800 m – 1:49.7 (1936) 1500 m – 3:48.2 (1940) Mile – 4:04.4 (1938)[2]
Medal record
Representing the United States
Olympic Games 1936 Berlin
1,500 m
Glenn Vernice Cunningham (August 4, 1909 – March 10, 1988) was an Americanmiddle-distance runner, and was considered the greatest American miler of all time. He received the James E. Sullivan Award as the top amateur athlete in the United States in 1933.
Cunningham was born in Atlanta, Kansas and grew up in Elkhart, Kansas. When he was eight years old, his legs were very badly burned in an explosion caused by someone accidentally putting gasoline instead of kerosene in the can at his schoolhouse. His brother Floyd, 13, died in the fire. When the doctors recommended amputating Glenn's legs, he was so distressed his parents would not allow it. The doctors predicted he might never walk normally again. He had lost all the flesh on his knees and shins and all the toes on his left foot. Also, his transverse arch was practically destroyed. However, his great determination, coupled with hours upon hours of a new type of therapy, enabled him to gradually regain the ability to walk and to proceed to run.[3][4] It was in the early summer of 1919 when he first tried to walk again, roughly two years after the accident. He had a positive attitude as well as a strong religious faith. His favorite Bible verse was Isaiah 40:31: "But those who wait on the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles, they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint."
Cunningham competed in the 1500 m event at the 1932 and 1936 Summer Olympics and finished fourth and second, respectively.[1] While on the ship, traveling from the U.S. to Germany in 1936, he was voted "Most Popular Athlete" by his fellow Olympians.
Cunningham won the Sullivan medal in 1933 for his achievements in middle-distance running. In 1934, he set the world record for the mile run at 4:06.8, which stood for three years. He also set world records in the 800 m in 1936 and in the indoor mile in 1938.[2][5]
Cunningham's unachieved goal was a four-minute mile, a goal attempted and unmet by many other runners. Several theorists proclaimed it was impossible physiologically for humans. Some athletes tried running steady and fast-paced the whole time. Others tried to go steady for the first half then give it all they had. Glenn worried about the strength of his legs burned in his youth, so he started slow – running in the pack. He would be fresher in the second half – and would almost be sprinting the last 100 yards to the finish.
Cunningham earned a master's degree from the University of Iowa and a PhD from New York University. After retiring from competitions in 1940 he served as director of physical education at Cornell College in Iowa for four years. Later he opened the Glenn Cunningham Youth Ranch in Kansas, where he and his wife helped 10,000 needy and abused children.[1][5]
References[edit]
^ a b cGlenn Cunningham. sports-reference.com
^ a bGlenn Cunningham. trackfield.brinkster.net
^Mark D. Hersey. Cunningham Calls It A Career. Department of History. University of Kansas
^Interview with Glenn Cunningham. MyBestYears.com
^ a b cGlenn Cunningham. USA Track and Field Hall of Fame
^"City of Elkhart Ks". Archived from the original on May 19, 2014. Retrieved May 18, 2014.
^Glenn Cunningham. USA Track and Field Hall of Fame
External links[edit]
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Glenn Cunningham (athlete).
American Miler, Paul J. Kiell, M.D., p. 105
[1]
Cunningham and coach Hargiss at KU
Records
Preceded by Tommy Hampson Ben Eastman
Men's 800 metres World Record Holder August 8, 1936 – July 11, 1937
Succeeded by Elroy Robinson
Preceded by Jack Lovelock
Men's Mile World Record Holder June 16, 1934 – August 28, 1937
Succeeded by Sydney Wooderson
vteJames E. Sullivan Award winners
1930: Jones
1931: Berlinger
1932: Bausch
1933: Cunningham
1934: Bonthron
1935: Little
1936: Morris
1937: Budge
1938: Lash
1939: Burk
1940: Rice
1941: MacMitchell
1942: Warmerdam
1943: Dodds
1944: Curtis
1945: Blanchard
1946: Tucker
1947: Kelly Jr.
