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August 1, 2006

No Steroids

Filed under: Alumni,History — Chas @ 11:25 am

Track and Field or Cycling. Take your pick as to which has more doping going on in it. My bet is on Track and Field. They are much more advanced in what to use. Cyclists lacks sophistication and much creativity.

So, naturally if there is a non-steroid story regarding Track, it must be about the past. Great story about the 1936 Olympic Gold Medlist in the 800 meter — John Woodruff.

On Aug. 4, 1936, John Woodruff won one of the most memorable races in Olympic history. In the 800-meter final in Berlin, he was boxed in by other runners at 300 meters and forced to stop in his tracks. He let everyone else go by, then caught and passed them all.

It was another gold medal for the United States’ so-called Black Auxiliaries — the Nazis’ term for the black athletes — and another thorn in the side of Adolf Hitler, who greeted every white winner, but none of the blacks.

“It didn’t bother me,” Woodruff said in a telephone interview Friday. “After the race, Marty Glickman, who was a teammate, told me how good a job I did. Two other teammates told me that, too. The coaches said nothing.”

Woodruff was a 21-year-old college freshman, an unsophisticated and, at 6 feet 3 inches, an ungainly runner. But he was a fast thinker, and he made a quick decision.

“I didn’t panic,” he said. “I just figured if I had only one opportunity to win, this was it. I’ve heard people say that I slowed down or almost stopped. I didn’t almost stop. I stopped, and everyone else ran around me.”

Then, with his stride of almost 10 feet, Woodruff ran around everyone else. He took the lead, lost it on the backstretch, but regained it on the final turn and won the gold medal.

Did I mention he’s a Pitt grad? Woodruff served in both WWII and the Korean War. He became career Army and retired as a Lt. Colonel.

He has given some of his trophies and medals to Pitt. Unfortunately, his health doesn’t allow him to travel, so he won’t be able to come to Pittsburgh this fall. Pitt wanted to honor him and his accomplishments at halftime of a game this season.





I know we’re scheduled to play them soon, but Clemson is having a tough time keeping people on their schedule. Pitt should look at Clemson U. for additional football non-conference games.

link to charlotte.com

Comment by Chris 08.01.06 @ 12:52 pm

Pitt plays home-and-away with Clemson in 2010 and 11. Looking at Pitt’s future schedule for 07,08 and 09 doesn’t have a lot of openings. ‘O7 is already filled. ’08 and ’09 have 1 opening each, and while technically it could work since Pitt already has 7 total home games for ’09 with a home-and-home. It seems a little doubtful Pitt could line one up that late.

More likely ’08 will be filled with a 1-AA team. The ’09 could be a carrot away game for a home game in ’10 or ’11 with another team.

Comment by Chas 08.01.06 @ 1:28 pm

Back from a short vacation. Very nice functional blog with one serious problem: Block letters instead of script. If a media blog has the power to institutionalize Mel Gibson, Pitt Blather can certainly transform Pitt’s AD.

Comment by Steve 08.01.06 @ 2:11 pm

..and here is the link to Pitt’s future schedules for the interested.
link to pittsburghpanthers.cstv.com

Comment by Chris 08.01.06 @ 2:56 pm

[…] Back in August, Woodruff wasn’t expected to be able to make the trip because of his health and age. This is great to read. […]


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