Wanamaker Mile

The Wanamaker Mile is an indoor mile race held annually at the Millrose Games in New York City. It was named in honour of department store owner Rodman Wanamaker. The event was first held in 1926 inside Madison Square Garden,[1] which was the venue for the race until 2012 when it was moved to the Armory in Upper Manhattan.[2]

The race was held every year at 10:00 p.m. This was a tradition started by the legendary sports announcer Ted Husing. Husing would broadcast the race live during the nightly news. In 2002, the mile was moved to 9 p.m. to accommodate television coverage.[3] Its start time had been moved to late afternoon by 2018 when it was nationally televised live on NBC.[4]

The race is a tradition for Irish runners. Past Irish winners include Ronnie Delaney (1956–1959), Eamonn Coghlan (1977, '79–'81, '83, '85 and '87), Marcus O'Sullivan (1986, '88–'90 and 1992), Niall Bruton (1994 and 1996), and Mark Carroll (2000).[5]

It was at the Millrose Games where Coghlan earned the nickname, "Chairman of the Boards" (because the surface of the track was made of wooden boards).[6] O'Sullivan has run 11 sub-four-minute miles in the Wanamaker.[7]

In 2010, Bernard Lagat surpassed Eamonn Coghlan's record of seven Wanamaker Mile victories with a record eighth victory.[8]

See also

References
  1. "Wanamaker: The Greatest Indoor Race In History". Author, Lincoln Shryack. February 10, 2015. Retrieved 17 June 2015.
  2. "From Good Times at the Garden to a New Era at the Armory". The New York Times. February 8, 2012. Retrieved 17 June 2015.
  3. Litsky, Frank (January 8, 2002). "An Earlier Start Time For the Wanamaker Mile". The New York Times. Retrieved 2008-12-11.
  4. "Track & Field". NBC Sports. Event occurs at 17:55. NBC. WGBA.
  5. "The Wanamaker Mile – Champions List". runningpast.com. Retrieved 17 June 2015.
  6. "Wanamaker Mile Still Goes the Distance". The Wall Street Journal. February 14, 2014. Retrieved 17 June 2015.
  7. "ATHLETICS Caulfield pipped in New York". The Irish Independent. February 3, 2002. Retrieved 17 June 2015.
  8. "Bernard Lagat wins eighth career Wanamaker Mile to set mark at Millrose Games at Garden". New York Daily News. January 30, 2010. Retrieved 17 June 2015.
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