- Millrose Games
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The Millrose Games is an annual indoor athletics meet (track and field) held on the first Friday in February in New York City. They will be held at the Armory in Washington Heights in 2012, after having taken place in Madison Square Garden from 1914 to 2011.[1] The games were started when employees of the New York City branch of Wanamaker's department store formed the Millrose Track Club to hold a meet. The featured event is the Wanamaker Mile.
Contents
History
The Millrose Games began in 1908 at a local armory the same year when its parent, the Millrose Athletic Association, was formed as a recreational club by the employees of the John Wanamaker Department Store. "Millrose" was the name of the country home of Rodman Wanamaker.
In 1914, after overflowing the armory the year before, the Millrose Games moved to Madison Square Garden, and is the oldest continuous sporting event held there. For 10 years beginning in 1916, the Wanamaker 1 ½ Mile race was a highlight of the meet. Run for the last time in 1925, the final edition was won by Paavo Nurmi, the nine-time Olympic gold medalist from Finland. In 1926, the distance was shortened, and the Wanamaker Mile was born. It has often been run at 10 p.m., a carryover from the days beginning in the 1930s when legendary sports announcer Ted Husing would broadcast the race live on his 10 p.m. radio show.
Marking its 81st running last year, the Wanamaker Mile has been won by 44 different men, including such luminaries as Glenn Cunningham, Kip Keino, Tony Waldrop, Filbert Bayi, Steve Scott, Noureddine Morceli, Bernard Lagat, Marcus O'Sullivan and, of course, the Irish legend whose name is synonymous with the event: Eamonn Coghlan. Known as the “Chairman of the Boards” for his dominance on the old wooden Millrose track, the Irishman won the mile here an astonishing seven times, a feat surpassed only by Bernard Lagat, who won his eighth Wanamaker Mile in 2010.[2]
Some of the most memorable moments in Millrose history include Ray Conger’s 1929 upset win over Nurmi in the Wanamaker Mile; pole vaulter Cornelius Warmerdam becoming the first person to vault 15 feet (4.6 m) indoors, in 1942; John Thomas hitting the first 7-foot (2.1 m) high jump, in 1959; Mary Decker’s thrilling run to a 1500-meter World Indoor Record to ear-splitting encouragement from the crowd, in 1962: John Ulysses becoming the first person to pole vault the height of 16 feet, Carl Lewis in 1984 shattering the World Indoor Record with a jump of 28 feet (8.5 m), 10.25 inches, a mark that still stands; Eamonn Coghlan notching his then record seventh Wanamaker Mile in 1987, Bernard Legat breaking Coghlan's record with his eighth Wanamaker Mile triumph in 2010, and Stacy Dragila setting a late-night pole vault world record in 2001.
For 70 of its first 96 years, the role of Millrose meet director was a father-son affair: Fred Schmertz took the helm in 1934, handing the reins to son Howard in 1975. In 2003, the title of Meet Director Emeritus was bestowed on the younger Schmertz.
In May 2011 Norbert Sanders, the President of the Millrose Games, announced that, starting January 2012, the games would be moved to the Armory in Washington Heights, at 168th Street, and that a new all day Saturday schedule would replace the Friday evening format[3].
Millrose Games Facts
The most prolific winner in event history is Loren Murchison, a sprinter who won 13 titles between 1919 and 1926. He is followed by pole vaulter Bob Richards (11), hurdler Greg Foster and 500-600-800m runner Mark Everett (10), and hurdler Harrison Dillard and miler Eamonn Coghlan (9). Coghlan’s total includes seven Wanamaker Mile victories and two Masters Mile wins.
Four women share the honor of most Millrose wins at eight apiece: 400-meter runner Diane Dixon, whose eight victories include five straight from 1988-1992; middle-distance runner Jearl Miles-Clark; shot putter Connie Price-Smith; and high jumper Tisha Waller.
202 athletes share the distinction of being both Millrose Games and Olympic champions.
Millrose Games Hall of Fame
Athlete Country Event Career notes Millrose highlights Inducted Horace Ashenfelter United States
2 Miles Olympic gold medalist, Steeplechase (1956) 5-time winner 2001 Earl Bell United States
Pole Vault Olympic bronze medalist (1984) 6-time winner 2000 Joetta Clark United States
800 4-time Olympian (1988, 1992, 1996, 2000) 7-time winner; 23-time competitor 2003 Eamonn Coghlan Ireland
Mile World Championships 5000 m gold medalist (1983) 7-time winner of Wanamaker Mile 1999 Glenn Cunningham United States
Mile Olympic silver medalist, 1500m (1936) 6-time winner 2000 Willie Davenport United States
Hurdles 2-time Olympic medalist, gold and bronze (1968, 1976) 5-time winner 2003 Harrison Dillard United States
Hurdles 4-time Olympic gold medalist (1948, 1952) 8-time winner 1999 Diane Dixon United States
400 2-time Olympic relay medalist, gold and silver (1984, 1988) 8-time winner 1999 Mark Everett United States
500, 600, 800 2-time World Championships medalist 10-time winner 2003 Greg Foster United States
