American athlete
Loren Murchison
Lakewood, New Jersey, U.S.
Height 174 cm (5 ft 9 in) Weight 68 kg (150 lb) Sport Athletics Event Sprint Club Newark Athletic Club Personal best(s) 100 m – 10.5 (1924) 200 m – 21.5 (1924)[1] [2]
Loren C. Murchison (December 17, 1898 – June 11, 1979) was an American
Biography
Born in Farmersville, Texas , Loren Murchison was an AAU Champion in 100 yd (91 m) in 1920 and 1923 and in 220 yd (200 m) in 1918 and 1923. He also won the British AAA championships in both 100 yd (91 m) and 220 yd (200 m) in 1925.
At the 1920 Summer Olympics , Murchison finished fourth in 200 m and sixth in 100 m. He also ran the third leg in the gold medal winning United States 4x100 m relay team, which set a new world record of 42.2 s in the Olympic final. At the 1924 Summer Olympics , Murchison was again sixth in 100 m and won his second Olympic gold medal as an opening leg in the world record (41.0 s) setting American 4×100 m relay team.[3]
Murchison was an outstanding indoor runner. He won 14 titles (9 individual and 5 in the relay) at the United States premier indoor athletics meet, the Millrose Games .[4] He was also national indoor champion at the 60 y in 1919–20 and 1922–24, and 300 y in 1919–20 and 1923–24.[5] [6]
Murchison was also a prolific breaker of records indoors. Amongst the world best times he equaled or broke are:[7]
equaled 60 y best of 6.4 s in 1920, 1922 and 1923;[8]
established new 60 y best of 6.2 s in 1923;[9]
50 m of 6.0 s in 1925;
300 y of 31.2 s;
220 y best of 22.4 s.
It was such exploits that inspired Charley Paddock (1920 Olympic 100 m champion) to call Murchison "the greatest indoor sprinter of his generation and the finest starter of all-time.[7]
In 1925 Murchison was struck with
spinal meningitis and paralyzed from the waist down for the rest of his life.
[7] [10] [11]
A resident of Leisure Village in Lakewood Township, New Jersey , Murchison died at the age of 80 on June 11, 1979, at Point Pleasant Hospital in Point Pleasant, New Jersey .[12]
References
^ a b "Loren Murchison Olympic Results" . Sports-Reference.com . Archived from the original on April 18, 2020. Retrieved October 15, 2012 .
^ Loren Murchison . trackfield.brinkster.net
^ "Loren Murchison" . Olympedia . Retrieved July 4, 2021 .
^ "Everett's Finish in 600 Breaks Oldest Indoor World Record" . Los Angeles Times . Associated Press . February 8, 1992.
^ "UNITED STATES INDOOR CHAMPIONSHIPS (MEN)" . www.gbrathletics.com. Retrieved January 12, 2015 .
^ "USA Indoor Track & Field Champions Men's 60 m" . USA Track & Field. Retrieved December 31, 2015 .
^ .
^ "Records Broken in Track Meet" . Sacramento Union. February 13, 1922. Retrieved December 31, 2015 .
.
^ This author met Murchison in the early 1970s and heard his story directly from him. My father was his doctor. Original date claimed was 1925 but other sources suggest the later date of 1927/28.
^ "Loren Murchison Suffers Relapse in Fight For Life" . Chicago Tribune . Associated Press. December 12, 1927.
^ Staff (June 14, 1979). "Loren Murchison, 80, Track Star" . The New York Times . Retrieved February 9, 2011 . For the last 16 years he had resided in Leisure Village, a retirement community in Lakeville [sic ].
