Glenn Cunningham (athlete)

Glenn Cunningham (* August 4, 1909 in Elkhart, Kansas, † 10 March 1988 Menifee, Arkansas) was an American athlete who was successful in the 1930s on the middle distance. He ran world records and successfully took part in the Olympic Games. He started for the University of Kansas.

Life

Divines would have given him his successes no one: the age of eight was Glenn Cunningham victim of a gasoline explosion that took the lives of his older brother Floyd. He himself was so severe burns to his legs, that amputation was considered, but denied his parents. Long time it seemed doubtful whether he would ever walk again. When Glenn Cunningham then after months was finally able to continue to move without crutches, he made the remarkable discovery that running far less pain caused him than walking. So he came to the sport. As a student of Elkhart High School, he ran with 4:24,7 min over a mile student record. However, the injuries suffered as a child had life-long blood circulation disorders. Before every flight massages were required in connection with a one-hour warm-up. The willpower with the Glenn Cunningham this by holding in the eight years of his active career, earned him the name "Kansas Ironman ". However, his heart was anything but iron: After working from 1940 to 1944 as sports director at Cornell College in Iowa, and then served two years in the ranks of the U.S. Navy, he opened a refuge for socially vulnerable children along with his wife Ruth Sheffield and, young people, the so-called " Glenn Cunningham Youth Ranch " which offered shelter people during his life around ten thousand young. The required financial resources he brought under considerable personal sacrifice to themselves, including through lecturing. Glenn Cunningham had two university degrees: the Master of the University of Iowa and a doctorate from New York University.

Services

  • Placements in national championships: 1932: 1st NCAA, 3rd AAU (time not determined ) in 3:53,0 min
  • 1933: 1st in NCAA 4:09,8 min ( mile ), 1 AAU in 3:52,3 min, 1 AAU in 1:51,8 min ( 800 m)
  • 1934: 2nd in AAU 3:48,9 min, 1 AAU Hall in 3:52,2 min
  • 1935: 1 AAU in 3:52,1 min, 1 AAU Hall in 3:50,5 min
  • 1936: 1 AAU in 3:54,2 min
  • 1937: 1 AAU in 3:51,8 min
  • 1938: 1 AAU in 3:52,5 min, 1 AAU Hall in 3:48,4 min
  • 1939: 4th in AAU 3:52,8 min, 1 AAU Hall in 3:54,6 min
  • 1940: 2nd in AAU 3:48,0 min
  • A total of six times each winner of the " Wannamaker Mile " at the Millrose Games and the Big -6- mile from the University of Kansas as well as 22 victories over 1 mile at Madison Square Garden.
  • Records: 1933 Princeton world record for 1 mile to 4:06,7 min
  • 1936, August 20 in Stockholm: world record over 800 m in 1:49,7 min
  • 1938 wins Cunningham has organized a from Dartmouth College halls race over 1 mile in 4:04,4 min Since the competition was not officially registered, this performance could not ( would have had the stock until 1955 ) as a world record to be recognized. Overall, Cunningham improved six times the indoor world record over 1500 m and 1 mile.
  • Olympic Games: 1932 Los Angeles: Fourth above 1500 m
  • Berlin 1936: SILVER above 1500 m behind the New Zealander John Lovelock

In 1933, the unbeaten in 20 races Glenn Cunningham was awarded the Sullivan Award.

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