State bounces back in the mile relay with Lee Evans anchoring in 46.9 to edge the Trojans 3:11.3 to 3:11.8. Carl Trentadue's 1:48.8 anchor puts SC on top in the two mile relay, but just barely. The Trojans and Spartans both clock 7:24.0.

The pole vault is frustrating for UCLA. In addition to watching rival USC go 1-2 with Bob Seagren and Paul Wilson clearing 16-6, the Bruin duo of world-class vaulters has a miserable day. Rick Sloan twists an ankle high jumping and will be out of action for some time. Jon Vaughn clears 16-0 for third, but when vaulting at 16-6, an official attempting to grab his pole hits the standard and it falls, hitting Vaughn's hand and ending his day.

John Vaughn (Historic Images)

In his outdoor season opener, Ed Carruthers high jumps 7-2 and has a near miss at 7-4.

Remember Sam Walker breaking the HS SP record at 69-11¾ as reported in our last report? Well, he has now not only exceeded 70 feet but 71 feet by an inch....only to find that the landing area slopped over the legal limit. Hang in, Sam, the season's still young. We'll be keeping an eye on you.

Sam Walker

Sam Walker montage  (Only if you are really into weight lifting)

Rainer Stenius (the following was lifted from T&FN threads)

Most of you probably know that Rainer Stenius died last month (December 1)(2015?) in Espoo, Finland. He was only 71 years old.

I met Rainer a few times while he was living in the United States in the 1960's. I believe he still holds the Cal State Los Angeles school record for the long jump (and maybe the triple jump, too).

His jump of 26' 9 1/4" (8.16) in 1966 was the Finnish national record for about 39 years and he was the 1966 NCAA long jump champion.

I believe he was injured in 1968 and did not compete in Mexico City at the Olympic Games. Does anyone have more details about this?

Even Memory Lane Has a Finish Line for Kuller : Track: Sprinter with the smooth stride helped set a world record at USC but missed qualifying for '68 Olympic team.

May 31, 1992|TOM BIRSCHBACH | SPECIAL TO THE TIMES

Fred Kuller

Fred Kuller and that 4x110 relay record       clik here

Lennox Miller

Lennox Miller Obituary 2004

V 8 N. 58 Coach Marc Arce's Continuing , Remarkable Recovery Since His Injury a Year Ago

Back on the Bike Jan. 12, 2018
Almost 4 Months After His Accident

One year ago we reported on the serious injury suffered by the University of Findlay track and cross country coach Marc Arce.  We are happy to report that Marc has made a remarkable recovery considering the nature of his injuries.  

On September 16, 2017, Marc was cycling to a cross country meet from Findlay to  Tiffin, OH.  He left well ahead of the team to check in, look at the course and perform any pre-meet activities that coaches go through.  The trip was to be about 30 miles.   On the way Marc was overtaken by a pick up truck that passed too close to him. The sideview mirror on the truck struck Marc's head and threw him to the ground.  The result of the accident left Marc in the hospital for 5 1/2 weeks.  His accompanying injuries would fill an ER text book...facial and skull fractures, broken hip, multiple rib fractures, lacerated spleen, collapsed lung, heart attack, traumatic brain injury. He doesn't remember anything about the accident and the approximate four weeks following. 

When he came to, he found his wife Lisa at his bedside where she had been all his weeks of recovery and then his rehabilitation.  Marc candidly admits that he was not an easy patient to deal with.  As many people would be after such extensive injury, he was stubborn, argumentative, and just not an easy guy to deal with.  Marc was grappling with not only with the aftermath of a near-death experience, but also a loss of a job where he had spent the last 30+ years.  But Lisa hung in there with him, knowing full well this was not uncommon for the man she knew to be a dedicated, tireless coach and a former athlete and marathoner who was used to driving himself to the limit.  

This past Sunday, September 16, exactly one year after the accident, Marc pushed himself to the limit once again, participating in The Last Gasp, a Cape Cod bike event, trekking some 60 miles across the island.  It wasn’t easy, but Marc finished in under 5 hours - a testament to his never-quit spirit. Not only was he motivated by his own personal comeback, but more so by those, especially former athletes, who helped him raise over $1600 for a local charity as part of the event. The day ended with a standing ovation as Marc received the “Back in the Saddle” award at the post-ride gathering . It was quite overwhelming for him and Lisa to receive such support and compassion from total strangers. 