1948: Mathias
1949: Button
1950: Wilt
1951: Richards
1952: Ashenfelter
1953: Sa. Lee
1954: Whitfield
1955: Dillard
1956: McCormick
1957: Morrow
1958: Davis
1959: O'Brien
1960: R. Johnson
1961: Rudolph
1962: Beatty
1963: Pennel
1964: Schollander
1965: Bradley
1966: Ryun
1967: Matson
1968: Meyer
1969: Toomey
1970: Kinsella
1971: Spitz
1972: Shorter
1973: Walton
1974: Wohlhuter
1975: Shaw
1976: Jenner
1977: Naber
1978: Caulkins
1979: Thomas
1980: Heiden
1981: Lewis
1982: Decker
1983: Moses
1984: Louganis
1985: Benoit
1986: Joyner-Kersee
1987: Abbott
1988: Griffith Joyner
1989: Evans
1990: Smith
1991: Powell
1992: Blair
1993: Ward
1994: Jansen
1995: Baumgartner
1996: M. Johnson
1997: Manning
1998: Holdsclaw
1999: C. Miller & K. Miller
2000: Gardner
2001: Kwan
2002: Hughes
2003: Phelps
2004: Hamm
2005: Redick
2006: Long
2007: Tebow
2008: S. Johnson
2009: Palmeiro-Winters
2010: Lysacek
2011: Rodriguez
2012: Franklin
2013: Urschel
2014: Elliott
2015: Stewart & Reynolds
2016: Carlini
2017: Snyder
2018: Plummer
2019: Ionescu & Sp. Lee
vteUS National Championship winners in the men's 800-meter run
1876–2016
1876: Harold Lambe
1877: Romulus Colgate
1878: Edward Merritt
1879–80: Lon Myers
1881: Walter Smith
1882: William Goodwin
1883: Tom Murphy
1884: Lon Myers
1885: Herbert Mitchell
1886: Charles Smith
1887–88: George Tracey
1888: Wm. Moffatt
1889: R.A. Ward
1890: Harry Dadmun
1891: Walter Dohm
1892–93: Theodore Turner
1894–96: Charles Kilpatrick
1897: John Cregan
1898: Thomas Burke
1899: Herbert Manvel
1900: Alex Grant
1901: Howard Hayes
1902: John Wright
1903–04: Howard Valentine
1905: Jim Lightbody
1906–08: Mel Sheppard
1909: Clar. Edmundsen
1910: Harry Gissing
1911–12: Mel Sheppard
1913–14: Homer Baker
1915: Leroy Campbell
1916: Donald Scott
1917: Michael Devaney
1918: Tom Campbell
1919: Joie Ray
1920: Earl Eby
1921–22: Alan Helffrich
1923: Ray Watson
1924: Edward Kirby
1925: Alan Helffrich
1926: Alva Martin
1927: Ray Watson
1928: Lloyd Hahn
1929: Phil Edwards
1930–32: Edwin Genung
1933: Glenn Cunningham
1934: Ben Eastman
1935: Elroy Robinson
1936: Charles Beetham
1937: John Woodruff
1938: Howard Borck
1939–41: Charles Beetham
1942: John Borican
1943: William Hulse
1944–45: Bob Kelley
1946: John Fulton
1947: Reggie Pearman
1948: Herb Barten
1949–51: Mal Whitfield
1952: Reggie Pearman
1953–54: Mal Whitfield
1955–56: Arnie Sowell
1957–58: Tom Courtney
1959: Tom Murphy
1960: Jim Cerveny
1961: Jim Dupree
1962: Jerry Siebert
1963: Bill Crothers (CAN) * Jim Dupree
1964: Jerry Siebert
1965: Morgan Groth
1966: Tom Farrell
1967–68: Wade Bell
1969: Byron Dyce (JAM) * Juris Luzins
1970: Ken Swenson
1971: Juris Luzins
1972: Dave Wottle
1973–74: Rick Wohlhuter
1975: Mark Enyeart
1976: James Robinson
1977: Mark Belger
1978–82: James Robinson
1983: David Patrick
1984: James Robinson
1985–87: Johnny Gray
1988: Mark Everett
1989: Johnny Gray
1990–91: Mark Everett
1992: Johnny Gray
1993–94: Mark Everett
1995: Brandon Rock
1996: Johnny Gray
1997–98: Mark Everett
1999: Khadevis Robinson
2000: Mark Everett
2001–03: David Krummenacker
2004: Jonathan Johnson
2005–07: Khadevis Robinson
2008–12: Nick Symmonds
2013–14: Duane Solomon
2015: Nick Symmonds
2016: Clayton Murphy
2017: Donavan Brazier
2018: Clayton Murphy
2019: Donavan Brazier
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.
