From Relays to sprints to Wanamaker Mile, 14,851 Fans Got the Indoor Track Bug!
atf enewswire The 99th Millrose Games Madison Square Garden NYC, NY February 4, 2006

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The Millrose Games reached its 99th birthday last night, and there was a crowd of 14,851 to celebrate the milestone. The fans were boisterous, loud and obviously pleased with then night that they saw of our sport. Celebrating the best that track and field has to offer, but also pushing the theme of highlighting the best local and international talent in the Big Apple, Millrose numero 99 did just that--a meet of amazing highs, great competition and a few things that pose challenges to a track and field meet and our sport in general.

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The heritage, and the 99 year old thing....

My late grandmother, Violet Robertson, who was the beginning of my track and field heritage, drove across the country with another friend, both well in to their eighties. I remember that while on their Thelma and Louise travels, Grandma would say, " Look, once you hit 80, you can really do whatever the heck you want..." Keep that idea in mind as I write about the Millrose Games.

The Millrose Games celebrate where our sport has been and where it will go. New York was one of the bastions of early athletics. Indoor track meetings, conducted by the venerable NYAC and the Irish American Athletic Association date back to the mid 1860s. Athletics was a gentleman's game then, and the races of amateurs, like Lon Scott, were match races, with a few weight throws, but some nice crowds and fantastic wagering. On several occassions in the old Garden, at the end of the nineteenth century, there were pedestrian, seven day events, where the crowd, much like the Roman coliseum crowds, would show up just to see the walkers drop.

The Millrose Games have been held at the Madison Square Garden since 1914 and have the distinction of being the longest held continuous event in MSG history. Among the athletes who have competed at Millrose: Paavo Nurmi, Eamonn Coglan, Glenn Cunningham, Horace Ashenfelter, Stella Walsh, Diane Dixon, to name a few.

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a bit more history....

As with one hundred years ago and now, modern inhabitants of the Big Apple want a change from their humdrum days and athletics can provide that. As in 1907, it was all about the competition. Try and consider this for a moment, please. When the Millrose started, Teddy Roosevelt was President of the United States, in fact, he had just won the Nobel prize for Peace after negotiating the end of the Japanese-Russian war of 1905, Henry Ford was working on a neat little thing called the assembly line, as he and the Dodge brothers fought to become the first companies to mass produce horseless carriages, and two eccentric brothers had just three years before flown an airplane for less than four minutes (and giving us two hour waits at Chicago Ohare, when the airstrip is too busy). Gosh, what a simpler time.

(If you want to get a good read of New York in the 1890s, this writer suggests a wonderful crime novel called The Alienist, written in 1995 by Caleb Carr, a superb writer trained as a historian. To find a book on Lon Scott, try TFN's Lon Scott, available at www.trackandfieldnews.com. Sorry, I have digressed).

Competition, we live with it every day, but for some reason, we want to give laurel wreaths to the fastest runners, longest throwers, highest jumpers and we regale each other, beverage after beverage with who is the best and who gave it the best go, or effort. Millrose is all about that-a great night of track and field, and a night with other track fans to celebrate the world's oldest sport.

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Our sport celebrates dichotomy. Bernard Lagat is a gentleman who, on the track destroys his competitors' race plans and egos with running from the front that can only be describes as hellbent. Kenenisa Bekele is arguably the World's Greatest Distance Runner, and he takes on all comers, whether it is indoors, outdoors or in cross country. His last mile in the 10,000 meters at Paris during the 2003 World Championships was cruel and unusual punishment for the field, a 1600 under 4.06 and a last 800 in the 1.55 range! How can someone who is so charming and genteel off the track be so tough on the track? Mike Durkin, a 1976 Olympian, when asked the same question, once called this phenomenon, " controlled aggression." For lack of a better term, and with no thesaurus nearby, we shall accept Mr. Durkin's answer.

So we have this yin and yang thing going in our sport, and as fans, we love it. We want our heroes to be gracious in defeat, and humble in victory. There is nothing better in my mind than to see athletes shaking each others' hands after a race, before--and this tells my generation-- and one may be playing with their race face. But there are the exceptions: Emil Zatopek shaking competitors hands and saying hello in seven languages, Haile Gebresalassie, the little Emperor, the man of 20 world records, shaking his competiton's hands and looking like each race is his first race. This is our sport and we prefer it that way.

