The Spokesman-Review Newspaper
The Spokesman-Review Newspaper The Spokesman-Review
Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883
Current Temperature
42°F
Current Conditions
Overcast clouds
View complete weather report

Color Scheme

Subscribe now

USATF flashback: Martin McGrady produced a 600-yard masterpiece on the wooden ovals of the 1970 championships

Martin McGrady heads for tape at the 600-yard run event at the AAU indoor track and field championships at New York's Madison Square Garden in 1970. (Associated Press)
By John Blanchette For The Spokesman-Review
Martin McGrady heads for tape at the 600-yard run event at the AAU indoor track and field championships at New York's Madison Square Garden in 1970. (Associated Press)

McGrady produced a 600-yard masterpiece on the wooden ovals of the 1970 championships

He could never find a sweet-spot event outdoors, but Martin McGrady was truly chairman of the boards at the long-since mothballed distance of 600 yards on the tight wooden ovals of indoor track’s 1960s-’70s heyday.

After setting three world records during the winter of 1970, his finest hour came at the AAU championships at Madison Square Garden, in what may be the best indoor race in history.

With Olympic 400-meter champion and long-time rival Lee Evans on his heels, the Akron-born flyer blasted through the first quarter mile in 48.6 seconds and took nearly a full second off his world best with a clocking of 1:07.6. Evans also beat McGrady’s previous record by half a second. This one stood for 22 years.

But McGrady never made an Olympic team, and looked up to Evans and fellow gold medalist Tommie Smith.

“They’re great runners,” he once said. “I’m just a good one.”