vteUS National Championship winners in men's 1500-meter run or mile
1876–78New York Athletic Club
1876M: Harold Lambe (CAN) * Cornelius Vought
1877M: Richard Morgan
1878M: Thomas Smith
1879–88NAAAA
1879M: Henry Pellatt (CAN) * William Duffy
1880–83M: Harry Fredericks
1884M: Percy Madeira
1885M: George Gilbert
1886–87M: Edward Carter
1888MNote 1: Thomas Conneff
1888–1979Amateur Athletic Union
1888MNote 1: G.M. Gibbs (CAN) * Thomas Conneff
1889–90M: Albert George
1891M: Thomas Conneff
1892M: George Orton (CAN) * Ernest Hjertberg
1893-5M: George Orton (CAN) * A.J. Walsh
1896M: George Orton (CAN) * Mortimer Remington
1897–98M: John Cregan
1899M: Alex Grant
1900M: George Orton (CAN) *Alex Grant
1901–03M: Alex Grant
1904M: David Munson
1905M: Jim Lightbody
1906M: Albert Rodgers
1907M: James Sullivan
1908M: Herbert Trube
1909M: Joe Ballard
1910M: Joe Monument
1911–12M: Abel Kiviat
1913M: Norman Taber
1914M: Abel Kiviat
1915M: Joie Ray
1916M: Ivan Meyers
1917–23MOT: Joie Ray
1924–25M: Ray Buker
1926M: Lloyd Hahn
1927M-28OT: Ray Conger
1929M: Leo Lermond
1930M: Ray Conger
1931M: Leo Lermond
1932OT: Norwood Hallowell
1933: Glenn Cunningham
1934: Bill Bonthron
1935–38: Glenn Cunningham
1939: Blaine Rideout
1940: Walter Mehl
1941: Leslie MacMitchell
1942–43: Gil Dodds
1944: William Hulse
1945: Roland Sink
1946: Lennart Strand (SWE) * Leslie MacMitchell
1947: Gerry Karver
1948: Gil Dodds
1949–50: John Twomey
1951: Len Truex
1952–53M: Wes Santee
1954M: Fred Dwyer
1955M: Wes Santee
1956: Jerome Walters
1957M: Merv Lincoln (AUS) * Bob Seaman
1958M: Herb Elliott (AUS) * Ed Moran
1959: Dyrol Burleson
1960: Jim Grelle
1961M: Dyrol Burleson
1962M: Jim Beatty
1963M: Dyrol Burleson
1964: Tom O'Hara
1965–67M: Jim Ryun
1968: John Mason
1969M: Marty Liquori
1970M: Howell Michael
1971M: Marty Liquori
1972: Jerome Howe
1973M: Leonard Hilton
1974: Rod Dixon (NZL) * Tom Byers
1975: Leonard Hilton
1976: Eamonn Coghlan (IRL) *Michael Manke
1977–79: Steve Scott
1980–92The Athletics Congress
1980: Steve Lacy
1981: Sydney Maree (SAF) * Steve Scott
1982–83: Steve Scott
1984–85: Jim Spivey
1986: Steve Scott
1987: Jim Spivey
1988: Mark Deady
1989: Terrance Herrington
1990: Joe Falcon
1991: Terrance Herrington
1992OT: Jim Spivey
1993: Bill Burke
1994: Terrance Herrington
1995–96OT: Paul McMullen
1997: Seneca Lassiter
1998: Jamey Harris
1999: Steve Holman
2000OT: Gabe Jennings
2001: Andy Downin
2002: Seneca Lassiter
2003: Jason Lunn
2004–05: Alan Webb
2006: Bernard Lagat
2007: Alan Webb
2008: Bernard Lagat
2009–10: Lopez Lomong
2011: Matthew Centrowitz
2012: Leonel Manzano
2013: Matthew Centrowitz
2014: Leonel Manzano
2015–16: Matthew Centrowitz
2017: Robby Andrews
2018: Matthew Centrowitz
2019: Craig Engels
Notes
Note 1: In 1888 both the NAAAA and the AAU held championships
OT: The 1920, 1928, 1932, 1992, 1996 & 2000 championships incorporated the Olympic Trials, otherwise held as a discrete event.