Marc Relaxing on the Ferry Back Home After His 60 Mile Ride

Marc and Lisa  had a combined total of 57 years of coaching service to University of Findlay.  Their coaching accomplishments included:

13 NCAA Div. II National Champions

224 NCAA Div. II All Americans

7 US Olympic Trials Qualifiers

2 National Runners Up Men's Track and Field Teams

8 NCAA Div. II Top Ten Track and Field Teams

241 GLIAC (conf.) Champions

127 USTFCCA Div. II All Academic Individuals

12 NAIA National Champions

213 NAIA All Americans

63 NAIA Scholar Athletes

7 NAIA Top Ten Track and Field Team Finishes


Bravo Marc.

Inspiring story!

David Rapp

Marc Arce is a real inspiratioinal Story, which made my day.  
John Bork Jr.

This is a great comeback story.  Marc is a tough cat and Lisa is just as tough.    Bill Schnier

V 8 N. 57 March 1968 # 1

MARCH 1968 (#1)

This is a landmark issue because it is the first of new two issues a month format. It's pages chronicle the transition from indoor to outdoor seasons. The lead story is the AAU indoor championship held in Oakland where Martin McGrady sets the world record at 600 yards and Earl McCullouch ties the 60 hurdles mark set by Hayes Jones four years earlier.

A photo of the finish of the 600 graces the cover of this issue and rightly so as Cordner Nelson calls it “the greatest 600 ever run”. The field consists of Jim Kemp, Lee Evans, Ron Whitney and McGrady. Kemp went out hard and had the lead for 595 yards before McGrady edged him at the tape. These two and Evans were given the time of 1:09.2, later corrected to 1:09.2, 1:09.3 and 1:09.4, though the cover photo looks tighter than that. Yes, there have been faster 600s run, but they were on larger tracks. This was on the standard 11 laps to the mile track. No matter the track size, this distance belongs to McGrady, as proven by the fact that this is his 19^th consecutive win at this distance.

McCullouch has the best start in the business. He shows it off in a semifinal of the 60 high hurdles where his 6.8 puts him in the record book. His 6.9 in the final is enough to dust Richmond Flowers, Willie Davenport and Leon Coleman and stretch his indoor victory streak to 15.

George Young outkicks world record holder Tracy Smith to take the three-mile in 13:17.6 to 13:18.2. Don't feel sorry for Tracy. The following week in the Maple Leaf Games in Toronto 13,000 spectators watch him power a 57.4 final quarter to clip a second from his record with a 13:15.2 clocking. Russia's Nikolai Sviridov and Van Nelson run 13:21.6 to take home parting gifts of European and collegiate records.

Dallas Long's high school record lasted nine years before Karl Salb broke it last summer. Salb's 69-6 wasn't as durable. Sam Walker of Carrollton, Texas has wasted no time this season in snatching it for himself. The measurement must have been a sort of bittersweet moment. Yes, he got the record, but his joy had to have been mixed with an “Oh, golly darn, gee whiz” response as well. His 69-11 ¾ was just this far (–) from 70 feet.

There is a story predicting the outcome of each event in June's NCAA meet., but nowhere is it explained who made these choices. Did Bert and Cordner Nelson knock this off over shots of Jack Daniels in the back room of the Water Trough? Or did they add Dick Drake, D.H. Potts, Jon Hendershot, and Joe Henderson to the mix? Fifty years have passed so likely we will never know.

The significance of these predictions lies in geography. In 1968 the West Coast is dominant, as measured by the top nine teams in these predictions: Southern California, UCLA, Texas El Paso, Washington State, Oregon State, San Jose State, Oregon, Brigham Young, California. Times have changed.

From Dick Drake's On Your Marks column.

