by Larry Eder
Ray Lump receives the Howard Schmertz Lifetime Achievement Award, from the left, Ray Flynn, Howard Schmertz, Marcus OSullivan, Eamonn Coghlan, Ray Lump, Bill Clark photo by PhotoRun.net.
Ray Lump, former meet director of NYAC Games, Olympic Invitational was quite surprised to win the Howard Schmertz Lifetime Achievement award. Just look at the folks in the picture with Ray, a whos-who of miling!
The introduction, ” Ladies and Gentleman, the Wanamaker Mile…” I first heard in 1986, on my first visit to the Millrose Games, where Marcus OSullivan won his first victory. The next day, many of us were in the Park, running the Winter series 10 miler! Good luck to Bernard Lagat on Friday evening. Remember, 8 to 10 PM EST on ESPN2!
January 28, 2010 New York City, NY, New York Athletic Club, Hall of Fame Room
This evening, four of the greatest indoor milers and many other track and field greats and media gathered on the eve on the 2010 Millrose Games at the most famous Athletic Club in the World, the NYAC. The four Irishman, Ray Flynn, the Irish outdoor record holder and current athlete manager; Eamonn Coghlan, the Irish Indoor record holder, the only human to run under 4 minutes after turning 40 years of age and called the “Chairman of Boards” for his 7 Wanamaker Mile Victories; Marcus OSullivan, the current coach of the Villanova Wildcats; and almost irish Jim Ryan, the most famous school boy in US History and graced the covers of Sports Illustrated the most times for a track and field athlete were recognized this evening.
A few Irish milers, Ray Flynn, Marcus OSullivan, Eamonn Coghlan, photo by PhotoRun.net.
Cedric Jones, the Athletic Director of the NYAC welcomed everyone and wished all well prior to the running of the 2010 Millrose Games. It was a very interesting twist when Bill Clark of the Meet Directors Association, presented the 2010 Hall of Fame award to Jones’ predecessor, Ray Lump, the Howard Schmertz Lifetime Achievement Award. He was presented the award by former Millrose Meet Director, Howard Schmertz who devoted 29 years to the best indoor meet in the world.
Lump was the Athletic Director prior to Jones at the NYAC, Lump a 1948 Olympic Gold Medalist in Basketball and played professionally as a New York Knickerbocker. Lump became the 1962 Meet Director of the NYAC Games without any prior track and field knowledge and continued for 32 years with the NYAC Games and the Olympic Invitational where Eamonn Coghlan ran the first sub 3.50 mile after the meet was delayed 2 weeks to major snowstorm in 1983.
Eamonn Coghlan won the Wanamaker Mile in 1977-79-80-81-83-85-87
Marcus OSullivan won the Wanamaker Miler in 1986-88-89-90-92
Ray Flynn and Jim Ryan had never won the prestigious Wanamaker Mile
While Bernard Lagat goes for the record 8th title as he is currently tied with Eamonn Coghlan at 7 wins, Lagat has won 7 of the last 9 Wanamaker Miles.
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