MILLROSE GAMES

The 'Millrose Games' is an annual indoor athletics meet (track and field) held on the first Friday in February in New York City's Madison Square Garden since 1914. The games were started when employees of the Wanamaker's department store formed the Millrose Track Club to hold a meet. The featured event is the Wanamaker Mile.
'History'
The Millrose Games began in 1908 at a local armory the same year when its parent, the Millrose Athletic Association, was formed as a recreational club by the employees of the John Wanamaker Department Store. "Millrose" was the name of the country home of Rodman Wanamaker.
In 1914, after overflowing the armory the year before, the Millrose Games moved to Madison Square Garden, and is the oldest continuous sporting event held there. For 10 years beginning in 1916, the Wanamaker 1 ½ Mile race was a highlight of the meet. Run for the last time in 1925, the final edition was won by Paavo Nurmi, the nine-time Olympic gold medalist from Finland. In 1926, the distance was shortened, and the Wanamaker Mile was born. It has often been run at 10 p.m., a carryover from the days beginning in the 1930s when legendary sports announcer Ted Husing would broadcast the race live on his 10 p.m. radio show.
Marking its 81st running last year, the Wanamaker Mile has been won by 44 different men, including such luminaries as Glenn Cunningham, Kip Keino, Tony Waldrop, Filbert Bayi, Steve Scott, Noureddine Morceli, Marcus O’Sullivan and, of course, the Irish legend whose name is synonymous with the event: Eamonn Coghlan. Known as the “Chairman of the Boards” for his dominance on the old wooden Millrose track, the Irishman won the mile here an unsurpassed seven times.
Some of the most memorable moments in Millrose history include Ray Conger’s 1929 upset win over Nurmi in the Wanamaker Mile; pole vaulter Cornelius Warmerdam becoming the first person to vault 15 feet indoors, in 1942; John Thomas hitting the first 7-foot high jump, in 1959; Mary Decker’s thrilling run to a 1500-meter World Indoor Record in 1980 to ear-splitting encouragement from the crowd; Carl Lewis in 1984 shattering the World Indoor Record with a jump of 28 feet, 10.25 inches, a mark that still stands; Eamonn Coghlan notching his seventh Wanamaker Mile in 1987; and Stacy Dragila setting a late-night pole vault world record in 2001.
For 70 of its first 96 years, the role of Millrose meet director was a father-son affair: Fred Schmertz took the helm in 1934, handing the reins to son Howard in 1975. In 2003, the title of Meet Director Emeritus was bestowed on the younger Schmertz.
Millrose Games facts:
The most prolific winner in event history is Loren Murchison, a sprinter who won 13 titles between 1919 and 1926. He is followed by pole vaulter Bob Richards (11), hurdler Greg Foster and 500-600-800m runner Mark Everett (10), and hurdler Harrison Dillard and miler Eamonn Coghlan (9). Coghlan’s total includes seven Wanamaker Mile victories and two Masters Mile wins.
Four women share the honor of most Millrose wins at eight apiece: 400-meter runner Diane Dixon, whose eight victories include five straight from 1988-1992; middle-distance runner Jearl Miles-Clark; shot putter Connie Price-Smith; and high jumper Tisha Waller.
202 athletes share the distinction of being both Millrose Games and Olympic champions.
'Millrose Games Hall of Fame'
Eamonn Coghlan

Mile

World Championships 5000m gold medalist (1983)

7-time winner of Wanamaker Mile

Inducted 1999



Harrison Dillard

Hurdles

4-time Olympic gold medalist (1948, 1952)

8-time Millrose winner

Inducted 1999



Diane Dixon

400

2-time Olympic relay medalist, gold and silver (1984, 1988)

8-time Millrose winner

Inducted 1999



Bob Richards

Pole Vault

2-time Olympic gold medalist (1952, 1956)

11-time Millrose winner

Inducted 1999



John Thomas

High Jump

2-time Olympic medalist, silver and bronze (1960, 1964)

6-time Millrose winner

Inducted 1999



Earl Bell

Pole Vault

Olympic bronze medalist (1984)