How's this for a significant moment in history? Dick Fosbury's “flop technique” has caught the fancy of other jumpers and seems to be a “must try”. In a practice session before the AAU meet, Russia's 7-2 jumper, Valentin Gavrilov could do no better than 4-10 and was beaten by hurdler Larry Livers who cleared 5-0. The best-reported flop this winter has been by vaulter Jeff Chase who jumped 5-7. Must be an acquired taste......In the Times, They Are A Changing Department we bring you news of a world record in the mile, the 40 and over mile to be exact. Jim Gorrell clocks 4:43.1 to take down Browning Ross's 4:45.0. (As you read this, the current over 40-mile record is 3:54.91 by Bernard Lagat.)......Lee Evans has set his 440 goal this year at 44.3. That is a half second under teammate Tommy Smith's record. (Note: Depending on how you look at it, he did or he didn't. He didn't officially run that far that fast, but he did win Olympic gold at 400 meters, 7 feet 8 inches less 440 yards, in a world record 43.86. As MileSplit USA converts that time to 44.13 for yards, we'll give it to you, Lee.....Another benchmark in the transition the last half century has brought is this report on Clay Larsen, a 58-7 shot putter for Hayward State. He has shoulder length hair tied with a ribbon, “presumably to keep it out of his face while competing”. Dick Drake questions, “I wonder if there are another dozen athletic departments in the US that would permit this sort of freedom of choice?” Ed comment: If you don't put an end to this liberal nonsense now, who knows what will happen? Might even let girls compete. Okay, we're being silly here, but the line has to be drawn somewhere.  

from the desk of Roy Mason ed. 

"Your 600 WR finish (above)  reminded me of this finish from 1963. 55.5 a WR and the only individual WR I ever had . A few Relay WR's but only PR and WR. Dave Mills and Ollan Cassell."    Earl Young

V8 N. 56 Diane Leather, R.I.P. First Sub 5 Minute Women's Miler

Our hats are off to an unsung heroine , Diane Leather.

Diane Leather (Charles) 1933-2018

On May 29, 1954 only 23 days after Roger Bannister first broke the 4 minute mile, another British citizen became  the first woman to break the 5 minute mile.  Diane Leather a 21 year old analytical chemist at the University of Birmingham broke the 5 minute barrier in the Midlands Championships.  Of note, she was not paced in her race like Bannister had been  by Chataway and Brasher.  She set her mile mark  after she had run an 880 earlier in the afternoon.  So she was doubling back when she broke the record,  not a world record unfortunately, because the IAAF did not recognize world records for women beyond 800 meters in those days.  So she was given a World Best.  

Diane's coach was Dorette Nelson Neal who drilled her  5 days a week with hard intervals from 150 to 440 yards.  So her achievement was one of hard work not just natural ability.  Her home club was the Birchfield Harriers.   

For the next year she worked on improving her personal best and brought the standard down to 4:45.  Her best time in the 800m where she twice won silver in the 1954 and 1958 European Championships was 2:06.6.  By 1960 when the 800m was an event at the Rome Olympics, Diane was well past her prime and was eliminated in the heats in 2:14.  She went on to become a social worker in her homeland.

Because women's track and field was not recognized by many in those days, Diane was never suitably honored or given credit for her achievement in the sport.  Even now her name is scarely recognized and her work was never credited with honors such as Sir Roger was given.   Our collective hats are tipped to Diane Leather and followed by three  hearty 'huzzahs' .

The film clip below is of Diane, a few weeks after her sub 5,  unsuccessfully  attempting to bring down the record further but  having a slightly off day at 5:02 again pretty much on her own.


Almost a 5 Minute Mile

 Very nice piece on Diane Leather complete with a video.  I so much enjoyed people of both genders rooting her on to 5:00.2.  This makes me think of so many others who preceded the NCAA, IAAF (women's distances), and all other governing bodies who were not open to women's distance races or even recognizing their records.  Steve coached many such people for the Kettering Striders which was only one small club in one country.  Although they are not known it doesn't mean it didn't happen.  Thanks to people like you their legacy is recognized.

V 8 N. 54 Interval Training in Hanoi with John Fer AFA All American and Cellmate of John McCain in Hanoi

Interval Training in Hanoi     Please clik on this link to see the May 23, 2015 posting
discussing Jon Fer  a former All American who was imprisoned in Hanoi during the Viet Nam
War.   Tonight and tomorrow morning (August 29, 2018)  John Dickerson (CBS News) will be interviewing John Fer who will be one of John McCain's pallbearers.   Fer and McCain shared a cell for two years at Hanoi Hilton.     In our posting you will have to scroll down a bit to see the article referenced and then another article sent by Richard Mach describing running against the AF Academy in Colorado Springs when Richard was at Western Michigan.  I also had the pleasure of seen Fer run when the AFA ran a dual or triangular meet on the U. of Oklahoma campus.  Unfortunatley my photos of that event are long gone.   I believe the may also be a clip of John running at Eugene, Oregon when the NCAA track meet was there in the early sixties. I will find that at post here at a later date.

