TRACK AND FIELD WORLD,
IRISHMEN, VILLANOVANS,
SAY FAREWELLS
TO THE IMMORTAL RON DELANY
By ELLIOTT DENMAN
It was Saturday, the first day of December, 1956.
But it still seems like yesterday.
That epic afternoon, from an athlete’s section perch in the Melbourne Cricket Grounds Stadium stands, I knew I’d witnessed a great chapter in our sport’s history. A reported 103,000 others were with me seeing it all evolve.
The track and field phase of the Games of the XVI Olympiad was roaring down the homestretch in the facility installed at the famed cricket/Aussie football venue for this most memorable of occasions.
Only the men’s 1,500-meter final ; the three relays, men’s and women’s 4×100, and men’s 4×400, and the men’s marathon, remained to close out the track sector of these first Olympics to be staged in the Southern Hemisphere, and the latest ever held in a calendar year.
Team USA’s 1956 trackmen would rise to record-breaking heights in Melbourne – 15 gold medals, 9 silvers, 4 bronzes, four 1-2-3 sweeps, 1 World record, 9 Olympic records – thus leaving just nine golds , by eight men, for all the rest of the universe.
One of those most-memorable “others” was 5K/10K doubler Vladimir Kuts of Ukraine, then the Soviet Union, Another was world javelin record-smasher Egil Danielsen of Norway.
But – almost surely – highest of all memory charts was the triumphal 1500-meter run of Ron Delany, a man who’d go on to make an incredible mark on the track and field scene in both his native land of Ireland, and the U.S. of A.
Inevitably, irreversibly, the years would fly after December 1, 1956. Of the eight “others,” just one man would be left walking this earth in 70-plus years, by early March, 2026.
And now he’s gone, too.
Tears flowed and hearts strirred when the sad news came across from Ireland on March 11.
The great Ron Delany – some called him Ronnie, others kidded him as “Runny” – had said his farewell five days past his 91st birthday.
He’d won the Olympic 1,500-meter gold medal in totally dramatic fashion Dec. 1, 1956. Many thought that title was “rightfully” deserved by Australia’s John Landy. After all, it was Landy who’d already bested Dr. Roger Bannister’s historic 1954 “first sub four” of 3:59.4 with a 3:58.0 mile of his own. He had all of Australia – oh-so-proudly hosting its first Olympic Games – cheering its lungs out for him.
And if Landy couldn’t win it, Merv Lincoln, the formidable Aussie Number Two, who’d been fastest qualifier out of the semifnals, in 3:45.4, surely would rise to this occasion of all occasions.
But history was unkind to both Landy and Lincoln, and their home fans. Landy struggled through the stretch, winding up in third place. The silver went to East Germany’s Klaus Richtzenhain. Lincoln ran 12th of 12, fading badly.
And so the gold went to the Villanova sophomore by way of Arklow, Ireland. His name was Ron Delany.
At 21, Delany had already made his mark as an American collegian. Coached by the famed James “Jumbo” Elliott, he’d already begun bringing glory after glory to the Wildcats’ campus on the Philadelphia suburban Main Line.
He’d been talked into accepting a Villanova scholarship by a famed Wildcat predecessor, Fred Dwyer. He’d been reminded of his early Villanova/Ireland predecessors, Jim Reardon, John Joe Barry and Cummin Clancy. He knew this would be the opportunity of his young lifetime.
He snatched it. And so it would be.
Amid all his magnificent career wins, that first of December 1956 performance by far outranked them all.
He was back in 10th place, as the field rounded the final turn. Aussie fans screamed their lungs out for Landy and Lincoln. With a bunch of others in the mix, too.
But far-far back. the choppy-striding Delany began his historic closing sprint. He passed rival after rival after rival and grabbed the lead just a few strides before the finish line.
And when he knew he’d won it, he looked skyward, crossed himself in gratitude to His Maker for this immense moment of good fortune, fell to his knees, and crossed himself once more.
He’d done it with a sense of destiny shared with few others. “There was no moment in Melbourne when I didn’t believe I was going to win,” he once told an interviewer.
“I think at that stage I did feel an element of fate. Once I struck and flew by everyone, I was not going to lose. I don’t do maybes.”
