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Re: Darkwing RIP
OK, here's a classic post from the t-and-f email list:
Joe Rubio made this post during the Sydney Olympics. It contains a letter from Percy Cerutty to Payton Jordan, written in 1958:
With all the fuss going around about the performances in the Olympics by
US middle distance runners, I thought it would be a good time to break
out this letter written in 1958 from Percy Cerruty to Payton Jordan.
Don't know how Mike Muska or Bill Scobey got it from ink on paper to
email format or even how they got it, but glad they took the time to do
it. I particularly like the quote "I marvel how poor & weak They are --
Not how good!" when he refers to Elliott, Truex, Bowden, etc...hope you
enjoy it.
Oct. 14. 1958
Dear Payton,
It was really grand hearing from you. Re: a USA Univ. I have not
altered my views as to Stanford, and the great Payton Jordan -- one
iota. Further I am posting your letter on to Herb (Elliott).
But frankly, still being here, and Herb back in Australia, I
actually know nothing as to what he intends doing. Herb in not very
communicative and has a pretty good faculty for going for the biggest
things for Herb! As a matter of fact, just as the end of the "will I,
won't I turn Pro and go with Leavitt (?) -- His Mother was asked on TV
her opinion. She said she was definitely against the Pro proposition,
but as Herb hadn't as yet bothered to consult his parents, did it matter
what her opinion was?
Herb is not a good correspondent so my not hearing is no worse
treatment than he give his girlfriend -- 3 letters all the time he was
away from Aus. in the US!
So it all adds up to -- we all wait for Master Herb. If it is
education in the USA, he knows my views about you and Stanford. And
whether he comes as a student or an athlete competing back to California
in '59. I know I am very interested to do so and will try and do so
with other athletes such as (Albert) Thomas and (Murray) Halberg both
sub 4 min. milers and holder of the Worlds 2m, 3m & 4m between them, if
not Herb.
I have a 12 min. sound film -- "A Day in the Cerutty Training Camp"
and may make a longer one dealing with my technique -- for use in
clinics and for senior Scholars in the schools, etc. say, to run for 24
min. or 30 min.
I have had a good learning over this side -- we cleaned up the
English only too cleanly at the Empire Games at Cardiff to be completely
ignored -- altho' Jack Crump has opinioned in World Sports that he
doesn't think my results were due to coaching. He actually wrote
(quote) "Of course coaching is important, as yet I do not believe any
special coaching method, nor any superior or secret technique, has led
Australia to produce such great runners."
I would naturally ask him what has produced them? I am shocked at
the poor upper body movements, use of arms, etc. as seen over here in
England & Europe & so much have I convinced them by personal
demonstration, and immediate improvement, as in the case of Segal (?),
Dan Waern & others, that I was offered good jobs to stay in Sweden. I
thought in many places in South Sweden, Oslo & Belgium. When in South
Sweden a Danish Coach and two athletes thought it worthwhile to come,
see and listen for 3 days. I am invited back each year.
However until I know exactly what Herb means, or wants, or Can do --
our AAU are very backward and hinder us dreadfully -- I have no real
plans, except as I say, I would like to spend some months in California
-- usefully.
Perhaps a clinic -- athletes camp -- could be organized when the
school year closes where I could properly teach my methods, both as to
moving over the ground, and means of heavy conditioning for strength.
My personal experience, observation, and work over here has confirmed me
in my views, if any such was needed.
World Sport for Nov. will carry a story -- if they use my suggested
title -- "Elliott! The Beginning of a New Era?" and they appear
thrilled with it. However, they cannot, or do not, pay like Sports
Illustrated of N.Y. who have sent me a cheque for $250 -- a lot to me,
merely to use some extract of an article I wrote!
How then can I go on from here. As I wrote, and have been taken up
on it -- over here, types like Don Bowden (1st American under 4 min.)
could eat the 4 min. mile & honestly Payton I can foresee, and envisage
how it can be done, to build up such a type to run thru each 440 around
55 sec. Imagine a big, upstanding type, properly conditioned, mature
(Elliott remember is only 20 years) who can run to start with, and do
laps in 55 sound too ridiculous? Of course not, and work out what it
means to the mile if such a one could unleash a last 440 in 50 sec -- as
Elliott did in the 880 -- I marvel how poor & weak They are -- Not how
good!
In Australia, they just refused to believe I could know: it must
always be the imported article: That is traditional and it tends to
make one sensitive to criticism, doubt, etc. You have probably
experienced the same thing in some respects.