George Brose

V 8 N. 52 Some Kids are Really Showing the Veterans a New Twist on the Sport

Youth is having its day.   Mondo  Duplantis in the polevault is setting the world on its ear with his elite jumping.  Now the Ingebrigtsen family out of Norway is destroying the age group records in miling.  Three boys in this family, two of whom went 1-2 in the 5000 meters at the European Championships this summer.  The Kenyans and Ethiopians have also supplied some very young fellows to the world scene.  Sydney McLaughlin has been showing the way in the 400IH on the world scene as well.   There is another youngster in Sant Rosa, CA who is currently lighting up the miling records for the very young age groups.  Daniel Skandera seems well on his way, but he is going to have to make some incredible jumps once here reaches the tender age of 16.  Not many can make the leap going from a very young age and staying with the sport until they mature enough to compete at the international level.  So many other factors can come into play with  a ten year old who seems to be well ahead of the curve.  We'll have to wait and see.

Ten year old Daniel Skandera continues to take his miling times to new levels.
July 24th at the 2018 Summer Track Series at Cardinal Newman Daniel again lowered his world record down to 4:46.6.
Thats equal to a 4:45.18 for those more familiar with the 1600m.
He had already become the youngest runner to ever break the five minute barrier and his newest mark was even faster than any 11 year old has ever done to claim that record as well.

Older brother Abraham didn’t compete in the race possiblly because he’s getting ready to start School at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).

1 MILE
 5 years 6:33.3   Daniel Skandera            USA  2 Nov 07 Santa Rosa CA              23 Jul 13

 6 years 5:44.5   Daniel Skandera            USA  2 Nov 07 Santa Rosa CA               5 Aug 14

 7 years 5:20.3   Daniel Skandera            USA  2 Nov 07 Santa Rosa CA               9 Jun 15

 8 years 5:12.1   Daniel Skandera            USA  2 Nov 07 Santa Rosa CA               9 Aug 16

 9 years 5:02.5   Daniel Skandera            USA  2 Nov 07 Santa Rosa CA              27 Jun 17
10 years 4:46.6   Daniel Skandera            USA  2 Nov 07 Santa Rosa CA              24 Jul 18

11 years 4:46.6   Daniel Skandera            USA  2 Nov 07 Santa Rosa CA              24 Jul 18

12 years 4:36.80  Jeremy Kain                USA 18 Aug 04 Los Gatos CA               13 Jul 17

13 years 4:29.0   Andrew Barnett             GBR 22 Jun 55 London                      1 Jun 69

14 years 4:19.73  Ryan Silva                 USA 27 Jun 95 Portland OR                12 Jun 10

15 years 4:08.8   Jim Arriola                USA 10 Jun 58 Long Beach CA               1 Jun 74

16 years 3:56.29  Jakob Ingebrigtsen         NOR 19 Sep 00 Oslo                       15 Jun 17

17 years 3:52.28  Jakob Ingebrigtsen         NOR 19 Sep 00 Eugene OR                  26 May 18

18 years 3:52.28  Jakob Ingebrigtsen         NOR 19 Sep 00 Eugene OR                  26 May 18

19 years 3:51.3   Jim Ryun                   USA 29 Apr 47 Berkeley CA                17 Jul 66

The following article appeared in The Guardian (UK) recently

Brilliant Norwe







Sean Ingle at the Olympiastadion

 @seaningle

Sun 12 Aug 2018 10.15 BSTLast modified on Sun 12 Aug 2018 10.24 BST












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 Jakob Ingebrigtsen (right) celebrates with his older brother Henrik, who finishes second in the men’s 5,000m final. Photograph: Felipe Trueba/EPA


The 17-year-old Jakob Ingebrigtsen made history for the second night in a row to claim a European 5000m gold – less than 24 hours after he had become the youngest athlete to ever win the 1500m title.








Katarina Johnson-Thompson says silver has given her confidence for future







 

Read more






Once again the extraordinary Norwegian led from the front before powering away from his older brother Henrik to win in a European under-20 record of 13:17.06. 

“It’s a little crazy to get this medal,” he admitted, having become the first man to ever win both titles in the same event. “I’m 17 years old, and already have two European titles at senior level. It is huge.” Such was Jakob’s confidence, he even tried to high-five his brother during the race. As the 27-year-old Henrik joked afterwards: “I was there when he was born, but I’m not sure he is 17 though because he is crazy good.”

