Adolph Plummer
Plummer (right) in 1961 | |
Personal information | |
---|---|
Born | January 3, 1938[1] Brooklyn, U.S. |
Died | November 30, 2015 (aged 77) Denver, U.S. |
Sport | |
Sport | Athletics |
Event(s) | 200 m, 400 m |
Achievements and titles | |
Personal best(s) | 200 m – 20.5 (1963) 400 m – 44.6 (1963)[1] |
Adolph Plummer (January 3, 1938 – November 30, 2015)[2][3] was an American track and field athlete. He is best known for breaking the world record in the 440 yard dash in 1963, the last runner to hold the 400 m record with a time recorded for the longer 440 yards.[4]
Track career
During his time running at the University of New Mexico (UNM, 1959–1963), Plummer was a member of an outstanding Lobos track team. In 1961, Plummer became the NCAA champion in the 440 yards event. He was a three-time All-American and won four titles in the 440 yards event and three at 220 yards in the Skyline Conference and Western Athletic Conference (WAC).[5]
On May 25, 1963, running in his last race for UNM at the WAC Championships in Tempe, Arizona, Plummer shocked future Olympic champion Ulis Williams on his home track with a 44.9 second world record in the 440 yards (Williams also broke the old world record by 0.1 second).[6] Plummer shattered the old mark set by Glenn Davis five years previously by the huge margin of 8 tenths of a second. Plummer's only memory of the race was hearing the starter say "set" before the race began.[7] Plummer's time also tied the existing world record in the shorter 400 meters (440 yards is 402.34 meters).[4][8][9] This was the first ever 440 run under 45 seconds.[10]
In 1964, Plummer attempted to qualify for the Olympic Games but trailed in his heat due to the flare-up of an arthritic knee, a condition that was to eventually end his athletics career.[11][12]
In 1965, Plummer returned to the track specializing in the 220 yard/200 meter event. That year he became USA national champion at 220 yards and was ranked number one in the world at that distance.(See below).[13]
Accolades and awards
In 1976, Plummer was inducted into the New Mexico Sports Hall of Fame.[14]
In 2012, Plummer was presented with a Living Legend Awards by the UNM Black Alumni Chapter.[15]
Plummer has also been inducted into the UNM Alumni Lettermen's Association Hall of Honor.[15]
Personal life
Plummer was a native of Brooklyn, New York City and served in the United States Air Force before attending UNM.[5]
After attending UNM, Plummer moved to Colorado and worked as an educator in the Denver public schools system.
In the mid-1970s (1974–76 in particular), Plummer's tenure as an educator at Cole Junior H.S., in Denver, coincided with the earliest days of Court-Ordered Busing for Integration. His involvement was instrumental in fostering tolerance – resulting in a successful, peaceful learning environment for Denver's suburban and urban students suddenly exposed to new cohorts and lifestyles and attitudes.
He also served for a time as an associate dean in the Athletic Department at UNM in charge of education.[10]
Plummer died on November 30, 2015, in Denver at the age of 77.[3]
Track and field rankings
Plummer was ranked among the best in the US and the world in the 440 yard/400 meter sprint event in the period 1961–64 and the 220 yard/200 meter sprint event in the period 1963–1966, according to the votes of the experts of Track and Field News.[16][17][18][19]
|
|
USA Championships
Plummer competed in the 220 yard/220 meter and 440 yard/400 meter events in the USA National Track and Field Championships between 1961 and 1966.[20] [21]
Year | 220y | 440y |
---|---|---|
1961 | – | 3rd |
1962 | – | 5th |
1963 | – | 2nd |
1964 | – | 4th |
1965 | 1st | – |
1966 | 2nd | – |
References
- ^ a b Adolph Plummer. trackfield.brinkster.net
- ^ Imre Matrahazi (ed.) (2015) Progression of IAAF World Records, IAAF Athletics, p. 528.
- ^ a b UNM track star Plummer dies, Albuquerque Journal, November 30, 2015.
- ^ a b "12th IAAF World Championships In Athletics: IAAF Statistics Handbook. Berlin 2009" (PDF). Monte Carlo: IAAF Media & Public Relations Department. 2009. pp. Pages 546, 547. Archived from the original (PDF) on August 6, 2009. Retrieved December 1, 2015.
- ^ a b Lobo Great Adolph Plummer Passes Away, University of New Mexico Athletics Official Site, December 1, 2015.
- ^ New Mexico Track & Field 2007, History & Records Archived April 2, 2015, at the Wayback Machine, University of New Mexico Athletics Official Site, p.78
- ^ Garcia, Nasario (2005). Saints & Seasons: A Guide to New Mexico's Most Popular Saints. United States: La Herencia Publishing. p. 67. ISBN 0974302260.
- ^ Nick Georgandis, History of the 400-Meter Dash, Livestrong.com, January 23, 2014.
- ^ "UNM 125: Plummer cracks record". dailylobo.com. May 29, 1963. Retrieved December 1, 2015.
- ^ a b V B Price (May 29, 1963). "Adolph Plummer, Roger Bannister, and Bob Beamon". New Mexico Mercury. Retrieved August 26, 2013.
- ^ "Lehner, Burly Sparkle in Olympic Trials Test". Eugene Register. July 5, 1964.
- ^ Richard Hymans. "Olympic Trials History". Track and Field News. Archived from the original on March 23, 2015. Retrieved March 28, 2015.
- ^ Bob Myers, Associated Press (June 28, 1965). "Track Victors Euro-bound after AAU Meet". Silver City Daily News.
