Walt Murphy is one of the finest track geeks that I know. Walt does #ThisDayinTrack&FieldHistory, an excellent daily service that provides true geek stories about our sport. You can check out the service for FREE with a free one-month trial subscription! (email: [email protected] ) for the entire daily service. We will post a few historic moments each day, beginning February 1, 2024.
by Walt Murphy’s News and Results Service ([email protected]), used with permission
This Day in Track & Field-November 9
1895—The Vassar College Games, the first college field day for women in the U.S., were held in light rain in Poughkeepsie, NY. Limited to Vassar students, the meet saw the first American Records in their respective events set by Annie Wilkinson (100y-heat/15-1/4), Helen Haight (220y/36-1/4), Laura Brownell (High Jump/4-0 [1.22m]), and Emma Baker (Long Jump/11-5 [3.48m]). Team scores were Class of ’97/24, Class of ’98/14, Class of ’96/5
(From Louise Tricard’s “American Women’s Track and Field: A History, 1895 Through 1980”)
1906–The first U.S. Indoor Championships were held at Madison Square Garden in New York (Nov.9-10). Among the winners were Mel Sheppard, who set an indoor record in the 1000y (2:17.8), A.C. Gilbert in the Pole Vault (10-9/3.25), and Martin Sheridan, who won three of the five events he entered. A member of the Irish-American A.C., Sheridan won the 8-pound shot put (61-8/18.79+), the Pole Vault for distance (27-1 1/4/8.26), and the 56-pound Weight Throw for height (15-3/4.64+)! He also finished 2nd to Ray Ewry in the standing Long Jump, and 3rd in the Triple Jump (known as the hop-step and jump in those days).
(From Wally Donovan’s History of Indoor Track & Field)
Past Indoor Champions
https://www.flipsnack.com/USATF/usatf-indoor-champions/full-view.html
1941–Future Hall-of-Famer Greg Rice (29:18.7) won the U.S. X-Country title (a little less than 6-miles) at the Empire City Race Track in NY. 2nd and 3rd were his NYAC teammates Jim Rafferty (29:56) and Joe McCluskey (30:23) as the club won the team title.
The National Marathon Championship, held at the same site after the XC race, was won by unheralded Joseph Smith in 2:36:06.8.
NY Times Obituary:
Past Winners(XC): https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USA_Cross_Country_Championships
NY Times Coverage(for subscribers): https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1941/11/10/87688617.pdf?pdf_redirect=true&ip=0