The Frenchman Morhad Amdouni, who took bronze, was even more effusive: “Jakob is unbeatable at the moment. He was so much stronger than me.”

With such talent in the family – a third brother, Filip, pulled out of the final through injury – it’s perhaps surprising that the Ingebrigtsen parents have no background in athletics. Instead they were fisherman and famers, who got their sons involved in athletics by chance.





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 Jakob Ingebrigtsen laps up the crowd’s applause as he comes down the home straight. Photograph: Andy Astfalck/Getty Images


Something is clearly working, for Filip and Henrik were already European champions before Jakob turned up. The youngest Ingebrigsten already runs 85 miles a week and last year he became the youngest person to run the mile in under four minutes, aged 16. But with every performance he gives the impression that his talent is endless.

“Winning a second title in two days is the result of having done this my whole life,” explained Jakob. “Unfortunately, my other brother couldn’t be here today because he broke a rib, and this is completely out of his control. Believe me, we started preparing for the 5k final, as soon as we crossed the line on the 1500m last night.”
And the warning for the rest of the world is that there is another member of the clan too. Explained Henrik: “Right now, Jakob has two medals, and Filip and I have one each. We’re definitely coming back to improve the stats in our family. There are no limits for us, and we have another brother who is turning five years old, and soon can join the Ingebrigtsen team.”

V8 N. 51 Pete Riegel R.I.P.

Here is a note received recently from Gary Corbitt about the passing of Pete Riegel, not a household name but one whose gifts may have benefitted you over the years.  Pete from Columbus, OH was one of the men who along with Ted Corbitt were responsible for raising the standards of course measurement and certification.  He was also a very talented man in other fields.  Here is Gary's note and Pete's obituary from the Columbus Post Dispatch.

Ted Corbitt’s greatest contribution to the sport of long distance running was his leadership in developing the process to accurately measure road race courses across the United States.  Pete Riegel extended the work of first generation course certifiers and record keeper; John Jewell, John Sterner, Aldo Scandurra, Ron Daws,Norman Brand, Tom Osler, Alan Jones, David Senechalle, Robert Letson, Ken & Jennifer Young and others.  Pete followed these pioneers and mentored the next two generation of course certifiers with both his founding of Course Measurement News, and willingness to help others.  To quote Jim Gerweck “If Ted Corbit was the George Washington of course measurement then Pete Riegel was certainly its Jefferson.”

In my quest to preserve the history of long distance running a person like Pete was a tremendous blessing. At a point when I was beginning to organize my father’s collection, Pete provided me with a CD that had all the major documents related to course measurement history already electronically stored.  This showed his profound respect towards properly preserving running history.  For this I say thank you Pete.

I also thank the many course certifiers who today continue to build on the foundation set by the pioneers of the 1960s and early 1970s.

Gary Corbitt

Curator: Ted Corbitt Archives

Historian: National Black Marathoners Association (NBMA)

Riegel, Peter - Obiturary

Peter "Pete" Riegel, 83, beloved husband to Joan for over 59 years, dad to Stuart (Bonnie) and Thomas (Tina) was known for his complete support and love for family. A mechanical engineer, Pete retired from Battelle Memorial Institute's Columbus Laboratory in 1995 after a 25-year career in research. His professional achievements include his work on the development of deep-sea diving equipment for America's aquanauts at Sea Lab, as well as improvements to safety equipment for air flow in coal mines. A widely recognized patent includes the non-drip nozzle on gas station hoses that prevents gasoline spillage. Pete was a dedicated long-distance runner, finishing hundreds of marathon and ultra-marathon races. He combined his love of running and analytical background to help perfect the current international system for measuring road race courses. Known world wide for his contributions to the sport of distance running, he headed the US team to design and measure the marathon courses for the 1984 and 1996 U.S. Olympics, as well as the U.S. Men's Olympic Marathon Trials race held in Columbus in 1992. Pete brought a scientific approach to measurement and certification. Pete was friend, mentor and teacher to hundreds of new measurers through scores of international measurement seminars. Pete also founded and edited Measurement News, the newsletter of the Road Running Technical Council of USA Track & Field, and was a founding member of the Association of Road Racing Statisticians. Says his wife, "Our lives with you were truly an adventure!" Funeral services will be private. Arrangements by SCHOEDINGER NORTHWEST CHAPEL. Please share memories of Pete with his family at www.schoedinger.com.

Published in The Columbus Dispatch on June 3, 2018