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: WaltMurphy44@gmail.com ) 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 (wmurphy25@aol.com), used with permission
This Day in X-Country/T&F–November 13
1982—Edinboro’s Greg Beardsley won the Div.II men’s x-country title in brutal weather in St.Cloud, Minnesota (15f, 6” snow on course) His 60.9 seconds margin of victory is still the largest since Div.II was established in 1973.
https://eriesportshalloffame.org/inductee/greg-beardsley/
Div.II History(Men): http://fs.ncaa.org/Docs/stats/m_cross_country_champs_records/2023-24/D2.pdf
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/NCAA_Men%27s_Division_II_Cross_Country_Championship
Born On This Day
Deceased
5-time Olympian—Discus (’56-gold medalist, ’60-7th, 1964-12th),
1968—6th, 1972-Qual. Round)
5-time U.S. Champion (1957,1960,1962,1964,1968)
Set 4 American Records (best of 185-3 [56.46]/1972)
Won the Olympic gold medal while competing for her native Czechoslavakia. While at the Games
In Melbourne, she fell in love with American Hal Connolly, who won the gold medal in the Men’s
Hammer Throw. Coming during the Cold War, their love affair made them media darlings
in both countries. Couple was divorced in 1975.
With Czech icons Emil and Dana Zátopek serving as witnesses, the couple got married in Prague in
1957, despite initial objections from the Czech government.
Said Olga, “…admittedly, it was unheard of that anyone would get across the Iron Curtain and get
married, but after much verbal fighting with the administration in Prague, enthusiastic support
from newspapers abroad, and approval by [US. Secretary of State] Mr. Dulles in the U.S.A. and
President Zápotocký in Czechoslovakia we received permission.”
91 (1932-April 12, 2024)
At 91, she had been the oldest living American female Olympian in T&F at the time of her passing
In Her Own Words:
https://www.kcet.org/departures-columns/olga-connolly-an-amazing-olympic-and-american-love-story
https://www.olympedia.org/athletes/77826
Wiki Bio: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Olga_Fikotová
Sports Illustrated Vault: https://vault.si.com/vault/1960/04/18/the-connollys