Nowhere but indoor track and field can the track fan feel so close to the track and so close to the competition. Indoor track, on a 142.5 meter banked track such as the one in MIllrose, gives the athlete a chance to combine arena football, roller derby and track and field. To say it is physical is excruciatingly obvious, the idea that one would have to brake himself or herself in order not to slide down the track, just adds to the mystique and the badge of honor that most athletes hold for Millrose. The Millrose experience: you have to race it, slip on it, bump on it and slide across the finish line.

Oh, do they love close finishes. The Men's College 4 x 400 meters came down to the last four steps and the crowd went absolutely ballistic. Not only did the track rock, but the decibel range of the crowd was making the Gardens rock.....

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The Wanamaker Mile, a short history......

The meet gets its name from the Millrose AC, the sports club of the employees of the Wanamaker Department stores. Millrose was the name of the country home of Rodman Wanamaker.

The Wanamaker Mile began in 1914, except, it was not a mile, it was 1.5 mile race, The Wanamaker 1 1/2 Mile race was run until 1925, the last year it was run by one Paavo Nurmi, during his US tour. In 1926, the Wanamaker finally became the mile race that we know and cherish today. In 80 years, 44 men have won the mile, among them, the best milers in the world. One runner, however, is treated with the honor and respect he deserves, the Chairman of the Boards, Eamonn Coghlan, who won the mile at Millrose seven times.

Traditions? Tradition! The ten pm starting time of the Wanamaker Mile began in the early 1930s, when famed sports announcer Ted Husing would broadcast the race live on his radio show. Hence, another tradition...

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and now, the Millrose Games....

The track at the Millrose Games was replaced at the turn of this century (2000), and the ghosts of the old wooden track have the last laugh. Running on the unusual configuration at Millrose gives runners pause...

From six pm to nearly eight pm, the relays are what capture the emotions of the crowd, quoted at 14,850, up 1,500 from last year. It is all about the competition..and the 4 x 400 meter relays, from high school, club and college, provided lots of excitement. These are some of the events that draw the fans, and one of the unique parts of Millrose, where tommorow's stars can be seen today.

The tactics for relays vary, but in the 400 legs, the key is to get out, almost four laps for a 400 meters, the ebb and flow of the event keeps the fans on their toes. The Boy's PSAL 4 x 400m and the Men's College 4 x 400 meters had the crowd on their feet as the winning teams literally caught the competition at the tape. Albany's Steven Evans had the fans on their feet, as he came from behind on the final turn to take his team into first over CW Post, who had lead the entire race! Their times were 3.25.43-3.25.75 and the crowd was revved up. Essex County's womens 4 x 400 m win in 3.53.52 over South Carolina in 3.53.74 had the crowd on their feet, cheering for the underdog to hold off South Carolina!

The track bounces and this writer spent most of the night at the far end of the track, where the sprints would be held, watching the runners show varying amounts of control or expertise in negotiating the track and keeping their position. The track bounces as the runners come by, and it almost as if one is listening to the hum of train tracks as the train approaches..

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Women's Pole Vault

The women's pole vault featured a pretty lively competition between Mary Sauer, who cleared 4.20, 4.30, 4.40 on her first attempts and that won the Millrose Games for her, with her first time clearance at 14-5.25 or 4.40m. Jillian Schwartz cleared 4.20 on her second, 4.30 on her first and 4.40 on her first, to take second. Dana Buller was third in 4.40 m, with her clearances at 4.20 on her first, 4.30 on her second and 4.40 on her third. April Steiner took fourth in 4.20 on 13-9.25 and Tracy OHara just had one of those days, no heighting the fear of all vaulters.

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Women's High Jump

Chaunte Howard will be the queen of the high jump and is fast approaching tthat moniker his indoor season. She cleared 1.78, 1.82 on her second, 1.86 on her second, 1.90 on her second, 1.93 on her second and the 6-4, 1.93m won the event for her. Amy Acuff, the real star here at Millrose cleared 1.78 on her first, 1.82 on her first, passed at 1.86 and had three misses at 1.90, taking second in 5-11.5 or 1.82m. Gwenn Wentland was third in 5-11.5, with her third clearance at 1.78, first at 1.80, pass at 1.86 and three misses at 1.90. Beth Castagno, working on a new technique, continued to gain some ground, clearing 1.78 on her first attempt and taking three times to get to 1.82, with three misses at 1.86m.

