by Larry Eder
Walt Murphy’s News and Results Service ([email protected])
This Day in Track & Field/X-Country-December 6
1913-Abel Kiviat, the silver medalist in the 1500-meters at the 1912 Olympics in Stockholm, won the U.S. X-Country title at NY’s Van Cortlandt Park (33:52/6-miles). His win helped the Irish-American A.C. tie with the NYAC for the team title.
Willie Kramer, the winner of 3 of the last 4 titles, and the heavy favorite here, dropped out midway through the race due to breathing difficulties.
The NY native ran 3:55.8 in 1912 to set the first IAAF-ratified World Record for 1500-meters. He had lowered the previous unofficial World Record twice earlier in the year—3:59.2, 3:56.8.
(For Subscribers): https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1913/12/07/100290540.pdf?pdf_redirect=true&ip=0
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USA_Cross_Country_Championships
1981—Australia’s Rob de Castella won the Fukuoka Marathon in the World Record time of 2:08:18. Alberto Salazar had run 2:08:13 in New York in October, but it was later determined that the course was short!.
WR Progression: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marathon_world_record_progression
Wiki Bio: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_de_Castella
https://www.athletics.com.au/hall-of-fame-directory/robert-de-castella/
2014—Heavy rains in the days leading up to the NCAA Div.II Championships left the park grounds in Louisville a muddy quagmire, forcing meet officials to alter the course to avoid a very messy first turn. The eliminated portion shortened the women’s 6K course by 220 meters and the men’s 10K course by 440 meters.
Tabor Stevens’ 2nd consecutive individual title led Adams State to its 3rd straight Men’s team title, while Grand Valley State also accomplished a three-peat, thanks to a 1-2-3 finish from Kendra Foley, Allyson Winchester, and Jessica Janecke.
Results
Men: http://tinyurl.com/NCAADiv2XC14M
Women: http://tinyurl.com/NCAADiv2XC14W
Adams State: http://asugrizzlies.com/news/2014/12/6/MXC_1206143144.aspx?path=mcross
Grand Valley State:
2014–NY’s Fayetteville-Manlius won the Boys and Girls team titles at the 11th Nike Cross Nationals (NXN) on a muddy course in Portland, Oregon. It was an amazing 8th title for the girls and the first for the boys. Fay-Man, under the guidance of coach Bill Aris, became the first school to win both titles in the same year.
Individual winners were Alaskan Allie Ostrander and Tanner Anderson, who was 3rd in 2013. 3rd in the Girls’ race was Dani Jones and 6th was Katie Rainsberger, who would win the following year.
The girls from Palatine(IL) had some fun with the messy conditions after their race, showing up for their webcast interview with Elliott Heath covered in mud! https://palatinegirlsxc.files.wordpress.com/2014/12/10828148_803346003054949_8311117376621303653_o.jpg
MileSplit Coverage:
https://www.milesplit.com/meets/177872-nike-cross-nationals-2014/coverage
Race Videos: Boys Girls Finish Additional Videos
Born On This Day*
Rudy Winkler 31 (1994) Finalist in the Hammer Throw at the last 6 global championships.
2019 WC (11th), 2021 OG (7th), 2022 WC (6th), 2023 WC (8th), 2024 OG (6th), 2025 (5th)
Competed in the 1st round at the Rio Olympics in 2016…Also competed in the 1st round at the 2017 World
Championships
Won the Hammer at the 2021 U.S. Olympic Trials—threw 271-4 (82.71) to break Lance Deal’s 25-year old
American Record of 270-9 (82.52)…improved the record to 272-10 (83.16) at the 2025 Pre Classic
2017 NCAA Champion (Cornell/2015-8th, 2016-2nd, 2018-4th);
5-time U.S. Champion (2016-Olympic Trials, 2018, 2021-Trials, 2023, 2025);
Cornell grad spent his last year (2018) of collegiate eligibility at Rutgers, where he earned a Master’s degree in
Business and Science with a concentration in Cyber Security.
2-time U.S. Junior Champion—(2012, 2013);
3-time National Scholastic Indoor Champion—Weight Throw (2011-2013); 2011 Champion in the hammer
Set a U.S. High School Record (12-pounds) of 260-5 (79.38?) in 2013-now #2 All-Time (Averill Park,NY);
Also holds the U.S. HS Record with the 6kg/13.2lb implement: 249-0 (75.90/2013)
Track & Field News’ Male H.S. Athlete of the Year in 2013
PBs: 79-00 ½ (24.09/2022), 272-10/83.16/2025/NR);
Now working as a Cyber Security Analyst
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rudy_Winkler
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rudy_Winkler
https://www.worldathletics.org/athletes/united-states/rudy-winkler-14436941
TFN H.S. AOY: https://trackandfieldnews.com/tfn-high-school-boys-athletes-year/
https://www.linkedin.com/in/rudy-winkler-oly-039149a4
83.16: https://www.instagram.com/reel/DLvCZ0kOqZl/?hl=en
William Snoddy 68 (1957) 1977 NCAA Champion—200m (Oklahoma/2nd-1978)
Aided by a gale-force 11.2mps (25mph) aiding wind, ran 9.87 for 100-meters in 1978—fastest in history at the
Time. From T&F News’ coverage of the race:
“William Snoddy, getting help from one of the bigger winds since the one that carried Dorothy from
Kansas to Oz, bolted to history’s fastest 100 meters…..”
