| Lon Myers
was the greatest sprinter of the nineteenth
century. He was the first to run the quarter-mile in less
than 50 seconds (49.2). From 1880 to 1888, Myers held World
records for the 100-Yard, 440-Yard, and 880-Yard events.
His best event was the Quarter-Mile, which he lowered
from 50.4 to
48.8. At one time or another over a 21-year period, Myers
held every American record for races 50 yards to one mile!
He also held 10 Canadian and three British national championships.
Myers ran more 880s under two minutes and more 440s under
50 seconds
than the total run by all amateur and professional athletes
of his era.
In the 1879 National (U.S.) Amateur Athletic Union (AAU)
Championships, Myers won a triple victory (220, 440, 880),
setting records in each event. In 1880, he won four titles
in the AAUs—
the 220, 440, and 880 events and the 100-Yard Dash—a
feat he repeated one week later at the Canadian Nationals.
Myers was the first and probably the only track and field
athlete ever to capture eight National titles in one week.
|