Hurdles 4-time World Champion indoors and out (1984-1991) 10-time winner 2000 Johnny Gray United States
800 American Record Holder, Olympic bronze medalist (1992) 5-time winner 2004 Stephanie Hightower United States
Hurdles 1980 Olympian, World Record Holder 5-time winner 2001 Joni Huntley United States
High Jump Olympic bronze medalist (1984) 4-time winner 2004 Jackie Joyner-Kersee United States
Long Jump, Hurdles 6-time Olympic medalist, including 3 gold (1988-1996) 5-time winner 2001 Carl Lewis United States
Long Jump 9-time Olympic gold medalist, 100 m, 200m, relay, LJ (1984-1996) 4-time winner 2000 Marty Liquori United States
Mile Ranked #1 in World three times, 1968 Olympian 3-time Wanamaker Mile winner 2003 Martin McGrady United States
600 World Record Holder (1970) 3-time winner 2005 Loren Murchison United States
Dash, 300 2-time Olympic 4x100 relay gold medalist (1920, 1924) 13-time winner 2002 Renaldo Nehemiah United States
Hurdles Ranked #1 in the World 1978-1981 4-time winner 2002 Marcus O'Sullivan Ireland
Mile 3-time World Indoor gold, 4-time Olympian (1984, 1988, 1992, 1996) 5-time Wanamaker Mile winner 2002 Billy Olson United States
Pole Vault 11-time World Record Holder, 1988 Olympian 4-time winner 2004 Doug Padilla United States
3000, 5000 2-time Olympian (1984, 1988) 6-time winner 2000 Donald Paige United States
1000 Ranked #1 in World, Sullivan Award winner (1980) 5-time winner 2001 Joie Ray United States
1½ Mile 3-time Olympian, 1924 bronze medalist 3000 7-time winner 2004 Greg Rice United States
2 Mile World Record Holder, Sullivan Award winner (1940) 4-time winner 2005 Bob Richards United States
Pole Vault 2-time Olympic gold medalist (1952, 1956) 11-time winner 1999 Fred Schmertz United States
Meet Director, 1934-1974 2003 Howard Schmertz United States
Meet Director, 1975-2002 2007 Mary Slaney United States
1000, 1500, Mile 36 ARs, 17 WR, World Championships double gold (1983) 6-time winner 2002 Dwight Stones United States
High Jump 2-time Olympic bronze medalist (1972, 1976) 3-time winner 2005 John Thomas United States
High Jump 2-time Olympic medalist, silver and bronze (1960, 1964) 6-time winner 1999 Gwen Torrence United States
Sprints 5-time Olympic medalist, including 3 gold (1992, 1996) 7-time winner 2003 Cheryl Toussaint United States
440, 600, 800 Olympic 4x400 silver medalist (1972) 4-time winner 2005 Cornelius Warmerdam United States
Pole Vault World Record Holder, Sullivan Award winner (1942) 2-time winner 2001 Mal Whitfield United States
600, 880 5-time Olympic medalist, including 3 gold (1948, 1952) 4-time winner 2002 Meeting Records
Men
Event Record Athlete Nationality Date Ref 60 m 6.45 Maurice Greene United States
2000 400 m 46.85 Tyrone Kemp United States
1990 500 m 1:01.19 Mark Everett United States
1994 600 y 1:07.53 Mark Everett United States
1992 800 m 1:47.17 Johnny Gray United States
1986 1000 m 2:19.3 Sammy Koskei Kenya
1985 1500 m 3:36.1 Bernard Lagat United States
2005 Mile 3:52.87 Bernard Lagat United States
2005 3000 m 7:43.81 Paul Bitok Kenya
1999 5000 m 13:20.4 Suleiman Nyambui Tanzania
1981 60 m hurdles 7.43 Allen Johnson United States
2004 High jump 2.34 m Jimmy Howard United States
1985 Jimmy Howard United States
1986 Pole vault 5.87 m Jeff Hartwig United States
2002 Long jump 8.79 m Carl Lewis United States
1984 Shot put 22.07 m Adam Nelson United States
2008 35 lb Weight 24.82 m Lance Deal United States
1993 Mile walk 5:33.53 Tim Lewis United States
1988 4 x 400 metres relay 3:11.53 Atlantic Coast Club United States
1988 4 x 800 metres relay 7:23.08 University of Richmond United States
1982 Women
Event Record Athlete Nationality Date Ref 60 m 7.00 Gail Devers United States
1994 400 m 52.20 Diane Dixon United States
1986 600 y 1:20.79 Lashinda Demus United States
2008 800 m 1:59.98 Jolanda Čeplak Slovenia
2002 1500 m 4:00.8 Mary Decker United States
1980 Mile 4:21.45 Doina Melinte Romania
1988 60 m hurdles 7.76 Gail Devers United States
2004 High jump 1.97 m Louise Ritter United States
1989 Pole vault 4.82 m Yelena Isinbayeva Russia
2007 Long jump 7.00 m Jackie Joyner-Kersee United States
1992 Shot put 18.59 m Connie Price-Smith United States
1999 20 lb Weight 24.10 m Amber Campbell United States
28 January 2011 [4] Mile walk 6:41.32 Rachel Seaman Canada
28 January 2011 [5] 4 x 400 metres relay 3:40.51 Atoms Track Club United States
1984 4 x 800 metres relay 8:33.94 Villanova University United States
1989 References
- ^ http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/high_school/2011/05/12/2011-05-12_millrose_games_after_almost_100_years_at_madison_square_garden_will_be_held_at_t.html New York Daily News May 12, 2011
- ^ "Lagat Wins Mile at Millrose, Tying Coghlan’s Record". The New York Times, 2009-01-31.
- ^ http://ny.milesplit.com/articles/67357 Armory Track and Field Foundation press release
- ^ "Weight Throw Results". www.flashresults.com. 2011-01-28. http://www.flashresults.com/2011_Meets/indoor/01-28-Millrose/Results104-1.htm. Retrieved 2011-01-29.
- ^ "Mile Walk Results". www.flashresults.com. 2011-01-28. http://www.flashresults.com/2011_Meets/indoor/01-28-Millrose/Results6-1.htm. Retrieved 2011-01-28.
External links
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