This Day in Track & Field, May 12, Joan Benoit Samuelson takes Olympic Trials Marathon weeks after arthroscopic surgery (1984), compiled and written by Walt Murphy

This Day in Track & Field, May 12, Joan Benoit Samuelson takes Olympic Trials Marathon weeks after arthroscopic surgery (1984), compiled and written by Walt Murphy

This Day in Track & Field–May 12 1888–Yale’s Charles Sherrill is credited with becoming the first man to use the “crouching” start in a sprint race (at least in the U.S.–see below). Sherrill won the 100y and 220y at a meet sponsored by the Rockaway Hunting Club in Cedarhurst, Long Island. In addition to winning 7 IC4A sprint titles in the late 1880s (4-100y/1887-1890, 3-220y/1888-1890), Sherrill was also the 1887 U.S. Champion in the 100-yard da…