The Wanamaker Mile is an indoor mile race held annually at the Millrose Games in New York City's Madison Square Garden.
The event was first held in 1908, and in 1926 became known as the "Wanamaker." It is named in honor of the head of the Wanamaker's Department Store in New York City, Rodman Wanamaker. The race was held every year at 10:00 p.m. This was a tradition started by the legendary sports announcer Ted Husing. Husing would broadcast the race live during the nightly news. In 2002, the mile was moved to 9 p.m. to accommodate television coverage.
The race is also a tradition for Irish runners. Past Irish winners include Ronnie Delaney (1956-1959), Eamonn Coghlan (1977, '79-'81, '83, '85 and '87), Marcus O'Sullivan (1986, '88-'90, 1992 and 1996) and Niall Bruton (1994).
It was at the Millrose Games where Coghlan earned the nickname, "Chairman of the Boards" (because the surface of the track was made of wooden boards). In addition O'Sullivan has run 11 sub-four-minute miles in the Wanamaker.
In 2010, Bernard Lagat surpassed Eamonn Coghlan's record of seven Wanamaker Mile victories with a record eighth victory.
Famous quotes containing the word mile:
“I have got enough of the old masters! Brown says he has “shook” them, and I think I will shake them, too. You wander through a mile of picture galleries and stare stupidly at ghastly old nightmares done in lampblack and lightning, and listen to the ecstatic encomiums of the guides, and try to get up some enthusiasm, but it won’t come.”
—Mark Twain [Samuel Langhorne Clemens] (1835–1910)