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Men's One Mile Race Walk

Tim Seaman is the class of the field here, walking the mile in 5.47.59, and with David McGovern walking in 6.32.27, the race was all for Tim Seaman. Tim commented that he loves to win this race, but with training in high gear for outdoors and the longer walks, this is really a speed work out for him.

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Girls High School One Mile Run

Using the tactic that former team member Nicole Blood used at Reebok Boston Games, Lindsey Ferguson lead from the start, hitting the 440 in 69.65, the 800 meters in 2.24.01, with Colleen Wetherbee on her back the whole time. In the back of the pack, Ainslinn Ryan was beginning her long drive to the front, with Danielle Tauro following Ryan as she began her move just after the 1320 was hit in 3.39.15. As Ryan and Tauro moved up, Ferguson and Wetherbee seemed unconcerned, focusing just each other.

Wetherbee was in perfect position to move, but it was not to be her win, with less than a lap to go, Ainslinn Ryan ran out of gas and Daniella Tauro slipped up into second, then made a perfect run around the far turn, and willed herself to the finish line, in 4.51.89, to Colleen Wetherbee's 4.52.78 and Lindsey Ferguson's 4.54.74. Taura is the first girl from New Jersey to win the Millrose Gilrs high school mile, and she had this to say, " All I could think of was, I want to hold on to the finish, I had moved up with Ainslinn most of the race, but I did not believe that we could get to the front, and when I sprinted, I just hoped I could hold it." And hold it, young Tauro did, showing the presense of mind of veterans of indoor wars much older than she.

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Men's 800 Meters

The eight hundred meters on the MIllrose track is a tough event. Where do you lead? Where do you kick? How do you stay on your feet? Khadevius Robinson's theory is to lead and stay out of trouble. He let the sliding and slipping to David Krummenaker and Berhanu Alemu of Ethiopia. Hitting the 400 meters in 54.54, Khadevius kept his cool as David moved up on his shoulder. The Krummenacker patented last 200 meters is a tough one here, as there is no place for Mr. K to get those long legs moving and so Khadevius Robinson held on for the win by four tenths as Robinson's 1.49.98 held off David Krummenacker at 1.50.35 and Berhanu Alemu's 1.51.13 and Derrick Peterson's 1.53.80.

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a word on the announcing....

Ian Brooks is a dashingly dressed Brit who has made New York his home for, it seems about a thousand years, but probably only twenty or so. One of my favorite announcers, Ian can get the crowd screaming for a Bantam race because---he knows it is about the competiton! It is the heroics of everyday competition that makes track fans stand up and applaud a valiant effort. Ian was at his best announcing the Boy's 4 x 800 meter Relay where Fordam Prep defended their four time winning streak, moving it to five times with a fine win in 8.04.07 over Monsignor Farrell in 8.05.15.

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The spirit of Diane Dixon is watching this one tonight, as Hazel Ann Regis held off Tiffany Ross-Williams, 55.54 to 56.08. Star power is needed in this event and while the competiton was close, the event just did not live up to the tough races earlier in the night.

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the debacle...moving the track

The gods of the Millrose AC and Millrose Games apparently were not appeased by the 14,850 paying fans in the house that Millrose built, as they gave the team moving the track a hard time. This is how it works, for the sprints and hurdles to be run, the turns at both ends of the track need to be taken down and then added back once the event is done.

During this time, the sprints and hurdle races were done as well as the Men's shot put. Taking the track out took an extra ten to fifteen minutes, but the nightmere was putting the track back, for the final events of the night. The meet, which should run like clockwork, ended up being an hour behind. No Wanamaker mile at 10 or near 10 PM, but at 11 PM.

Suggestions were flying around the house, but this writer believes that the sprints either go at the beginning of the meet or the very end of the meet, after the Mile and that is something that can be quickly rectified. The problem for locals was that many folks planned to take the train home that night at the 11 oclock time slot and we lost them because they had not planned to stay in Manhattan for the evening.

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The sprints.....

The women's 60 meters was a great race as Veronica Campbell overcame the lead of Me'Lisa Barber and won . 7.095 to 7.098. Lauryn Williams continued to improve and ran 7.19.

After the race, this writer watched a crowd of 15-20 kids looking for Lauryn. " She is probably upset with her race," one whispered, " No, Look!" And the group rushed over was Lauryn began signing autographs. That was one of the predominant activities of young tracksters, finding the stars of the sport to say hello and ask for autographs, and in this intimate setting, the kids were rewarded with a great group of elite who took their time with the new fans of the sport.

