Wes Santee
Personal information | ||||||||||||
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Born | March 25, 1932 Ashland, Kansas, U.S.[1] | |||||||||||
Died | November 14, 2010 (aged 78) Eureka, Kansas, U.S. | |||||||||||
Height | 185 cm (6 ft 1 in) | |||||||||||
Weight | 68 kg (150 lb) | |||||||||||
Sport | ||||||||||||
Sport | Athletics | |||||||||||
Event | 800–5000 m | |||||||||||
Club | Kansas Jayhawks, Lawrence | |||||||||||
Achievements and titles | ||||||||||||
Personal best(s) | 800 m – 1:47.8 (1955) 1500 m – 3:42.8 (1954) Mile – 4:00.5 (1955) 5000 m – 14:32.0 (1952)[1][2] | |||||||||||
Medal record
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David Wesley Santee (March 25, 1932 – November 14, 2010) was an American
Born in
Santee competed in the
During this period, Santee was one of the top milers in the world, aspiring to become the first man to run a four-minute mile. His chief competitors were Great Britain's Roger Bannister and Australia's John Landy. On May 6, 1954, Bannister became the first to break the barrier with a time of 3:59.4. Seven weeks later, Landy surpassed Bannister's mark.
In June 1954, Santee set the a world 1,500-meter record of 3:42.8 on his way to a crushing mile win over Olympic champion Josy Barthel, but after sprinting past Barthel he slowed slightly, finishing the mile at 4:00.7.[4][5]
In early 1955, Santee came close to a four-minute mile of his own, with a time of 4:00.5, but he would never surpass this time. Shortly afterwards, Santee was suspended by the Amateur Athletic Union (AAU) in a dispute over his amateur status. AAU rules at that time limited amateurs to $15 per diem expenses to cover food and lodging, and the costs of air travel. For three track meets over a nine-day period in May 1955, Santee had been paid $1,127.85 of expenses [6]
In 1956, Santee was permanently barred from amateur events, ending his chance to surpass Bannister and Landy and also costing him a place in the
During his abbreviated career, Santee set world records in the 1,500 meter run, indoor 1,500 meter run and indoor mile.[1] In 2005 he was inducted into the National Track and Field Hall of Fame.[7] Santee's track career, including his rivalry with Bannister and Landy and his troubles with the AAU, is chronicled in Neal Bascomb's 2004 book The Perfect Mile.
He died of cancer at home in Eureka, Kansas on November 14, 2010.[8][9][10]
References
- ^ a b c d Wes Santee. sports-reference.com
- ^ Wesley Santee. trackfield.brinkster.net
- ^ "Former KU track great, Olympian Wes Santee dies at 78". Salina Journal. November 15, 2010. Retrieved November 15, 2010.
- Independent.co.uk. December 22, 2010.
- ^ "Wes Santee, 78; track great nearly broke 4-minute mile". Boston.com. November 15, 2010.
- ^ "The Santee Situation", in "Events and Discoveries", Sports Illustrated, November 14, 1955, p15; in current dollars, the amount would be more than $8,500
- ^ Wes Santee. National Track and Field Hall of Fame
- ^ "Runner hoped to break record for mile". Washington Post. November 16, 2010. p. B7.
- ^ "National Track & Field Hall of Famer Wes Santee dies". USATF. November 15, 2010. Retrieved November 15, 2010.
- ^ "Wes Santee dies at 78; track star set records in 1,500 meters and indoor mile" Los Angeles Times November 16, 2010