"M": Where this follows the year it denotes that the race was run over a mile rather than 1500 m
vteUS National Championship winners in men's indoor Mile
1932–1979Amateur Athletic Union
1932–3: Gene Venzke
1934–5: Glenn Cunningham
1936: Gene Venzke
1937: Archie San Romani
1938–9: Glenn Cunningham
1940: Chuck Fenske
1941: Walter Mehl
1942: Gil Dodds
1943: Frank Dixon
1944: Gil Dodds
1945: Jim Rafferty
1946: Les McMitchell
1947: Gil Dodds
1948: Tom Quinn
1949: Willem Slijkhuis (NED) * (3) Neil Pratt
1950: John Joe Barry (IRL) * (2) Horace Ashenfelter
1951: Fred Wilt
1952: Bill Mack
1953: Fred Dwyer
1954: Josy Barthel (LUX) * (2) Fred Wilt
1955: Wes Santee
1956–9: Ron Delany (IRL)
1960: Phil Coleman
1961: Jim Beatty
1962–3: Jim Beatty
1964: Ergas Leps (CAN) * (2) Vic Zwolak
1965–6: Jim Grelle
1967: Sam Bair
1968: Preston Davis
1969: Henryk Szordykowski (POL) * (2) Marty Liquori
1970: Marty Liquori
1971: Henryk Szordykowski (POL) * (2) John Mason
1972: Byron Dyce (JAM)
1973: Marty Liquori
1974: John Walker (NZL) * (2) Mike Slack
1975–6: Filbert Bayi (TAN) * (2) Paul Cummings
1977: Filbert Bayi (TAN) * (3) Joe Dubina
1978: Eamonn Coghlan (IRL)
1979: Steve Scott
1981–1992The Athletics Congress
1980: Craig Masback
1981: Steve Scott
1982: Jim Spivey
1983: Eamonn Coghlan (IRL)
1984: Steve Scott
1985: Sydney Maree
1986: Marcus O'Sullivan (IRL)
1987: Eamonn Coghlan (IRL)
1988: Marcus O'Sullivan (IRL)
1989: Frank O'Mara (IRL)
1990: Steve Scott
1990: Marcus O'Sullivan (IRL)
1991: Noureddine Morceli (ALG) * (2) Marcus O'Sullivan (IRL)
1992: Noureddine Morceli (ALG) * (4) Marcus O'Sullivan (IRL)
1993: Noureddine Morceli (ALG) * (2) Marcus O'Sullivan (IRL)
1994: William Tanui (KEN) * (2) Marcus O'Sullivan (IRL)
1995: Niall Bruton (IRL) * (3) Erik Nedeau
1996: Steve Holman
1997: Jason Pyrah
1998: Paul McMullen
1999: Matt Holthaus
2000: Jason Pyrah
2001: Seneca Lassiter
2002–3: Jason Lunn
2004: Rob Myers
2005: Scott McGowan
2006: Christopher Lukezic
2007: Alan Webb
2008–9: Rob Myers
2010: Leo Manzano
2011: Jeff See
2012: Leo Manzano
2013: Will Leer
2014: Lopez Lomong
2015–6: Matthew Centrowitz
2017: Ben Blankenship
2018: Paul Chelimo
Notes
*Distances have varied as follows: Mile (1940–2002) and 1932, 2007 and odd numbered years since 2011, 1500 meters (1933–1939), (2003–6, 2008–2010) and even numbered years since 2010
vteNational Distance Running Hall of Fame inductees
1998: Joan Benoit