Shawn Crawford looked strong and ready to roll with his 6.59 win over John Capel in 6.63 and Terrance Trammell and Tyson Gay n 6.67 for third and fourth.

Who ever thought of the the Fastest Kid in NY should be worshipped-- what a great idea, little kids, high school kids all got the nod for the fastest kid in NYC. The crowd loved it as the little kids just scooted down the track. That is an idea that could go nationwide!

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Dominique Arnold ran 7.59 to defeat Antwon Hicks and double sprinter/ hurdler Terrance Trammell, who went 7.66.

On the women's side, Joanna Hayes ran 7.93 for the win, with Jenny Adams in second in 8.05, Nichole Denby in 8.07 for third and Gail Devers, in 8.13. Devers, who had recently had a baby, is all of 39 and is still looking to compete in the hurdles.

Kellie Wells had a scare as she fell, she was spiked right above the eye, but she is okay.

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Men's Pole Vault

Jeff Hartwig took the vault tonight, with his clearances of 5.50, 5.60 on his first, passing at 5.68, clearing 5.73 on his second, passing at 5.78 and that was all she wrote this night, as Hartwig won at 5.73m or 18-9.5. Brad Walker was second in 5.68m or 18-7.5, with clearances at 5.50, second, a miss and then two passes at 5.60, a second attempt clearance at 5.68 and misses at 5.80m. Toby Stevenson, the man with the helmet, cleared 5.50 on attempt two, 5.60 on attempt two and passed at 5.68m, missing three times at 5.73.

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Men's shot put

While the track was being restored, the Men's shot put had the crowd jumping. With Reese Hoffa defending his dominion over the Millrose Games. Christian Cantwell lead, for a minute with his first round throw of 68-6. Then, John Godina fouled, and Reese Hoffa was up for the first time, hitting 68-10 and from then on, the event was his. Cantwell went 67-9 and two fouls, taking second in the competiton. John Godina had three more fouls--one, the farthest throw of the night. Adam Nelson had the crowd hoping, his opening throw of 63-8 was followed by three throws. Nelson's t shirt said, Well, At Least My Mother Loves Me.

But, it was Reese Hoffa night as he clobbered the shot with a fine 71 feet, world leading throw in round 2, a 70-5 in round three and a 69-7 in round four. Reese Hoffa defeated some serious throwers tonight and the most underrated event in our sport continues to gain fans.

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Women's Mile--Oh Canada!

This was first of events held up...by the track fiasco.

Mardrea Hyman lead the crowd in 66.13 for 400 meters with Carmen Douma-Hussar, Tiffany McWilliams, Courtney Babcock and Malindi Elmore in the pack. McWilliams did her patented go the front and by 400 meters had the lead with the rest behind her. McWilliams lead at 400 in 66.13, 800 in 2.15.36 and 1320 in 3.23.37. Elmore and Hussar tied up, nearly falling with one lap to go, but Hussar took the lead, with then Babcock scooting into second and Elmore taking third over Nestawot Tadesse of Ethiopia. Tiffany McWilliams slid back to fifth. The All Canadian top three ran 4.35.64, 4.36.00 and 4.36.38 with Tadesse in 4.36.52.

Tiffany McWilliams is one of the most talented runners in our country, yet, she does not seem to have any tactic but leading and getting caught. A coach might suggest that Ms. McWilliams sharpen her speed and try a long drive to the front from midway to give her more of a chance to win some big races.

Carmen Douma-Hussar is a veteran and she knows how to race and when to make a move on the boards. She is a tough runner to beat, and her presense of mind after the collision is just another part of the mantle that a top athlete needs to develop to succeed in this sport.

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Women's 800 meters

Jen Toomey ran a 4.32 a few weeks ago for the mile, ran a fine personal best of 4.30 last week and moved down to the 800 for some speed work. Toomey looked tentative tonight, hitting the 400 meters in 61.1 and then beginning to run in the lead for about a lap, until Kenia Sinclair of Jamaica took her to lunch over the last lap, and then Marian Burnett caught Toomey with one turn to go and Christin Wurth caught Toomey as she fell apart near the finishline. Sinclair won in 2.05.62, Burnett was second in 2.07.62, Wurth was third in 2.08.22 and Toomey was fourth in 2.08.26. Meskerem Legesse of Ethiopia was fifth in 2.10.43.

