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–October 31
1921-Federation Sportive Feminine Internationale forms (1st women’s track & field association)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/International_Women%27s_Sports_Federation
Frank Shorter 77 (1947) 1972 Olympic gold medalist—Marathon (1976-silver), 5th-10,000 (1972)
5-time U.S. Champion—6-miles/10,000m (‘70y, ‘71y, ’74,’75,’77)
1970 U.S. Champion—3-miles
1969 NCAA Champion—6-miles (Yale/2nd in the 3-mile)
4-time winner of the Fukuoka Marathon (1971-1974), considered the premier marathon race in the
world at the time
Credited with starting the running boom in the U.S. with his Olympic win in 1972
Former American Record holder:
10,000: 1972 Olympics—27:58.2 (heat), 27:51.4 (final)
Marathon: 2:10:30 in Fukuoka (1972)
2-Mile: 8:26.2—San Diego (1971)
Inducted into the U.S. Hall of Fame in 1989
Former broadcaster with NBC
PBs: 7:51.4 (1972), 8:26.2/2m (1971), 13:26.62 (1977), 27:45.91 (1975), 2:10:30 (1972)
HOF Bio(1989): https://www.usatf.org/athlete-bios/frank-shorter
Wiki Bio: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frank_Shorter
Growing Up: https://www.runnersworld.com/runners-stories/a21753998/frank-shorters-story/
https://www.olympedia.org/athletes/79039
