Tom Deckard

Last updated

Thomas Marshall Deckard (April 6, 1916 – July 1, 1982) was an American runner. He competed in the 5000 meters at the 1936 Summer Olympics and held world bests in the 3000-meter indoor and two-mile outdoor steeplechase races.

Biography

Deckard was born in Bloomington, Indiana on April 6, 1916. [1] He studied at Bloomington High School and later Indiana University; he won the mile run at the 1934 Indiana high school state meet in a meeting record 4:26.3. [2] At Indiana he was a teammate of leading distance runner Don Lash; as a sophomore, he placed second behind Lash in the 5000 meters at the 1936 NCAA championships. [2] [3]

Deckard placed fourth in the 10,000 meters at the 1936 AAU outdoor national championships; the race also served as a national qualifier for the 1936 Summer Olympics in Berlin, and Deckard missed making the team by one place. [4] : 82  The main U.S. Olympic Trials were held the following week, with Deckard entered in the 5000 meters; he received help from Lash, who was the early leader but slowed down to offer his teammate encouragement and support. Running with Lash, Deckard climbed to third place and eventually finished a clear fifty yards ahead of the next man; he clinched a place on the American team, together with Lash and Louis Zamperini. [4] : 82  [5] At the Olympics, Deckard placed ninth in his heat and was eliminated. [1]

With the encouragement of his coach at Indiana, Billy Hayes, Deckard turned to the 3000-meter steeplechase; he won the AAU indoor championship in that event in 1937. [2] [6] His winning time, 8:48.6, was a new indoor world best; it was faster than the world outdoor best, though due to differences in tracks and the rules the indoor and outdoor records could not be fairly compared. [7] In 1939 he regained the title in an only slightly slower time, 8:49.4, outkicking defending champion Joe McCluskey on the final lap. [8] Deckard never won an outdoor AAU title; his best finish was second in the 5000 meters in 1937. [1] He set a long-standing American record and world best for the outdoor two-mile steeplechase (9:55.2) in New Orleans on January 1, 1939. [2] [9] [10] In addition, he ran on a record-setting 4 × 1 mile relay team at the 1937 Penn Relays; the Indiana University team (Mel Trutt, Jim Smith, Deckard and Lash) won in 17:16.2, breaking the U.S. national team's world record from the previous year by one second. This world record was officially ratified. [11] : 152  [12]

Deckard graduated from Indiana, receiving a Bachelor of Science degree in 1939 and a Master of Science degree in 1940. [13] The cancellation of the 1940 Summer Olympic Games due to World War II cost him the opportunity to attempt to qualify for a second Olympics. [2] He was track coach at Bloomington High in 1941–42 before joining the U.S. Navy, where he served for the duration of the war. [13] Deckard returned to Indiana University in 1946 as head coach of the cross-country team and assistant coach of the track team. [14] In 1948 Deckard moved to Drake University, where he was track head coach and director of the Drake Relays; he resigned the job in late 1954 to become a businessman. [13] [15]

Deckard, an entrepreneur, built a highly successful business, Flasher Light and Barricade in Indianapolis, which dominated the Central Indiana construction market for three decades. He routinely hired Indiana University students, living in Indianapolis, as summer employees as well as men from the largely Black Martindale neighborhood where his business was located. His office was a small museum of memorabilia from the 1936 Berlin Olyimpics. He never stopped reliving his "Glory Days" as one of the world's top middle distance runners in the 1930s.

Deckard received the Z. G. Clevenger Award in 1971. [13] He died in Indianapolis in July 1982. [1]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Roy Cochran</span> American sprinter and hurdler

LeRoy Braxton Cochran was an American sprinter and hurdler, winner of two gold medals at the 1948 Summer Olympics.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Francis X. Cretzmeyer</span>

Francis Xavier Cretzmeyer, Jr. was the greatest track and field coach at the University of Iowa in the 20th century, leading their team the Hawkeyes to multiple Big Ten team titles. Before being a coach, he was a superb track and field athlete, but prevented from claiming individual titles by having the misfortune of being a contemporary of the legendary Jesse Owens, which meant that Cretzmeyer regularly came in second to Owens at Big Ten track meets.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">George Young (runner)</span> American athlete (1937–2022)