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Men's 500 meters

This event is made for the Millrose Games. Bershawn Jackson, the 2005 gold medalist at the 400 m intermediates is one tough athlete, as he held off LaShawn Merritt, who must be a foot taller, until a lap to go. Jackson controlled the race and kept Merritt from passing, but LaShawn made his move on the straight, with one lap to go, and that was all she wrote. Merritt ran 1.03.38, with Jackson at 1.03.80 and Tryone Ross at 1.04.91.

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Boy's High School Mile

The last time that I was here at Millrose Games was 1986, and Eamonn Coglhan was running, Lynn Jennings set a 2 Mile WR and Sergei Bubka was defeated by his brother in the pole vault.

This evening, I see Eamonn walking around with his son, John Coghlan, who was to run indoors for the first time in the Boys' High school mile.

As I watched the mile, a team of young high school girls started talking about Dan McMannon, who was running the mile. " Wouldn't it be great if he won? " said one. " I hope Dan takes the lead late, it would be great if he could win."

Brian Rhodes-Devy of Guilderland lead the 400 in 62.2 and 800 in 2.07.66 with Greg Kiley, Greg Kelsey, both of Saratoga and Mark Amirault of Xaverien Brothers in tow. Alex Bean was in second much of the race, with Dan McManamon of Shenedehowa staying out of trouble in mid pack.

Rhodes-Devy took the pack through 3.14.67 and the race began. First Kelsey went ahead of Rhodes-Devy, then Alex Bean began to drop back just as Dan McManamon moved up to within striking distance. McManamon made a strong move with less than a lap to go, taking the race in 4.17.18 with Mark Amirault catching second on the final stretch in 4.18.10 and Greg Kiley in third in 4.18.42 and Greg Kelsey in 4.19.26. Brian Rhodes-Devey was fifth in 4.19.45 and Ben White of Liverpool was sixth in 4.19.47. John Coghlan had a tough debut on the indoor mile, but moved up to take eighth in 4.28.76.

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Wanamaker Mile

" Ladies and Gentleman, the Wanamaker Mile..." the lights have dimmed as each runner is introduced, Elkanah Angwenyi, who had won the 1000 in Stockholm the night before, James Thie of Great Britian, Laban Rotich of Kenay, Richard Kiplagat of Kenya, Rui Silva of Portugal, World and Olympic Bronze Medalist, World Indoor Champion at 1,500 meters, and then, the crowd cheers, Kenenisa Bekele, the 8 time World Cross Champion, World record holder at 5k, 10k outdoors and 5k indoors..and finally, Bernard Lagat, new American citizen and indoor AR record holder at the mile.

The race, in some ways was anti climactic. Bernard Lagat was here for one reason, he was going to show Mr. Bekele who owned the mile and 1,500 meters indoors and out. Agnwenyi was the pace setter and put them through the four hundred meters in 55.73, and the 800 meters in 1.53.7, and as Agnwenyi went off the track, Lagat took off, holding his position until he hit the finish in 3.56.85.

Kenenisa Bekele never gave up, but it was clear, as Lagat had the long stride and was running relaxed, Bekele was working very hard to keep the pace and by 1000 meters, Bekele was in another race: He had to keep the toughest kicker in the sport, Rui Silva of Portugal, from catching him.

Each and every lap, Silva got closer, until as the crowd roared, Rui Silva made a mad dash over the last turn and straightaway, just to fall short, at Bekele ran 4.01.57 and Silva ran 4.01.79 to take second and third.

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A great meet? Yes. A great meet with a huge tradition? Yes. There are idiosyncrasies that give MIllrose its feel, and its history. The problem has been, that the energy of Howard Schmertz and his father have not been matched on the marketing side of the meet for years. It was not until two years ago, when USA Track & Field, the agents and the athletes got together to literally save the meet that the Millrose had hope of making it to its 100th. This year, USATF had Global Athletics and Marketing handle much of the meet, and with the help of adidas, the meet has grown.

Where does Millrose go in its second century? For track to grow, not just survive, changes will have to be made, focusing on entertainment and time schedules, the track will have to be dealt with, as there is no reason a track meet should ever be behind schedule.

The officials, volunteers should be praised for the time and favor that they give to the meet. The Millrose Games is an instituion, however even institutions need to be challenged at times, and MIllrose Games is and will be. The first lesson has been learnt, if you hold it, they will come and 14,851 came in 2006, the biggest crowd in a few years. We look to see more fans and a tighter meet in 2007.

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