National Library of Jamaica www.jamaicaobserver.com A Special Tribute r on McKenley maintained a guiding important it is to belong. He said I should amaican track and field sprint legend hand on the track and field always be faithful and loyal and that next to the Herb McKenley, who delivered medals programme at his beloved love of my family I should love my country and at the 1948 and 1952 Olympics, passed Calabar High School. And on any my school. "He asked which sports played, away recently at the University 1 1 given evening -until infirmity told him played cricket. He told me should go Hospital oi the West Indies after ailing I 1 made it impossible -he could be out for the cricket team as well as the running for some time. Among the great Jamaican found at trackside at the National team ... that's how I got started," McKenley athletes, the 85·year·old stands second to Stadium watching keenly as said. After overcoming the initial hostility of the none. In the years between World War II and his young, hungry athletes strove for "town boys" who disliRed the idea of a "little retirement from competition in 1954, Herbert distant goals. Born July 10, 1922 country boy" running with them and beating (Herb) McKenley, supreme quarter·miler and in Pleasant Valley, Clarendon, to them, McKenley rapidly established himself as a sprinter, did everything there was to do except medical doctor Alexander Givens leading sprinter at Calabar. Like so many other win an individual Olympic gold medal. At the McKenley and his wife Zilpha Bell, great Jamaican athletes, McKenley honed his 1948 and 1952 Olympic Games in London and Herb McKenley claims he first skills at Boys' Championships. By 1942, he had Helsinki respectively, he won three indi�idual came face to face with his earned a track scholarship to Boston College silver medals-twice coming out at the wrong athletic future while involved in where he quickly stamped his class by winning end of photo finishes. In 1952 he provided one physical education sessions as a the US National AAU Championship over 400 of the great relay legs of all time as Jamaica 15·year·old at Calabar. Thin and metres in 1943. He was to retain.the title every took the 400 metres relay gold in world record lanky, McKenley u�ed to easily year until\949. time. To thiS day McKen'ey remains the only outrun the "fat tloys" during PE In 1945 McKenley transferred to the maf}to have reached the finals of Olympic 100 sessions. One day the University of Illinois following a disagreement metres, 200 metres and 400 metres in the sportsmaster saw him and told with the Dean of Boston College and for the same meet. The first man to run the quarter him to come out for the school's first time learnt he could compete on "a global mile under 46 seconds and under 45 seconds. track and field team and "learn to scale". According to him, one day his coach Leo He was at various times world record holder at run". According to McKenley, he Johnson (who was later to play a pivotal role in 300 yards, 440 yards, 300 metres and 400 immediately rejected the the development of half·miler George Kerr) said meires. suggestion: "I said, 'Sir, I don't to him, "Herb, how would you like to be the At a time when outdoor track meets were need to learn to run. can run greatest quarter·miler in the world?" McKenlev usually run on dirt or grass. he ran the quarter· I · already'." But the issue was far laughed and paid little attention, but his coach mile 1n under 47 seconds on 65 occasions. He from over. Soon the youngster was to repeat the question "three OF four was to evolve from competitor into arguably was summoned by the times" in the following weeks. Then one night Jamaica's most i�fluential track and field coach headmaster. He got a lecture that ·MCKenley had what he considered to be nothinl an� administra·or, plavi1g a lead role 1n the was to stick in his mind forever. short of a spiritual experience. "I dreamt one 1 development or every generation of athletes "The headmaster told me how night that I was running in a track meet and "' since the 1950s. Up to just a few years ago, i _..:::=:..__ ____ __co_ ntinues on PAGE 44 you wouldn't want to run with him," he recalled with a chuckle. Just days before the Olympics, McKenley suffered a major scare when he 0 t'd strained a groin muscle. He recovered well enough to - perhaps unwisely - contest the 200 metres Continued from PAGE 43 placing fourth in the final. Over half was running like hell. I won the race century later, McKenley believes with the officials announcing I had over-confidence cost him the gold set a new world record of 46.2 for medal in the 400 metres final. "I 440 yards. "I woke up and could not started out very well. I came off the believe it. I was in a sweat. The first turn just eating up everybody," clothes were all wet from the race. I he recalls. He ran the first 200 was sure I had been running ...," he metres in 21.1 seconds and appeared said. Johnson later told McKenley well on the way to an easy that what he had victory when be decided he experienced was his would not only win the sub-conscious , gold medal but accepting the f decimate the world possibility that he record. "I felt so could be the world easy and relaxed I champion. It was completely changed now necessary for McKenley to my way of running and decided like I consciously seek- to achieve what his was going after 45 seconds flat," he sub-conscious had already accepted. said. But 40 metres from the tape, But to do so, Johnson said, McKenley McKenley suddenly realised he was would have to work like he had in deep trouble. "It was like I came never worked before. For the next up against a brickwall•.• I found several months, Johnson kept myself shortening and couldn't do McKenley on a rigorous programme anything about it," he recalls. To of cross country running aimed at make matters worse he could hear building his strength and stamina. It Wint coming. "I could hear Arthur was the hardest work he had ever coming... He was like that... you done and McKenley claims he often could always hear his footsteps thought of quitting. "The thing that coming.•. boom, boom, boom, kept me going was the cheers of the boom... gaining all the time and I people in my dream," he said. He couldn't go any faster ..• then he soon reaped reward for the effort. In went by and took the gold. I always the indoor season he broke the 400 thought it happened because of my metres indoor record with a run of over-confidence," McKenley said. 47.9 seconds on a board track. Wint won the race in 46.2 seconds He followed up in the outdoor with McKenley a step behind in season by breaking the outdoor 46.41. To make matters worse for record with a 46.2 clocking on a McKenley and the relay team, Wint muddy, waterlogged track. It was who was also a silver medallist in the same time he had clocked in his the 800 metres, pulled up in the 400 dream. Sweeping all before him, metres relay to deprive the McKenley approached the 1948 Jamaicans of a likely gold ahead of Olympics - Jamaica's first ever - as the Americans. An attack of mumps a clear favourite for the 400 metres. almost kept McKenley out of the But confident though he was, Helsinki Olympics in 1952. Ironically McKenley knew that his six-foot the short recovery time after the four-and-a-half inch compatriot illness influenced him to run the 100 Arthur Wint was a man to fear. "He metres at that Olympics as part of had a tremendous stride. It was his speedwork for the 400 metres intimidating. If you looked at him run and allowed him a shot at another CQntinues on PAGE 46 .