- ^ "Adolph Plummer 1976 Sports Hall of Fame Inductee". New Mexico Sports Hall of Fame. September 23, 2012.
- ^ a b "Lobo legends will be recognized". Albuquerque Journal. September 23, 2012.
- ^ "World Rankings Index—Men's 200 meters" (PDF). Track and Field News. Archived from the original (PDF) on June 20, 2015. Retrieved March 28, 2015.
- ^ "U.S. Rankings Index—Men's 200 meters" (PDF). Track and Field News.[permanent dead link]
- ^ "World Rankings Index—Men's 400 meters" (PDF). Track and Field News.[permanent dead link]
- ^ "U.S. Rankings Index—Men's 400 meters" (PDF). Track and Field News.[permanent dead link]
- ^ "USA Outdoor Track and Field Champions, Men's 200 m". USA Track and Field. Archived from the original on March 25, 2015. Retrieved March 28, 2015.
- ^ "USA Outdoor Track and Field Champions, Men's 400 m". USA Track and Field. Archived from the original on March 26, 2015. Retrieved March 28, 2015.
- v
- t
- e
New York Athletic Club
- 1876: Not held
- 1877: Edward Merritt
- 1878: Wm. Willmer
NAAAA
- 1879–81: Lon Myers
- 1882–83: Henry Brooks
- 1884: Lon Myers
- 1885–86: Malcolm Ford
- 1887–88Note 1: Fred Westing
Amateur Athletic Union
- 1888Note 1: Fred Westing
- 1889: John Owen
- 1890: Fred Westing
- 1891: Luther Cary
- 1892: Harry Jewett
- 1893: Charles Stage
- 1894: Tommy Lee
- 1895–97: Bernie Wefers
- 1898: James Maybury
- 1899: Maxie Long
- 1900: William Edwards
- 1901: Frank Sears
- 1902: Pat Walsh
- 1903: Archie Hahn
- 1904: William Hogenson
- 1905: Archie Hahn
- 1906: Ralph Young
- 1907: Harold Huff
- 1908: W.F. Keating
- 1909: Waring Dawbarn
- 1910: Gwin Henry
- 1911: John Nelson
- 1912: Alvah Meyer
- 1913: Howard Drew
- 1914: Irving Howe
- 1915: Robert Morse
- 1916–17: Andy Ward
- 1918: Loren Murchison
- 1919: Henry Williams
- 1920OT-21: Charley Paddock
- 1922: Al LeConey
- 1923: Loren Murchison
- 1924: Charley Paddock
- 1925: Jackson Scholz
- 1926: Tom Sharkey
- 1927–28OT: Charley Borah
- 1929: Eddie Tolan
- 1930: George Simpson
- 1931: Eddie Tolan
- 1932OT-36: Ralph Metcalfe
- 1937: Jack Weiershauser
- 1938: Mack Robinson
- 1939: Barney Ewell
- 1940–43: Harold Davis
- 1944: Charles Parker
- 1945: Elmore Harris
- 1946–47: Barney Ewell
- 1948: Lloyd La Beach (PAN) * Cliff Bourland
- 1949: Andy Stanfield
- 1950: Robert Tyler
- 1951: James Ford
- 1952–53: Andy Stanfield
- 1954: Art Bragg
- 1955: Rod Richard
- 1956: Thane Baker
- 1957: Ollan Cassell
- 1958: Bobby Morrow
- 1959–60: Ray Norton
- 1961–63: Paul Drayton
- 1964: Henry Carr
- 1965: Adolph Plummer
- 1966: Jim Hines
- 1967–68: Tommie Smith
- 1969: John Carlos
- 1970: Ben Vaughn
- 1971: Don Quarrie (JAM) (*USA Larry Black)
- 1972: Chuck Smith
- 1973: Steve Williams
- 1974–75: Don Quarrie (JAM) (*USA Reggie Jones – both years)
- 1976: Millard Hampton
- 1977: Derald Harris
- 1978: Clancy Edwards
- 1979: Dwayne Evans
The Athletics Congress
- 1980: LaMonte King
- 1981: Jeff Phillips
- 1982: Calvin Smith
- 1983: Carl Lewis
- 1984: Brady Crain
- 1985: Kirk Baptiste
- 1986: Floyd Heard
- 1987: Carl Lewis
- 1988: Larry Myricks
- 1989: Floyd Heard
- 1990–92OT: Michael Johnson
USA Track & Field
- 1993: Michael Marsh
- 1994: Ron Clark
- 1995–96OT: Michael Johnson
- 1997: Jon Drummond
- 1998: Gentry Bradley
- 1999: Maurice Greene
- 2000OT: John Capel
- 2001: Shawn Crawford
- 2002–03: Darvis Patton
- 2004OT: Shawn Crawford
- 2005: Justin Gatlin
- 2006: Wallace Spearmon
- 2007: Tyson Gay
- 2008OT: Walter Dix
- 2009: Shawn Crawford
- 2010: Wallace Spearmon
- 2011: Walter Dix
- 2012OT: Wallace Spearmon
- 2013: Isiah Young
- 2014: Curtis Mitchell
- 2015–16OT: Justin Gatlin
- 2017–18: Ameer Webb
- 2019: Noah Lyles
- 20212020 OT-22: Noah Lyles
- 2022:Erriyon Knighton
- Note 1: In 1888 both the NAAAA and the AAU held championships
- OT: The 1920, 1928, 1932, and since 1992, championships incorporated the Olympic Trials, otherwise held as a discrete event.
- 2020 OT: The 2020 Olympic Trials were delayed and held in 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
- *USA: Leading American athlete