However, when I am permitted to, I am most willing to co-operate
with anyone; demonstrate and put my case, If in the USA I still would
like that opportunity whether Herb comes to the USA or not.
I you will forgive me saying so, there is much to be done to enhance
USA times above the 880. And is not the fact that most athletes are
students. Many are older than Herb & no younger than diminutive Albert
Thomas, only 5'5" tall & around 123 lb. body weight. Yet Albert, (who
was not even known in the USA only this year) has ran -- I think it was
3:58.6 for the mile & holds the Worlds best 2 mile & 3 mile times --
His last mile in the 2 mile was run at 4:09 because the first mile was
too slow at 4:21! Thomas believes as I do, he can run much faster --
but I see little of him in Aus. and which is handicap. One could hardly
imagine Thomas (as [Max] Truex) the ultimate,or best type, for the mile
or 2 m. They are not. But they can be coached to it! We shall soon
see the 2 mile run in 8:20: Then when the mile has dropped, the 8 min.
(?) two mile will be the next big barrier, like the 4 min mile! If
there was only Herb, I could not be so confident: But there has been
Landy 3:57.9 and (Dave) Stephens, 6 mile 27:54. and Halberg. W.R. 4 mile
& winner of Emp. Games in 13:15 (3 mile event) has also been to Portsea
& knows my methods well. He is in my Group -- as is Dave Power -- 6
mile & marathon -- Empire Games. We cleaned up these English: I hope
it is only a start! So, if you know of any way of any "short term"
employment in California, especially, I am your man! Given a fairly
free hand to expound: exhort: and convince by example -- I can do an
awful lot with a good lad in -- 2 weeks or a month, continuous
association:
So: if you have any ideas that may be helpful for me, please do me
the honor of advising, or acquainting me of them.
In the meantime, believe me -- I did enjoy California -- and
particularly San Francisco -- the Berkeley Parties -- O, boy! what
fabulous memories: These North Pole Groups are too frozen for my (?)
nature and corruptive temperament --
I can say no more that -- if it is USA. My weight is pushing for
Payton Jordan.
My Kindest regards -- Sincerely Percy Cerutty
Aus. address -- PORTSEA, Victoria, Australia (nothing else required)
OK, here's a classic post from the t-and-f email list:
Joe Rubio made this post during the Sydney Olympics. It contains a letter from Percy Cerutty to Payton Jordan, written in 1958:
With all the fuss going around about the performances in the Olympics by
US middle distance runners, I thought it would be a good time to break
out this letter written in 1958 from Percy Cerruty to Payton Jordan.
Don't know how Mike Muska or Bill Scobey got it from ink on paper to
email format or even how they got it, but glad they took the time to do
it. I particularly like the quote "I marvel how poor & weak They are --
Not how good!" when he refers to Elliott, Truex, Bowden, etc...hope you
enjoy it.
Oct. 14. 1958
Dear Payton,
It was really grand hearing from you. Re: a USA Univ. I have not
altered my views as to Stanford, and the great Payton Jordan -- one
iota. Further I am posting your letter on to Herb (Elliott).
But frankly, still being here, and Herb back in Australia, I
actually know nothing as to what he intends doing. Herb in not very
communicative and has a pretty good faculty for going for the biggest
things for Herb! As a matter of fact, just as the end of the "will I,
won't I turn Pro and go with Leavitt (?) -- His Mother was asked on TV
her opinion. She said she was definitely against the Pro proposition,
but as Herb hadn't as yet bothered to consult his parents, did it matter
what her opinion was?
Herb is not a good correspondent so my not hearing is no worse
treatment than he give his girlfriend -- 3 letters all the time he was
away from Aus. in the US!
So it all adds up to -- we all wait for Master Herb. If it is
education in the USA, he knows my views about you and Stanford. And
whether he comes as a student or an athlete competing back to California
in '59. I know I am very interested to do so and will try and do so
with other athletes such as (Albert) Thomas and (Murray) Halberg both
sub 4 min. milers and holder of the Worlds 2m, 3m & 4m between them, if
not Herb.
I have a 12 min. sound film -- "A Day in the Cerutty Training Camp"
and may make a longer one dealing with my technique -- for use in
clinics and for senior Scholars in the schools, etc. say, to run for 24
min. or 30 min.
