New Man, New Standards

By the time the great Gunder Haegg had finished his eighth and last U.S. race at the Triborough Stadium of New York City last week, the lean, blond Swede with the quick flash of mordant wit and the flawless leg action had done something to U.S. track performances. Without apparent exertion he had lowered the old standards that once meant championship running.

By Haegg standards his last race was a failure. Competing with two top-flight U.S. runners he did no better than 4:06.9, far short of the still unattainable mark of four minutes flat which many a Haegg fan hoped he might hit on his U.S. tour.

But disappointment at Gunder's bowing-out performance was the best proof of what the Swede had done to running. The day had passed when 4:08 was cracking good time for the outdoor mile, just as the 30 home-run mark was shelved when Babe Ruth came along and consistently batted home runs' in the 40s and 50s; Haegg had set 4:06 as good time for the outdoor mile. Slower runners would never again be top-flight in the U.S.

As at his other races, unimaginative Gunder had to have competition to pace him if he was still to beat his world mark. For the Randall's Island show, two crack U.S. runners turned out: young Bill Hulse (whom Haegg regards as the most promising American miler) and Divinity Student Gilbert Dodds.

Paced by Bill Hulse in the first and second quarters, Gunder pressed him closely, his lean legs working with the mechanistic precision of the connecting rods in an idling aircraft engine. "Faster, faster," he whispered to Bill, who was whirling along in his loping gait for all he was worth.

Finally Haegg pulled up in front. In the final stretch Gil Dodds decided to move ahead. He charged heavily past Hulse, then past Haegg, pounding the track with laborious, clubbing gait. Haegg, who consistently looks around, had seen him coming. He seemed to turn on no more steam, or to speed his pace. He just exchanged places with Gil Dodds, whirled smoothly to the lead, won again.

This was Paa AAterseende (Auf Wiedersehen) for Gunder, who has come to like the U.S. (especially malted milk, cowboy clothes and baseball). He had broken three records: world's official two-mile (best time, his own unofficial 8:47.8, set in Sweden last summer), the U.S. 1,500-meter (3:47.8) and U.S. outdoor mile (4:05.3). He began packing to go back to Sweden. There in his absence another runner, his friend, hulking Arne Andersson, had smashed Gunder's mile record with a mark of 4:02.6.

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