Ted Corbitt
Bill Rodgers
Frank Shorter
Kathrine Switzer
1999: Johnny Kelley
Nina Kuscsik
Francie Larrieu Smith
Billy Mills
2000: Clarence DeMar
Steve Prefontaine
Alberto Salazar
Grete Waitz
2001: Bill Dellinger
Lynn Jennings
Fred Lebow
Craig Virgin
2002: Bill Bowerman
Doris Brown Heritage
John J. Kelley
Browning Ross
2003: Mary Decker
Jim Ryun
George Young
2004: None
2005: Don Kardong
Greg Meyer
Bob Schul
2006: Patti Catalano
Gerry Lindgren
Marty Liquori
2007: None
2008: Amby Burfoot
Johnny Hayes
Priscilla Welch
2009: None
2010: Dick Beardsley
Miki Gorman
2011:
2012: Horace Ashenfelter
Glenn Cunningham
Jacqueline Hansen
2013:
2014: Tom Fleming
Kim Merritt
vte1932 USA Olympic track and field team
Qualification
1932 United States Olympic Trials (track and field)
Men's trackand road athletes
Ed Ablowich (r)
Percy Beard
Bill Carr
Bill Chisholm
Ernest Crosbie
Frank Crowley
Glenn Cunningham
Glen Dawson
Daniel Dean
Hector Dyer (r)
Ben Eastman
Ivan Fuqua (r)
Edwin Genung
James Gordon
Lou Gregory
Norwood Hallowell
Glenn Hardin
Joe Healey
James Henigan
Ralph Hill
Harry Hinkel
Chuck Hornbostel
Jack Keller
Bob Kiesel (r)
Joe McCluskey
Ralph Metcalfe
Albert Michelsen
Hans Oldag
Tom Ottey
Eino Pentti
Walter Pritchard
Paul Rekers
George Saling
George Simpson
Morgan Taylor
Eddie Tolan
Emmett Toppino (r)
Edwin Turner
Karl Warner (r)
Frank Wykoff (r)
Men's field athletes
John Anderson
Dick Barber
Lee Bartlett
Jim Bausch
Sidney Bowman
Wilson Charles
Kenneth Churchill
Clyde Coffman
Frank Conner
Sol Furth
Ed Gordon
Bill Graber
Nelson Gray
George Jefferson
Paul Jessup
Cornelius Johnson
Henri LaBorde
Grant McDougall
Malcolm Metcalf
Bill Miller
Lambert Redd
Rolland Romero
Harlow Rothert
Leo Sexton
George Spitz
Bob Van Osdel
Pete Zaremba
Women's track athletes
Mary Carew (r)
Babe Didrikson
Evelyn Furtsch (r)
Evelyne Hall
Ethel Harrington
Annette Rogers (r)
Simone Schaller
Wilhelmina von Bremen
Elizabeth Wilde
Women's field athletes
Lillian Copeland
Babe Didrikson
Nan Gindele
Margaret Jenkins
Ruth Osburn
Annette Rogers
Gloria Russell
Jean Shiley
Non-competing relay pool members
Arnold Adams
Tidye Pickett
Louise Stokes
Coaches
Lawson Robertson (men's head coach)
Eddie Farrell (men's assistant coach)
Harry Hillman (men's assistant coach)
Jack Magee (men's assistant coach)
George Vreeland (women's coach)
vte1936 USA Olympic track and field team
Qualification
1936 United States Olympic Trials (track and field)