Wiki Bio: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Snoddy
https://forum.trackandfieldnews.com/forum/historical/25040-who-is-william-snoddy
Dwight Stones 72 (1953) 2-time Olympic bronze medalist—High Jump (1972,1976)
6-time U.S. Champion (‘73,’74,’76-78, ’83); 4-time U.S. Indoor Champion (’73,’75,’78,’82)
1976 NCAA Champion (Long Beach State)
Set three World Outdoor, seven World Indoor Records
Made his 3rd Olympic team in 1984, 12 years after making his first in 1972. Jumped a personal best of 7-8
(2.34) at the U.S. Trials to regain the American Record. Just missed getting a 3rd bronze medal at the L.A.
Olympics, losing 3rd place on misses to China’s Zhu Jianhua (both cleared 7-7/2.31).
Ranked #1 in the World 4 years in a row (1973-1976); Ranked #1 in the U.S. 9 times.
Has been one of the sport’s best TV commentators since 1983
Inducted into the National Hall of Fame in 1998
hOf Bio: https://www.usatf.org/athlete-bios/dwight-stones
WR Progression
Indoors: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Men%27s_high_jump_indoor_world_record_progression
Outdoors: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Men%27s_high_jump_world_record_progression
Metric Converter: http://www.usatf.org/statistics/calculators/markConversions/
Sports Illustrated Articles (too many to list individually!)
T&F News Interviews: 1976 1979 1985
T&F News World Rankings:’72/3, ’74-‘76/1, ’77/2, ‘78/3,’81/4,’82/3,’83/7,’84/5.
http://trackandfieldnews.com/index.php/rankings
Wiki Bio: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dwight_Stones
Reynaldo Brown 75 (1950) 2-time U.S. Champion—High Jump/1970, 1971); 1971 U.S. Indoor Champion
2-time NCAA Div.I and Div.II Champion (Cal Poly/SLO,1971,1973)
PB:7-4 ½ (2.25/1979)
17 at the time, he made the 1968 U.S. Olympic team shortly after completing his junior year at Compton(CA)
H.S. Finished 5th at the Mexico City Olympics.
T&F News World Rankings:’68/5,’70/2,’71/2,’73/2,’74/8
T&F News’ 1968 High School Athlete of the Year.
WIki Bio: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reynaldo_Brown
Quick Conversation: Brown and Olympic teammate Dick Fosbury:
Guy Drut—France 75 (1950) 1976 Olympic gold medalist—110m-hurdles (silver-1972)
Set two World Records in 1975—13.1(equal), 13.0.
Ranked #1 in the world by T&F News in 1975 & 1976(also:’71-3, ’72-4, ’73-3, ’74-2)
Career Highlights/Feature(Video): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p-WW8oa4hm0
Wiki Bio: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Guy_Dru
Deceased
Al Kraenzlein 51 (1876-Jan.6, 1928) Only man to win 4 individual gold medals at the same Olympics:
1900—60m, 110m & 200m Hurdles, Long Jump
6-time U.S. Champion: 120y-Hurdles (1898,1899), 220y-Hurdles (1897-1899), Long Jump(1899)
8-time IC4A Champion while at Penn (the pre-NCAA college championships)
100y (1900), 120y-Hurdles (1898-1900), 220y-Hurdles (1898-1900), Long Jump (1899)
Began his collegiate career at Wisconsin, then transferred to Penn after the 1897 season.
Set two World Records in the 110m-Hurdles at the 1900 Olympics—15.6 (heat), 15.4 (Final)
Set five World Records in the Long Jump in 1899—three at the Penn Relays: 23-11 (7.29), 23-11, 24-3 ½ (7.40),
two at the IC4A Championships: 24-4 ¼ (7.42), 24-4 ½ (7.43).
Inducted into the National Hall of Fame in 1974
Credited with introducing the “straight lead leg” hurdling technique
Coached at Michigan and the University of Pennsylvania
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alvin_Kraenzlein
USOPC HOF: https://usopm.org/alvin-kraenzlein/
Jim Fuchs 82 (1927-Oct.8, 2010) 2-time Olympic bronze medalist—Shot Put (1948, 1952)
2-time U.S. Champion (1949,1950); 3-time U.S. Indoor Champion (1950-1952)
2-time NCAA Champion at Yale (1949, 1950)
5-time IC4A Champion—Indoors (1948-1950), Outdoors (1949,1950)
1951 Pan-American Games Champion in the Shot and Discus
Set 4 World Records:
58-04 ½ (17.79/1949)
58-05 ¾ (17.82/1950)
58-08 ¾ (17.90/1950)
58-10 ¾ (17.95/1950)
Set 3 World Indoor Records (pre-IAAF)
57-06 ½ (17.54/1950)
57-07 ¾ (17.57/1950)
58-03 ½ (17.77/1951)
Ranked #1 in the world from 1949-1951 (1948-4, 1952-2, 1954-7)
Credited with developing the “glide” technique in the Shot Put
Inducted into the National hall of fame in 2015
Along with Yankees owner George Steinbrenner, he created (in 1981) the Silver Shield foundation, which aids
children of NY City police officers who are killed in the line of duty
hOf Bio: https://www.usatf.org/athlete-bios/jim-fuchs
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jim_Fuchs
https://www.silvershieldfoundation.org/mission