George L. Young was an American track athlete and college coach. He won a bronze medal at the 1968 Summer Olympics in the 3000 meter steeplechase and held several American records in events ranging from the two mile to the 5000 meter race. He broke two world records, in the indoor two and three mile events.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Shannon Rowbury</span> American middle-distance runner

Shannon Solares-Rowbury is an American middle-distance runner from San Francisco, California. After competing collegiately for Duke University, she turned professional in 2007. Rowbury has represented the United States at the 2008, 2012, and 2016 Summer Olympics. She also represented the United States at the World Championships in 2009, 2011, 2013, 2015 and 2017, winning the bronze medal in the 1500 meters in 2009. In 2015, Rowbury helped set the world record with the U.S. team for the distance medley relay event, and set a then-American record for 1500 meters on July 17, 2015, breaking Mary Slaney's 32 year-old mark with a time of 3:56.29.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jenny Simpson</span> American middle-distance runner and steeplechaser

Jennifer Simpson is an American middle- and long-distance runner, formerly a steeplechaser. She won the gold medal in the 1500 meters at the 2011 World Championships, silvers at the 2013 and 2017 World Championships, and a bronze at the 2016 Rio Olympics, becoming the first American woman to win an Olympic medal in the event.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Charles B. Hoyt</span> American sprinter and coach

Charles B. Hoyt was an American track athlete and coach.

Derek Scott is an American distance runner and coach. He was a finalist in the 3000 meters steeplechase at the 2011 Pan American Games, placing sixth. He ran for Cornerstone University's Golden Eagles athletic team and was the 2007 NAIA Champion in the 1500 meters.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Michigan Wolverines men's track and field</span> Mens track and field team of the University of Michigan

The Michigan Wolverines men's track and field team is the intercollegiate track and field program representing the University of Michigan. The school competes in the Big Ten Conference in Division I of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Evan Jager</span> American steeplechase and distance runner

Evan Reese Jager is an American distance runner. He won the silver medal in the 3000 metres steeplechase at the 2016 Rio Olympics and a bronze at the 2017 World Championships in Athletics. Jager is the current NACAC area record holder in the event with a time of 8:00.45, which makes him the 16th fastest performer in its history. He is sponsored by Nike and is coached by Jerry Schumacher in the Bowerman Track Club.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Donn Cabral</span> American steeplechase runner (born 1989)

Donald Cabral is an American cross country and track runner from Connecticut who went on to star at Princeton University. He has been most successful in the steeplechase, but has also been a National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) All-American in cross country and the 5000 meters, as well as the Ivy League champion at the 3000 meters. He is a former American collegiate steeplechase record holder and was the 2012 NCAA steeplechase champion. He competed in the 2012 Summer Olympics and 2016 Summer Olympics in the steeplechase. At Princeton, Cabral was an eight-time NCAA All-American and ten-time individual Ivy League champion. He was a long distance running champion in high school for Glastonbury High School, winning two Class LL championships as a sophomore and then open state and New England championships as a junior and senior.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ajeé Wilson</span> American middle-distance runner

Ajeé Wilson is an American middle-distance runner who specializes in the 800 meters. She is the 2022 World indoor champion at the 800 meter distance, after earning silver medals in 2016 and 2018. Wilson won bronze medals at both the 2017 and 2019 World Athletics Championships. She is the second-fastest American of all time in the event with a time of 1m 55.61s, and she holds North American indoor record.

Nicole Bush is an American long-distance runner who competes in the steeplechase. Her personal record for the event is 9:24.59 minutes. She was the 2013 American champion in the steeplechase.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Daniel Huling</span> American steeplechase runner

Daniel "Dan" Huling is an American distance runner who specializes in the 3000-meter steeplechase. He holds a personal record of 8:13.29 minutes for the event, set in 2010. He has represented the United States at the World Championships in Athletics four times.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Colleen Quigley</span> American middle- and long-distance runner

Colleen Quigley is an American middle-distance runner, steeplechase specialist and an Olympian from St. Louis, Missouri. She is the current World Record holder in the 4x1500 meters relay. Competing in the 3000 meters steeplechase, she finished 8th at the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio and 12th at the 2015 World Championships in Athletics in Beijing. She was the 2019 US National Indoor Champion in the one-mile event running 4:29.47 to capture the title and was the 2015 NCAA Champion in the 3000 meters steeplechase. In 2023, Quigley announced that she would start competing in triathlon events, but that she still plans to race track and field through 2024.

