This Day in Track & Field History, June 4, Ron Clarke runs 5,000m WR, TFN called it "the Greatest Distance Race of All Times", by Walt Murphy News and Results Services

Walt Murphy is one of the finest track statisticians 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.

This Day in Track & Field–June 4

This Day in Track & Field–December 1, Ron Delaney wins Melbourne Olympic 1,500 meters (1956), Did you know that he almost did not attend? Read the story! by Walt Murphy

This Day in Track & Field/X-Country–November 28, Lee Calhoun wins 110 meter hurdles (1956), written by Walt Murphy

This Day in Track & Field/X-Country–November 27, Al Oerter wins his first Olympic discus title (1956), written by Walt Murphy

By Walt Murphy’s News and Results Service ([email protected]), used with permission.

1932—Competing at the Pacific AAU Championships in San Francisco, Ben Eastman set a World Record of 1:50.9 for 880 yards. Eastman had regained the World Record for 440 yards in March when he ran 46.4 at Stanford.

WR Progression: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/800_metres_world_record_progression

1954–Wes Santee set a World Record of 3:42.8 for 1500-meters at the Compton Inv. on his way to lowering his American Record in the Mile to 4:00.6. A fine performance, but Santee was still frustrated in his quest to join Roger Bannister as a breaker of the 4-minute barrier. In addition to the 4:00.6, Santee also ran 4:00.5 and 4:00.7 during his career.

WR Progression: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1500_metres_world_record_progression

http://www.racingpast.ca/john_contents.php?id=295

1958–A group of 40-odd runners met at Macombs Dam Park in the Bronx and founded the Road Runners Club—NY Association, later known as the New York Road Runners. The NYRR is one of the world’s premier running organizations, with more than 50,000 members, a year-round calendar of races, including the famed New York City Marathon, fitness offerings for all members of the community, and a running program serving 70,000 children in New York City and around the world. http://www.nyrr.org/about-us/history

1962--The Soviet Union’s Vladimir Trusenyov threw 202-3 (61.64m) in Leningrad to break Al Oerter’s World Record in the Discus (200-5/61.10m).

WR Progression(meters): http://www.athletix.org/statistics/wrDTmen.htm

Conversions: http://legacy.usatf.org/statistics/calculators/markConversions/index.asp

July 1965 for Track & Field News, Ron Clarke runs “Greatest Distance Race of all Times”, cover by TFN, the Bible of the Sport

1965—Cordner Nelson wrote in T&F News that it was the “greatest distance race of all time.” Australia’s Ron Clarke, with his methodical style of running, shattered his own World Record for 5000 meters (13:33.6) by almost 8 seconds, running 13:25.7 (ratified at 13:25.8) at the Compton Inv. in L.A.’s Coliseum. Clarke also gained a second World Record with his en route time of 13:00.4 for 3 miles.

WR Progression: http://www.athletix.org/statistics/wr5000men.htm

https://www.nytimes.com/2015/06/18/sports/ron-clarke-australian-runner-known-for-world-records-dies-at-78.html?_r=0

Wiki Bio: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ron_Clarke