While I don’t disagree with any of the selections, one person who deserves consideration is Bill Bonthron ’34. At a time when the 1,500-meter run was regarded as one of the premier track and field events, Bonthron held the world record for two years. In his junior year, he was the IC4A champion in both the 800- and 1,500-meter runs. In 1934 he received the Sullivan Award as the top amateur athlete in the U.S.
Buoyed by Bonthron’s acclaim, Princeton hosted the inaugural invitational mile run at Palmer Stadium in 1934. Before a crowd of 18,000 people, Bonthron faced three famous rivals: Glenn Cunningham of Kansas University, Gene Venzke of Penn, and Jack Lovelock of New Zealand. Bonthron broke the world record for the mile, but so did Lovelock, who won the race.
The first Princeton Invitational was such a spectacular success, it became a staple on Saturday of Reunions weekend, with 40,000 spectators attending the following year.
At the invitation of track coach Pete Morgan, Mr. Bonthron returned to the Princeton campus to offer inspiring remarks at track team banquets in the 1960s.
While I don’t disagree with any of the selections, one person who deserves consideration is Bill Bonthron ’34. At a time when the 1,500-meter run was regarded as one of the premier track and field events, Bonthron held the world record for two years. In his junior year, he was the IC4A champion in both the 800- and 1,500-meter runs. In 1934 he received the Sullivan Award as the top amateur athlete in the U.S.
Buoyed by Bonthron’s acclaim, Princeton hosted the inaugural invitational mile run at Palmer Stadium in 1934. Before a crowd of 18,000 people, Bonthron faced three famous rivals: Glenn Cunningham of Kansas University, Gene Venzke of Penn, and Jack Lovelock of New Zealand. Bonthron broke the world record for the mile, but so did Lovelock, who won the race.
The first Princeton Invitational was such a spectacular success, it became a staple on Saturday of Reunions weekend, with 40,000 spectators attending the following year.
At the invitation of track coach Pete Morgan, Mr. Bonthron returned to the Princeton campus to offer inspiring remarks at track team banquets in the 1960s.