How many of you have had a crowd of 40,000 people witness you in a high school race? I’ll never forget walking onto the Franklin Field stadium track with my Essex Catholic HS teammates on the morning of April 27, 1974. Seeing that huge crowd literally took my breath away. Wow. Needless to say the crowd wasn’t there to see me or our 4×880 event*. They were there to see the mile scheduled for that afternoon featuring Tony Waldrop.
Tony did not disappoint. He had an epic showdown with Denis Fikes who laid down a sweet 3:55 but got smoked by Tony’s 3:53.2. Still a collegian at North Carolina, Tony was on a tear that year, setting a world record in the indoor mile and earning the cover shot on Track & Field News twice. Alas, he retired from elite racing just two years later.
Tony was equally successful off the track as a university professor, Vice Chancellor at UNC, and president of the University of South Alabama.
Tony Waldrop died yesterday, December 3rd, at age 70.
An informative interview from 10 years ago: The Fun Miler: Former World Record Holder Tony Waldrop Reflects on His Storybook Career on Bring Back the Mile
*In case you’re wondering I was clearly overwhelmed by the moment and the crowds – and went a little crazy on my 880 leg. My splits were 55.5…and 67.5. Ouch. I think I can still feel the lactic acid 48 years later.
