SO SORRY TO HEAR OF THE RECENT PASSING OF THE FAMED OLYMPIC CHAMPION
AND WORLD RECORD-BREAKER VINCENT – BUT ALWAYS JUST KNOWN AS GEORGE RHODEN …
He was one of many heroes of my early days of turning into a observe fanatic.
A Jamaican at Morgan State College of Baltimore, he was
NCAA 400 champion (as one of many very earliest NCAA worldwide champions)
Penn Relays glorious, a serious star on the indoor circuit, which crammed
massive arenas like Madison Sq. Backyard frequently, and extra…
However much more exceptional was his Olympic 400 triumph at Helsinki in 1952
and as star of the Jamaica WR-setting 4×400 (beating Staff USA)
in 1952 Oly Video games.
He lowered the WR within the 400 to 45.8 in a well-known 1950 race in Eskilstuna, Sweden,
Bear in mind studying that AP story within the NY Instances and saying, “Wow!!! “
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And listed below are my private reminiscences…
As a child, I’d go to meets (with massive brother Marty) and infrequently ask the celebs if I may snap their pictures…
On the Seton Corridor Relays at Newark Faculties Stadium, I nicely bear in mind asking,
“Mr. Rhoden, might I take your picture?”
and he very fortunately obliged by stepping into the “set” place.
One in all his well-known teammates at Morgan State was the famend Bob Tyler of Asbury Pk.
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When he and his well-known Jamaica teammates, Herb McKenley, Arthur Wint
and Leslie Laing received the 4×400 at Helsinki in 1952; that Jamaica workforce was coached
by one in every of my early guiding lights, the nice Coach Joe Yancey of the NY Pioneer Membership,
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After the 1952 Olympics, with the “previous” Shore AC fading away
(doubtless due to diminishing funds), it was “previous” Shore AC
founding father Mr. James Wisner, who formulated the
celebrated and famed “Dream Staff” (4×400) of all Oly. gold medalists,
now working for the Grand St Boys Membership of NYC…
That workforce was Mal Whitfield, Andy Stanfield, Herb McKenley….and George Rhoden..
By means of one wonderful winter, they broke each indoor 4×400 file within the books.
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In 1971, once we organized a Shore AC workforce journey to Scandinavia,
I at all times wished to carry the group to Eskilstuna, Sweden,
in remembrance of George Rhoden’s well-known 45.8 there…
Properly, we couldn’t work that out, however we nonetheless had a good time in
Denmark, Norway, and Finland !!
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Right here (beneath) is the George Rhoden obituary…
Hope you might be okay with this story of previous private adventures…
Greatest to all,
Elliott Denman
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August 26, 2024
KINGSTON, Jamaica — Following the passing of double Olympic gold medallist George Rhoden, the Jamaica Athletics Administrative Affiliation (JAAA) has honoured the veteran athlete, calling him “one of many constructing blocks of our sport in Jamaica.”
In an announcement to the media on Monday, the JAAA expressed its grief saying it’s “in mourning as we study of the passing of double Olympic gold medallist George Rhoden.”“George Rhoden was one of many constructing blocks of our sport in Jamaica. He demonstrated true grit and dedication in each single one in every of his races and was a reliable workforce member,” mentioned Garth Gayle, President of the JAAA. “He would grind out each occasion, giving all the things for his workforce and his nation. His performances in 1952 will at all times be remembered as they laid the groundwork for the sturdy observe and area nation we’re right now.”
Rhoden, who received the 400m and was a member of the Golden Quartet that received the 4x400m on the Helsinki Olympics in 1952, handed away in the US over the weekend.
