Maxey Long

Although Maxey Long had won the AAU 440 y in 1898 and 1899 and was to win his third successive title after the 1900 Olympics, he was soundly beaten at the 1900 IC4A championships by Dixon Boardman of Yale and Harry Lee of Syracuse. Boardman and Lee both qualified for the 400 m final at the Paris Olympics but declined to run because the race was held on a Sunday; in their absence, Long had a comfortable victory In Paris. Long ran in the blue and white stripe of his school, Columbia, which resembled the colors of the Racing Club de France, and the uninitiated crowd cheered Long down the home straight under the impression that they were urging a local hero to victory. After the Olympics, Long raced for a time in Britain, and on his return home at the end of the season, he was in outstanding form. In late September he ran 47.8 for 440 y in a handicap event at Travers Island and five days later, again in a handicap race, he clocked 47 flat at the Guttenberg race track (on a straight course) in New Jersey, by far the fastest quarter-mile up to that time. In addition to his three AAU titles at 440 y, Long won the 100 y in 1900 and the 220 y in 1899, as well as the IC4A 440 y in 1899.

Personal Best: 440y – 47.8s (1900).