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 8
1887—Edward Carter won the fourth of his five U.S./A.A.U. X-Country titles in the Mott Haven section of NY City (1885-1888,1892). Only Don Lash (7) and Pat Porter (8) have won more titles. Carter actually won two “National” titles in 1887. From Wikipedia:
The first events claiming the National Championship moniker were the “Amateur Individual Cross Country Championship of America” hosted by the New York Athletic Club (NYAC) in Mott Haven, Bronx starting in 1883. In 1887, the National Cross Country Association (NCCA) began holding championships. Both organizations held championships in 1887. Coincidentally, both were won by Edward C. Carter. NCCA held their last championship in 1892 at the Morris Park Racecourse. NYAC revived the series in 1897 also at Morris Park. (There were no Championships held from 1893-1896)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USA_Cross_Country_Championships
Some History: https://rrunnin234.com/2020/12/09/some-history-of-the-usa-cross-country-championships-1883-2020/
1968—It took 8 years, but Olga Connolly finally regained the American Record in the Discus from Earlene Brown with her throw of 178-5 (54.38) in Long Beach, CA. Connolly, who won the gold medal at the 1956 Olympics while competing for her native Czechoslovakia (as Olga Fikotová) before marrying American hammer thrower Harold Connolly, had thrown 169-9 3/8 (51.75) in 1958, only to lose the record to Brown, who threw 176-10 (53.90) in 1960.
https://www.kcet.org/history-society/olga-connolly-an-amazing-olympic-and-american-love-story
1970—China’s Ni Chih-Chin cleared 7-6 (2.29) in Shangsha to better the World Record of 7-5 ¾ (2.28) that was set by the Soviet Union’s (and Russia’s) Valeriy Brumel.
China was not at the time a member of the IAAF, and the record was never put forward for ratification. The mark was set in unique conditions, as “Track and Field News” reported: “He missed his first try, so the crowd (of 80,000) began chanting one of Chairman Mao’s quotations: “Be determined, do not fear sacrifice, overcome all obstacles until the final victory”. On his next jump Ni cleared…Reportedly Ni’s only comment was “If my jumps were as high as the thoughts of Chairman Mao, I would need a fireman’s ladder to measure them”. (From the IAAF Progression of World Records)
