TV announcers for '64 Olympic 10,000 meters

[Charles Howe]

Can anyone say with certainty (or better yet, authority) who the announcers were during the the American television (ABC network, I believe) broadcast of the 1964 Olympic 10,000 meter run?

I'm looking for both the main announcer, as well as the commentator who famously went nuts screaming "LOOK AT MILLS!!! LOOK AT MILLS!!! OH MY GOD!!!!"

Thank you,

Charles Howe

[EPelle]

Here:s a cool account of it:

http://www.runningpast.com/billy_mills.htm

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-nEHaCtqfeM (relive the experience on video)

[Charles Howe]

Oh, I know the story all too well -- I had several front-page items about it last month at my web site (http://rundynamics.net -- go the the bottom of the page and click on the "archive" link) -- but I just need the announcers' names, if anyone can say.

BTW, one bit of information I came across in the Sports Illustrated race account that is rarely mentioned -- Ron Clarke's shove may have actually helped Mills somewhat in that Mills' spikes dug in better in lanes 2/3 than had been the case in lanes 1/2. He was quoted as saying that immediately after the race.

[gh]

From a May 2003 thread on this site, post by me

<<The play-by-play announcer was Bud Palmer, and you're right he didn't say anything! It's unclear whether he was just stunned by the enormity of what Mills was pulling off or if his sudden appearance left him grasping trying to figure out who it was (since he was a football guy as much as anything), but he indeed sat there in silence.

<<.....Your TV set was not silent, however. The legendary tracknut Dick Bank (T&FN's high school editor in the early '50s) was in the booth--don't know if he was doing color commentary or was the Walt Murphy of his day, imparting invaluable knowledge--and was so aghast at Palmer's inaction that he literally grabbed the microphone out of his hand and started shrieking Mills' name.

Needless to say, he never worked for NBC again. He did become the lead guy on CBS's track series of the late '60s and early '70s though, and anybody who heard him will agree he was clearly the best TV guy the sport has ever had.

He got pissed off at track in the late '70s and became a baseball freak.>>

And then a followup post by me:

<<From a II February 1971 interview with him in T&FN:

""I was working as a so-called expert commentator with Bud Palmer. I became more excited during the 10,000 than ever before, and when Palmer wasn't calling Billy Mills I took over. I only worked that first day. I was a spectator for the rest of the time, becuase the producer and I couldn't see eye to eye and it woul dhave been fustrating to work under such conditions.">>

[Charles Howe]

OK, that sounds authoritative, especially since I (new to this forum) just deduced who "gh" is (thought it might be Jeff Hollobaugh at first blush).

Thanks Garry! This story adds even more to the lore of the race, which (subjective though the opinion may be) still stands in my mind as the most exciting distance race ever (and Mills won what is arguably #2 as well the next year). It's not all subjective, though, as Cordner Nelson at least tried to work out some criteria for making the same claim:

[1] an athlete he liked personally
[2] up against insurmountable odds
[3] who nevertheless does far better than he dared to hope

[jhc68]

Bank was wonderful and the audio is almost better than the images... legendary narration. One almost expects him to punctuate the "Look at MILLS!!" with an "Oh the HUMANITY!!!"
What a great moment.

[Daisy]

I know this may sound strange, but when i teach fermentation (anaerobic respiration), it is that last lap of the 10,000m that I show to the class to illustrate the effect of lactic acid, though not on Mills. It's not a great example, but the clip is so classic and these youngsters need to see a real sport for a change

The other clip I show is Moses in 84. You'd be surprised how many kids know who he is and stay, even after the bell, to watch that race. There IS a market for track and field we just need to figure out how to tap into it.

[Charles Howe]

Bank was wonderful and the audio is almost better than the images... legendary narration. One almost expects him to punctuate the "Look at MILLS!!" with an "Oh the HUMANITY!!!"
What a great moment.

Agreed. The visceral appeal of the moment could only be captured with a scream. They should have promoted Bank, and fired Palmer (the only guess I came up for the announcer before gh's re-post was was Bill Mallory, but that's obviously wrong.)

[Charles Howe]

I know this may sound strange, but when i teach fermentation (anaerobic respiration), it is that last lap of the 10,000m that I show to the class to illustrate the effect of lactic acid, though not on Mills. It's not a great example, but the clip is so classic and these youngsters need to see a real sport for a change

An even better clip would be of Pre stumbling to the line at Munich, and getting pipped by Stewart.

This is OT, but I hope you teach that lactic acid per se does not cause fatigue, rather, it's the H+ ion (proton) which dissocates from the lactate molecule, further, the extent to which this occurs at the end of a middle- or long-distance race is heavily influenced by aerobic capacity. In fact, Mills' breakthrough success is directly attributable to the marathon training he did to develop his aerobic capacity as much as possible.

And that's what makes for 'game,' i.e., strategy in running.