If I Live, I Will Never Run Again.

[Double R Bar]

Happy 77th birthday today (Tuesday) to a two-time Olympic gold medalist. This individual also won a NCAA championship, an AAU championship, and an Olympic Trials first place.

Our birthday athlete competed in only one Olympic Games, however did manage to set an Olympic record in winning the first of two gold medals.

Vince Lombardi and our birthday athlete have something in common and it involves a Ram.

Can you name this athlete with two Olympic gold medals from the first Olympic Games below the Equator?

[rhymans]

Re: If I Live, I Will Never Run Again.

He almost lost to someone with the same initials as an illustrious Penn official

[Double R Bar]

Re: If I Live, I Will Never Run Again.

This is true. In fact, they have the same last name (silver medalist and Penn Relays Director).
Our birthday athlete has the same initials as does the star of the movie, "Top Gun". Take the last name of this famous movie star and it will describe how our birthday athlete won two Olympic gold medals (sort of).

[dj]

Re: If I Live, I Will Never Run Again.

In fact, our birthday athlete made the cover of Sports Illustrated while competing at Penn.

[dukehjsteve]

Re: If I Live, I Will Never Run Again.

Heck, I'll go ahead an give the answer... it's Tom Courtney. Anchored the 1600 relay to victory after beating Derek Johnson ( there's the "same initials" hint ) in the 800. All this in Melbourne 1956 of course. And it is the Fordham Rams. Finally, he maybe had a cruise in the 1600R, but not in the 800.

Easy related trivia: We have now named a great football player from Fordham, as well as a trackster. Who was their great baseballer and what was his nickname ?

[Double R Bar]

Re: If I Live, I Will Never Run Again.

Good question, dukehjsteve. I'm not a baseball fan, but I'm sure someone out there knows his name. Congratulations on naming Tom Courtney, who turns 77 years old this day. Yes, Tom won the 800 meters in Melbourne in a very close race with DJ (the other one). He anchored the winning four by 400 relay five days after winning the 800 in Australia. I do remember the Sports Illustrated with Courtney's photograph on the cover.
Happy birthday today to Tom Courtney.
After winning the 800, Courtney was quoted as saying, "If I live, I will never run again." I guess he was a little tired after running two laps.

[slowcat]

Re: If I Live, I Will Never Run Again.

Nice going Steve. The answers to your question: Frankie Frisch, the Fordham Flash, and NY Giant and St Louis Cardinal baseball immortal.

[Double R Bar]

Re: If I Live, I Will Never Run Again.

The "Fordham Flash" sounds like a track star, not a baseball player.

[dukehjsteve]

Re: If I Live, I Will Never Run Again.

Nice going Steve. The answers to your question: Frankie Frisch, the Fordham Flash, and NY Giant and St Louis Cardinal baseball immortal.

Check out the big brain on slowcat ! Correctomundo.

[dj]

Re: If I Live, I Will Never Run Again.

Nice going Steve. The answers to your question: Frankie Frisch, the Fordham Flash, and NY Giant and St Louis Cardinal baseball immortal.

Name the other ballplayer named Frankie who went to Fordham and was also a Cardinal.

[Double R Bar]

Re: If I Live, I Will Never Run Again.

Are you sure Courtney wasn't the "Fordham Flash"?

[Jake]

Re: If I Live, I Will Never Run Again.

Worth mentioning that Tom Courtney almost shares his name with the well known British actor who starred in one of the best films made about athletics, 'The Loneliness of the Long Distance Runner'. This is of course Sir Tom Courtenay, who also starred in 'Billy Liar' and 'Dr Zhivago'.

The pronunciation of the two surnames is the same.

[dj]

Re: If I Live, I Will Never Run Again.

Worth mentioning that Tom Courtney almost shares his name with the well known British actor who starred in one of the best films made about athletics, 'The Loneliness of the Long Distance Runner'. This is of course Sir Tom Courtenay, who also starred in 'Billy Liar' and 'Dr Zhivago'.

The pronunciation of the two surnames is the same.

And that's why I first watched LLDR on tv. I was horribly disappointed by some stupid movie that wasn't about a great half-miler. It took another watching many years later to appreciate the film.

[Peter Michaelson]

Re: If I Live, I Will Never Run Again.

Link to British Miler's Club newsletter with training info for Tom C:

http://www.britishmilersclub.co.uk/bmcn ... spring.pdf

Low mileage, lots of 330 yard repeats. One workout is 4 x 330 yards in 32 seconds: does not seem possible even today for an elite with running start, spikes, modern tracks, etc.