Terrence Paul Brahm is an American former long-distance runner. He was the bronze medalist in the 3000 meters at the IAAF World Indoor Championships in 1987 and represented the United States in the 5000 meters at the 1988 Seoul Olympics. He was the 1986 NCAA champion in that event for the Indiana Hoosiers.

The 1936 United States Olympic trials for track and field were held in July 1936 and decided the United States team for the 1936 Summer Olympics in Berlin. The trials for men and women were held separately; men's events were held at Randall's Island Stadium in New York City on July 11 and July 12, while women competed at Brown Stadium in Providence, Rhode Island on July 4. The top three athletes in each event qualified for the Olympic Games. The women's meeting also served as the annual outdoor track and field championships of the Amateur Athletic Union (AAU); the men's AAU championships were held separately a week before the Olympic trials.

Charles Beetham was an American middle-distance runner. He was United States champion in the 800-meter run in 1936, 1939, 1940 and 1941 and NCAA champion in 1936; he entered the 1936 United States Olympic Trials as one of the favorites, but fell in the final and failed to qualify for the Olympics.

Harold William Manning was an American long-distance runner. He held the American record in the men's 3000-meter steeplechase from 1934 to 1952 and briefly held the world best in 1936. He represented the United States in the steeplechase at the 1936 Summer Olympics, placing fifth.

Glen Wilson Dawson was an American runner. He represented the United States in the men's 3000-meter steeplechase at the 1932 and 1936 Summer Olympics, qualifying for the final both times.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Katie Mackey</span> American middle-distance runner (born 1987)

Katherine "Katie" Follett is an American middle-distance runner. She placed 8th at 2018 IAAF World Indoor Championships – Women's 3000 metres.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 "Tom Deckard Bio, Stats and Results". Sports Reference LLC. Archived from the original on April 18, 2020. Retrieved November 30, 2015.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 Hammel, Bob; Klingelhoffer, Kit (1999). Glory of Old IU. Sports Publishing LLC. p. 79. ISBN   9781582610689.
  3. ↑ Hill, E. Garry. "A History of the NCAA Championships: Men's 5000 Meters" (PDF). Track & Field News . Retrieved November 29, 2015.
  4. 1 2 Hymans, Richard (2008). "The History of the United States Olympic Trials – Track & Field" (PDF). USA Track & Field . Retrieved November 26, 2015.
  5. ↑ Davis, Josh (2008). The Goal and the Glory: Christian Athletes Share Their Inspiring Stories. Gospel Light Publications. pp. 181–182. ISBN   9780830746002.
  6. ↑ "Old Man River McCluskey Rolls On To McDonald's All-Time Mark". High Point Enterprise . January 9, 1942. Retrieved November 29, 2015.
  7. ↑ Quercetani, Roberto (2009). World History of Hurdle and Steeplechase Racing: Men and Women. Edit Vallardi. p. 36. ISBN   9788895684291.
  8. ↑ "Tolmich Sets New World's Record at Indoor Track Meet". The Daily Colonist . February 26, 1939. p. 13. Retrieved November 29, 2015.
  9. ↑ "Tom Deckard, Boss of Drake Relays, Has Easy Going Manner". Times-Standard . February 6, 1952. Retrieved November 29, 2015.
  10. ↑ "A.A.U. Will Question Records Made on Dartmouth Track". Salt Lake Tribune . December 6, 1939. Retrieved November 29, 2015.
  11. ↑ Hymans, Richard; Matrahazi, Imre. "IAAF World Records Progression" (PDF) (2015 ed.). International Association of Athletics Federations . Retrieved October 20, 2015.
  12. ↑ The actual time was 17:16.1, but in accordance with the official rules it was rounded up to the next fifth of a second.
  13. 1 2 3 4 "Tom Deckard". University Honors & Awards: Indiana University. Retrieved November 29, 2015.
  14. ↑ "Tommy Deckard Named Coach of Indiana Harriers". The Indianapolis Star . September 19, 1946. Retrieved November 29, 2015.
  15. ↑ "Drake Track Coach, Tom Deckard, Quits". The Milwaukee Journal . December 14, 1954. Retrieved November 29, 2015.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.