I have had a good learning over this side -- we cleaned up the
English only too cleanly at the Empire Games at Cardiff to be completely
ignored -- altho' Jack Crump has opinioned in World Sports that he
doesn't think my results were due to coaching. He actually wrote
(quote) "Of course coaching is important, as yet I do not believe any
special coaching method, nor any superior or secret technique, has led
Australia to produce such great runners."
I would naturally ask him what has produced them? I am shocked at
the poor upper body movements, use of arms, etc. as seen over here in
England & Europe & so much have I convinced them by personal
demonstration, and immediate improvement, as in the case of Segal (?),
Dan Waern & others, that I was offered good jobs to stay in Sweden. I
thought in many places in South Sweden, Oslo & Belgium. When in South
Sweden a Danish Coach and two athletes thought it worthwhile to come,
see and listen for 3 days. I am invited back each year.
However until I know exactly what Herb means, or wants, or Can do --
our AAU are very backward and hinder us dreadfully -- I have no real
plans, except as I say, I would like to spend some months in California
-- usefully.
Perhaps a clinic -- athletes camp -- could be organized when the
school year closes where I could properly teach my methods, both as to
moving over the ground, and means of heavy conditioning for strength.
My personal experience, observation, and work over here has confirmed me
in my views, if any such was needed.
World Sport for Nov. will carry a story -- if they use my suggested
title -- "Elliott! The Beginning of a New Era?" and they appear
thrilled with it. However, they cannot, or do not, pay like Sports
Illustrated of N.Y. who have sent me a cheque for $250 -- a lot to me,
merely to use some extract of an article I wrote!
How then can I go on from here. As I wrote, and have been taken up
on it -- over here, types like Don Bowden (1st American under 4 min.)
could eat the 4 min. mile & honestly Payton I can foresee, and envisage
how it can be done, to build up such a type to run thru each 440 around
55 sec. Imagine a big, upstanding type, properly conditioned, mature
(Elliott remember is only 20 years) who can run to start with, and do
laps in 55 sound too ridiculous? Of course not, and work out what it
means to the mile if such a one could unleash a last 440 in 50 sec -- as
Elliott did in the 880 -- I marvel how poor & weak They are -- Not how
good!
In Australia, they just refused to believe I could know: it must
always be the imported article: That is traditional and it tends to
make one sensitive to criticism, doubt, etc. You have probably
experienced the same thing in some respects.
However, when I am permitted to, I am most willing to co-operate
with anyone; demonstrate and put my case, If in the USA I still would
like that opportunity whether Herb comes to the USA or not.
I you will forgive me saying so, there is much to be done to enhance
USA times above the 880. And is not the fact that most athletes are
students. Many are older than Herb & no younger than diminutive Albert
Thomas, only 5'5" tall & around 123 lb. body weight. Yet Albert, (who
was not even known in the USA only this year) has ran -- I think it was
3:58.6 for the mile & holds the Worlds best 2 mile & 3 mile times --
His last mile in the 2 mile was run at 4:09 because the first mile was
too slow at 4:21! Thomas believes as I do, he can run much faster --
but I see little of him in Aus. and which is handicap. One could hardly
imagine Thomas (as [Max] Truex) the ultimate,or best type, for the mile
or 2 m. They are not. But they can be coached to it! We shall soon
see the 2 mile run in 8:20: Then when the mile has dropped, the 8 min.
(?) two mile will be the next big barrier, like the 4 min mile! If
there was only Herb, I could not be so confident: But there has been
Landy 3:57.9 and (Dave) Stephens, 6 mile 27:54. and Halberg. W.R. 4 mile
& winner of Emp. Games in 13:15 (3 mile event) has also been to Portsea
& knows my methods well. He is in my Group -- as is Dave Power -- 6
mile & marathon -- Empire Games. We cleaned up these English: I hope
it is only a start! So, if you know of any way of any "short term"
employment in California, especially, I am your man! Given a fairly
free hand to expound: exhort: and convince by example -- I can do an
awful lot with a good lad in -- 2 weeks or a month, continuous
association:
So: if you have any ideas that may be helpful for me, please do me
the honor of advising, or acquainting me of them.
In the meantime, believe me -- I did enjoy California -- and
particularly San Francisco -- the Berkeley Parties -- O, boy! what
fabulous memories: These North Pole Groups are too frozen for my (?)
nature and corruptive temperament --
I can say no more that -- if it is USA. My weight is pushing for
Payton Jordan.
My Kindest regards -- Sincerely Percy Cerutty
Aus. address -- PORTSEA, Victoria, Australia (nothing else required)
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