6-time Millrose winner

Inducted 2000



Glenn Cunningham

Mile

Olympic silver medalist, 1500m (1936)

6-time Millrose winner

Inducted 2000



Greg Foster

Hurdles

4-time World Champion indoors and out (1984-1991)

10-time Millrose winner

Inducted 2000



Carl Lewis

Long Jump

9-time Olympic gold medalist, 100m, 200m, relay, LJ (1984-1996)

4-time Millrose winner

Inducted 2000



Doug Padilla

3000, 5000

2-time Olympian (1984, 1988); still holds AR for 5000m indoors

6-time Millrose winner

Inducted 2000



Horace Ashenfelter

2 Miles

Olympic gold medalist, Steeplechase (1956)

5-time Millrose winner

Inducted 2001



Stephanie Hightower

Hurdles

1980 Olympian, World Record Holder

5-time Millrose winner

Inducted 2001



Jackie Joyner-Kersee

Long Jump, Hurdles

6-time Olympic medalist, including 3 gold (1988-1996)

5-time Millrose winner

Inducted 2001



Don Paige

1000

Ranked #1 in World, Sullivan Award winner (1980)

5-time Millrose winner

Inducted 2001



Cornelius Warmerdam

Pole Vault

World Record Holder, Sullivan Award winner (1942)

2-time Millrose winner

Inducted 2001



Mary Decker Slaney

1000, 1500, Mile

36 ARs, 17 WR, World Championships double gold (1983)

6-time Millrose winner

Inducted 2002



Loren Murchison

Dash, 300

2-time Olympic 4x100 relay gold medalist (1920, 1924)

13-time Millrose winner

Inducted 2002



Renaldo Nehemiah

Hurdles

Ranked #1 in the World 1978-1981

4-time Millrose winner

Inducted 2002



Marcus O’Sullivan

Mile

3-time World Indoor gold, 4-time Olympian (1984, 1988, 1992, 1996)

5-time Wanamaker Mile winner

Inducted 2002



Mal Whitfield

600, 880

5-time Olympic medalist, including 3 gold (1948, 1952)

4-time Millrose winner

Inducted 2002



Joetta Clark Diggs

800

4-time Olympian (1988, 1992, 1996, 2000)

7-time Millrose winner; 23-time Millrose competitor

Inducted 2003



Willie Davenport

Hurdles

2-time Olympic medalist, gold and bronze (1968, 1976)

5-time Millrose winner

Inducted 2003



Mark Everett

500, 600 800

2-time World Championships medalist

10-time Millrose winner

Inducted 2003



Marty Liquori

Mile

Ranked #1 in World three times, 1968 Olympian

3-time Wanamaker Mile winner

Inducted 2003



Fred Schmertz

Meet Director, 1934-1974

Inducted 2003



Gwen Torrence

Sprints

5-time Olympic medalist, including 3 gold (1992, 1996)

7-time Millrose winner

Inducted 2003



Johnny Gray

800

American Record Holder, Olympic bronze medalist (1992)

5-time Millrose winner

Inducted 2004



Joni Huntley

High Jump

Olympic bronze medalist (1984)

4-time Millrose winner

Inducted 2004



Billy Olsen

Pole Vault

11-time World Record Holder, 1988 Olympian

4-time Millrose winner

Inducted 2004



Joie Ray

1.5-Mile

3-time Olympian, 1924 bronze medalist 3000

7-time Millrose winner

Inducted 2004



Martin McGrady

600

World Record Holder (1970)

3-time Millrose Games winner

Inducted 2005



Greg Rice

2 Mile

World Record Holder, Sullivan Award winner (1940)

4-time Millrose winner

Inducted 2005



Dwight Stones

High Jump

2-time Olympic bronze medalist (1972, 1976)

3-time Millrose Games winner

Inducted 2005



Cheryl Toussaint

440, 600, 800

Olympic 4x400 silver medalist (1972)

4-time Millrose winner

Inducted 2005



Howard Schmertz

Meet Director, 1975-2002

Inducted 2007



Official Web Site
Millrose Games & Wanamaker Mile