A Gift For Us From The Left Coast

 

Housed in an immaculate garage in San Francisco's suburbs is the greatest Track and Field Museum in the World.  And I am honored to have a lifetime pass to the facility.  And our great Group Friend and member Michael Fanelli sent us this gift cementing his place in my foursome at a future Coach Groves Golf Tourney.  He could do worse than a 3-time winner!

 

At Penn in 1922 Penn State wins what is then called the American College Championship sprint medley relay (440, 220,220, 880)...the winning team as shown here ran 3:33 1/5

Here is the 1922 winning Medley Relay squad of J. Moore, Alan Helffrich, (?) Lock, and Larry Shields.

 

New York Athletic Club Celebrates 150 Years

Our esteemed Morale Officer recently had the opportunity to attend the festivities at the New York Athletic Club's celebration of its 150th birthday. He even had the required jacket!



He obtained these pics of the Nittany Lions honored in their Hall of Fame. Horace Ashenfelter, Curtis Stone and Alan Helffrich!

Curtis Stone

Horace Ashenfelter

Alan Helffrich

PSU Is 880U: The Roaring 20s Addition **

This is a cross-post with our wonderful friend and spouse of a Nittany Lion, Mike Fanelli.  Mike owns the finest Track and Field Museum in the world.  It is meticulously kept in the garage of his Northern California home.  Recently, the wildfires (some of them purposely set!) threatened the garage and his whole neighborhood.  He was able to stuff most of the more recent stuff into his trunk, and with little else, drive off with no knowledge of what he would find when he returned.  And this happened more than once.

Somehow, his home was spared and Mike has returned to systematically documenting the history of our sport in his very own dynamic style.  As I have said before, the Fanelli family is one of the most interesting I could imagine and I would love to create a television series about them once I am finished with being a Movie Producer (a sequel to my first film is under discussion!)

He offered me his latest find with the caveat that I hold off on posting until he was done.  Of course, I accepted. And what a doozy it is!  It includes:

• The only loss in Paavo Nurmi's triumphant American tour in 1925 was his loss to Nittany Lion 2-lapper Alan Hellfrich in the 880Y. (That made him 54/55 for the 5-month duration tour.)
• Pics from the 1923 World Record 4 x 880Y Relay from the Nittany Lions

From Mike Fanelli:

 

NURMI KILLER...in 1925, the greatest ever Flying Finn, Paavo Nurmi, embarked on a North American tour in which he ran 55 races in a 5 month period. He had been undefeated in 5 full years and held the longest ever win streak in track and field history at 121 straight (a certain American intermediate hurdler has since surpassed said streak with his 122 victories)
On the very final competition of his marathon racing tour, the bionic Finn, who by then had already collected 8 Olympic gold medals, would contest 880 yards before 20,000 spectators on the three cornered "track" within Yankee Stadium.*

Alas, his farewell footrace was foiled by Alan Helffrich, the Penn State speedster pictured here (while anchoring the Nittany Lions to a 7:48.8 world record two mile relay at Penn in 1923).
The Nittany Lion absolutely buried Nurmi in the final 75 yards and won going away. Known for his ferocious finishing speed, Helffich, the 'under the radar' spoiler, (and nearby Yonkers native) actually sported some fairly respectable credentials of his own.
By virtue of his fifth place finish in the 400 at the 1920 Trials, Helffrich became a USA Olympic relay alternate in the summer just after high school graduation...and then ran second leg on the world record setting 4 x 400 meter relay at the 1924 Games. He was a two time NCAA half mile champ (1922 and 1923) and the AAU first placer circa 1921, 1922, and 1925. As well, at one time Alan Helffrich held the world indoor records at 500 meters, 600 meters, 800 meters, plus the 880 yards.
So, I guess it's really no wonder that this 'unknown' Penn Stater proficiently pummeled Paavo circa 1925.
And that, my track nerd brethren, is your history lesson for the day ;)

Penn State 1923 World Record 4 x 880Y (7:48.8)

Alan Helffrich.

The Penn Relays WR Finish

*The newly built Yankee Stadium dates to April, 1923.

 ** I have taken some abuse for the use of the word "Addition" instead of "Edition" in the title.  But rather than the normal error of fact inherent in the blog with it all, it was a play on words!  The Interns will be accepting (not excepting!) apologies all week.

The Cream Of The Crop: Penn State At The Penn Relays

From the vast Penn Relays web site, here are the most celebrated Nittany Lions of all-time:

Elaine Sobansky, 1984.

"The Race", 1985.

Casimir Loxsom, Athlete of the Meet 2013.

Horace Ashenfelter with Horace the Golden Putter.

Barney Ewell.

Lee Talbot, PSU 1909.

Alan Helffrich

"Anchored the Penn State 2-Mile Relay team to a world record at the Penn Relays in 1923."

Wall of Fame Inductees 2000 1985 4×800m Relay Vance Watson, Steve Shisler, Chris Mills, Randy Moore 2007 Lee Talbott (1910) 2008 Elaine Sobansky (1984)
Olympic Gold Medalists participating at the Penn Relays 1920 Antwerp Larry Shields  3000 Team 1924 Paris Alan Helffrich  4x400 1948 London Barney Ewell  4x100 1952 Helsinki Horace Ashenfelter  SC
Athletes of the Meet 2013 CM-R Casimir Loxsom