1912 : David Jacobs , Henry Macintosh , Victor d'Arcy , Willie Applegarth (GBR )
1920 : Charley Paddock , Jackson Scholz , Loren Murchison , Morris Kirksey (USA )
1924 : Loren Murchison , Louis Clarke , Frank Hussey , Al LeConey (USA )
1928 : Frank Wykoff , James Quinn , Charley Borah , Henry Russell (USA )
1932 : Bob Kiesel , Emmett Toppino , Hector Dyer , Frank Wykoff (USA )
1936 : Jesse Owens , Ralph Metcalfe , Foy Draper , Frank Wykoff (USA )
1948 : Barney Ewell , Lorenzo Wright , Harrison Dillard , Mel Patton (USA )
1952 : Dean Smith , Harrison Dillard , Lindy Remigino , Andy Stanfield (USA )
1956 : Ira Murchison , Leamon King , Thane Baker , Bobby Morrow (USA )
1960 : Bernd Cullmann , Armin Hary , Walter Mahlendorf , Martin Lauer (EUA )
1964 : Paul Drayton , Gerry Ashworth , Richard Stebbins , Bob Hayes (USA )
1968 : Charles Greene , Mel Pender , Ronnie Ray Smith , Jim Hines (USA )
1972 : Larry Black , Robert Taylor , Gerald Tinker , Eddie Hart (USA )
1976 : Harvey Glance , Lam Jones , Millard Hampton , Steve Riddick (USA )
1980 : Vladimir Muravyov , Nikolay Sidorov , Aleksandr Aksinin , Andrey Prokofyev (URS )
1984 : Sam Graddy , Ron Brown , Calvin Smith , Carl Lewis (USA )
1988 : Viktor Bryzhin , Vladimir Krylov , Vladimir Muravyov , Vitaliy Savin (URS )
1992 : Michael Marsh , Leroy Burrell , Dennis Mitchell , Carl Lewis , James Jett (USA )
1996 : Robert Esmie , Glenroy Gilbert , Bruny Surin , Donovan Bailey , Carlton Chambers (CAN )
2000 : Jon Drummond , Bernard Williams , Brian Lewis , Maurice Greene , Tim Montgomery , Kenny Brokenburr (USA )
2004 : Jason Gardener , Darren Campbell , Marlon Devonish , Mark Lewis-Francis (GBR )
2008 : Keston Bledman , Marc Burns , Emmanuel Callender , Richard Thompson , Aaron Armstrong (TTO )
2012 : Nesta Carter , Michael Frater , Yohan Blake , Usain Bolt , Bailey-Cole (JAM )
2016 : Asafa Powell , Yohan Blake , Nickel Ashmeade , Usain Bolt , Jevaughn Minzie , Kemar Bailey-Cole (JAM )
2020 : Lorenzo Patta , Marcell Jacobs , Fausto Desalu , Filippo Tortu (ITA )
1876–1878New York Athletic Club 1879–1888NAAAA 1888–1979Amateur Athletic Union 1980–1992The Athletics Congress 1993–presentUSA Track & Field Notes
Note 1 : In 1888 both the NAAAA and the AAU held championships
OT : The 1920, 1928, 1932, and since 1992, championships incorporated the Olympic Trials, otherwise held as a discrete event.
2020 OT : The 2020 Olympic Trials were delayed and held in 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic .
Distance :Until 1927 the event was over 100 yards, and again from 1929-31
ro :In 1886 the event was won after a run-off
1876–1878New York Athletic Club 1879–1888NAAAA 1888–1979Amateur Athletic Union 1980–1992The Athletics Congress 1993–onwardsUSA Track & Field Notes
Note 1: In 1888 both the NAAAA and the AAU held championships
OT: The 1920, 1928, 1932, and since 1992, championships incorporated the Olympic Trials, otherwise held as a discrete event.
2020 OT: The 2020 Olympic Trials were delayed and held in 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic .
*USA: Leading American athlete
1906–1979Amateur Athletic Union 1980–1992The Athletics Congress 1993–presentUSA Track & Field Held over 60 yards from 1906 to 1986, with the exception of 1933–39 (60 meters) and 1913–15 (75 meters). Held over 55 meters from 1987–90.
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Track/road/cross country athletes Field/combined event athletes Coaches and trainers
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