It had been 24 years – with the Second World War in between – since an Irish runner had won an Olympic gold. This was 400-meter hurdler Robert Tisdall at the 1932 Los Angeles Games.
And as the world approaches the 70th anniversary of those Melbourne Games – Ireland, home of so many illustrious footracers – has yet to win another,
The athletics and USA collegiate worlds have blessed with such Irish men’s distance greats as Eamonn Coghlan. Marcus O’Sullivan, John Treacy, Ray Flynn, Frank O’Mara. Noel Carroll, John Hartnett, Mike Keogh, Donal Walsh – and an array of more – since Delany’s days at Villanova. Magnifcent as they’ve all been, only Treacy – silver medalist in the 1984 LA marathon – has been invited onto an Olympic podium.
The very first Villanova Olympic gold medalist – barely – was Charley Jenkins, the 400-meter champion and 4×400 relayman of 1956. He’d won the Melbourne 400 just two days before Delany won his 1500.
They’d go onto further greatness in their next two years at Villanova, and ran on many a winning relay foursome for Coach Elliott.
“Great, great guy, and a wonderful teammate,” said Jenkins, now a Sykesville, Maryland resident , of Delany. “We’d go for long walks and discuss everything going on in the world. Ronnie was always so grateful to, and very proud of, being a Villanova man.”
Villanova, of course, would continue climbing the heights for years to come. The 1957-58 Wildcats – featuring three Olympic gold medalists – Delany, Jenkins and pole vaulter Don Bragg – continue to rank as one of the greatest of all collegiate squads.
Right up there, of course, in the Villanova Hall of Fame, are such additional names as Frank Budd, Paul Drayton, Larry James, Erv Hall. Alex Breckenridge, Dave Patrick, Sydney Maree, Dick Buerkle, John Marshall, Chip Jenkins – and, of course, Marty Liquori.
The Villanova glory days run on and on. Tiernan took the NCAA cross country crown. A year ago, Liam Murphy lowered the Wildcats’ indoor mile record to 3:53.85. And just three days after Delany’s passing, Marco Lango poured his heart out, running to a 13:36.98 5,000-meter silver medal in the Indoor NCAAs.
On hearing the news of Delany ‘s passing, New Jersey’s/now Florida’s Liquori posted, “I owe him a big debt.”
Said Tony Sellitto, another noted Villanova grad, “He led the way for so many of us. He was so proud of Villanova, so proud of his nation. In his 91 years, he achieved so much.”
Wrote World Athletics president Seb Coe: “It is incredibly sad to learn of the passing of Ron Delany, whose Olympic 1500m victory in Melbourne – remaining Ireland’s last Olympic gold in athletics – made him a colossus of Irish athletics.
“Ron inspired generations of Irish athletes through his successes in US collegiate track and field. His athletics career burned incredibly brightly but relatively briefly before he transplanted his uncompromising drive and will on the track to a successful career in business and as an inspiring leader in Irish sport over several decades. I cherished his support, friendship, and the moments we shared together.”
An official Villanova statement said “Ron Delany was a legend in his home country and an inaugural member of numerous Halls of Fame for his career accolades, Delany had just turned 91 last week. It is with heavy hearts that Villanova mourns the passing of one of its most recognizable and accomplished athletes whose wit and wisdom will be always missed and never forgotten.”
Delany was the seventh athlete in world history to break four minutes in the mile when he crossed the line in 3:59.0 on June 1, 1956, in California. Six months later to the day, he ran a lifetime best of 3:41.2 in the 1500 meters in making himself the Olympic champion.
In 2016, Ireland’s Wicklow County Council honored him with a civic reception. In 2019, an Arklow, Ireland, housing estate was named in his honor, and a statue in his memory erected there, too.
Said Peter Sherrard, chief executive of the Olympic Federation of Ireland, “Ronnie made an immense contribution to Irish sport and the Olympic movement over many decades. Through his leadership of the Irish Olympians Association and his ongoing advocacy for athletes, he inspired generations and remained a proud ambassador for Team Ireland throughout his life.”
Sheaths of remembrances flew across the Atlantic:
“We used to have a funny phrase in Ireland,” said one post. “When told to hurry up. the person would say ‘who do think I am, Ronnie Delany ?”
· “Rest in peace Ronnie, you’re one of Ireland’s longest enduring Olympics champions.,” posted Tony Kenny .
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· “He lifted Ireland out of the dumps and set the standard for us all to follow,” said Joe Moore. “R.I.P., Sir.”
·
“A true Irish hero; I remember the day,,” wrote Joe Porter.
Wrote Patrick O’Donovan, ireland’s Minister for Culture, Communications and Sport: “Throughout his athletic career, Ronnie inspired young Irish runners to follow their dreams.”
“The best of Irish, a model to all,” wrote Gerard McBride. “ RIP Ronnie.”
Posted Caroline McCann: “One of life’s gentlemen; a pleasure to have known him.”
“Rest now Ronnie.,” said Paula Shannon. “ You have done yourself. your family and your country very proud.’’
And Villanovans continue doing big things to this moment. Patrick Tiernan won the 2016 NCAA cross country crown. Marco Langon poured his heart out, running to a 13:36.98 silver in the NCAA 5000 meters Friday night. One season ago, Liam Murphy lowered the Villanova mile record to 3:53.85.
Drama had already been served for a week in Melbourne as November 1956 became December.
And I had played a bit role in the proceedings, one of the three Americans chasing down – vainly – New Zealand’s Norman Read in the 50-kilometer racewalk on the preceding Saturday, Nov. 24. We – Adolph Weinacker, myself and Leo Sjogren – chased “Stormin Norman” from a distance. It would be 16 years before an American, Larry Young, would be invited to the Olympic podium for this longest, toughest and least appreciated event on the Games program.
But that November 24th scheduling would be one of the many fortuitous blessings bestowed on me in this grand adventure of my young lifetime. It freed me to revel in the immense drama soon to unfold in the balance of the Olympic slate of action.
Before this awestruck young fella’s own eyes to see, were such daunting deeds as Bobby Morrow’s dazzling dashes to the 100-200 double; Jenkins’ stunning 400 win; Tom Courtney’s epic 800 win; Lee Calhoun’s and Glenn Davis’s breakthrough wins in the two hurdles races; 7-foot barrier-breaker Charley Dumas’s high jump win; Rev. Bob Richards’ repeat pole vault gold; Parry O‘Brien’s ’ revolutionary spin to the shot put crown,; barely-20-year-old Al Oerter’s first of four golden discus whirls; Milt Campbell’s record-margin triumph in the decathlon. And a two-for-two in the men’s relays
And much more.
I was a 22-year-old recent NYU graduate awestruck to be in this regal company.
The flight from New York to LA for team processing had been my first time in an airplane. The subsequent journey to Melbourne – by way of Honolulu, Canton Island and Fiji – was an adventure in itself.
And the Games would deliver memories to last this guy’s lifetime,
The great Jesse Owens had accompanied Team USA on this journey – the quadruply golden emissary of American goodwill at a difficult time in world affairs. The Suez Crisis was raging. The Hungarian Uprising – against its Iron Curtain occupiers – still simmered.
But when Prince Philip, the Duke of Edinburgh, told the over 3,200 athletes / representing 72 nations in 151 events / it’s time to “Let The Games” begin – the big show was underway.
The Games immediately put its best foot forward. Track and field/athletics was first on the slate, right off the bat. Swimming was not to the second week. This was the Olympic scheduling format not to be repeated until LA 2028.
And the men of Team USA did their nation incredibly proud. Astoundingly proud. Record-breakingly proud. Monopolizingly proud.
Just to recount: of the 24 men’s events on the card, Team USA won 15 of them, leaving just nine for all the rest of the universe. Is this a performance almost sure to endure forever? Almost surely, yes.
There were heroic performers draped in those traditional red-white-blue-striped singlets – oh, how I wish they’d not change team attire every four years – on display again and again and again.
But there was Ronnie Delany of Villanova and Ireland, too.
And now he’s gone, as well.
Charley Jenkins remains the lone still living/breathing individual-event champion of 1956 to remind us of those Melbourne events. (Along with golden relay runners Thane Baker and Jesse Mashburn.)
Let me again attest that those were very special days.
