THE MILE THAT TOOK 314 DAYS
Don was born in Wauwatosa, a suburb of Milwaukee in Wisconsin, USA. His parents were Frank Gehrmann and Mamie Stremke.
Don attended Pilaski High School, where he learned to run on a slippery gym floor.
Whilst at school, he met Dolores Marine, known as ‘Lori’.
Don took a degree in education at the University of Wisconsin.
Whilst at university, Don was an exceptional middle-distance runner, becoming the Big Ten mile champion.
The Big Ten is the main American Collegiate athletics conference.
Don was five feet ten inches (tall for a runner) and always wore glasses.
After graduating from university, Don became a teacher and later an educational administrator. He also took a master’s in educational psychology.
Don earned no money from athletics as the sport was entirely amateur at the time.
Don was then selected for the USA team for the 1948 Olympic Games in London.
Don raced in the 1500 metres, reaching the final. He was the only non-European to reach the last stage – but finished seventh (although some contemporary accounts say eighth).
He said that the Olympic final was his worst race ever. There was heavy rain and it was on a cinder track, which quickly turned to mud. “I was not a mudder.” He also stepped on a curb and fell.
Don went on to be the NCAA (National Collegiate Athletics Association) champion for 1948-1949 and also the following year. These were indoor races.
Throughout his college career, Don won 87 out of 99 races and was the US National Champion.
He married his childhood sweetheart, Lori, in 1950, at the Ascension Lutheran Church in Milwaukee. They would have two daughters, Kathy and Sue, and three sons, Don, Tim and Jim.
Don was most famous for the 1950 Wanamaker Mile, held at Madison Square Garden on the 28th January.
It was a very close race, led for most of the way by Fred Wilt. Don caught him just at the line.
It was a photo finish – but one of the judges stood in front of the camera so no picture could be taken.
Judge number one said Fred Wilt had won. Judge number two said Don had won.
The Chief Judge, Asa Bushnell, made the final decision, declaring Don victorious.
However, Fred Wilt, who was an FBI agent, protested the decision. Thirteen days later, the American Athletics Union (AAU) reversed the decision. Don in turn complained about the outcome.
It led to a lengthy and heated debate.
Almost a year later, at the AAU National Convention held in Washington DC, a vote was held amongst the membership.
314 delegates voted for Don, 108 for Fred. Don had finally won the race, 314 days after he had run it.
It led to a lot of scepticism. Howard Schmerz, the Assistant Director of the race said, “The final decision was made by maybe a dozen people who saw the race and a few hundred who didn’t.”
Don went on to win the Wanamaker Mile for the next three seasons.
Don was voted the Big Ten’s greatest ever runner, having won twelve titles (both indoors and outdoors).
His success continued. At the British Games in London, he broke the outdoor 1,000 yards world record.
An hour later, Don was sitting in the stands eating a hamburger, hot dogs and drinking fizzy pop, when it was announced the American runner in the quarter mile race had been injured.
Don rushed to the track to replace him, had no warm up – and still won the race. “That may have been my greatest ever achievement.”
He was thrilled that his medal was presented to him by Prince Philip.
Shortly afterwards, Don broke the indoor 1,000 yards world record. This meant he held both indoor and outdoor records simultaneously.
On one occasion, Don beat Roger Bannister in a race.
However, Don failed to be selected for the 1952 Olympic Games in Helsinki.
He retired from track racing in 1953. He then took a public relations job with the Amateur Athletics Association, and then worked for Schlitz Brewery, before returning to teaching as a coach at Wauwatosa East High School (a suburb of Milwaukee).
In 1981, Don was inaugurated into the Wisconsin Athletics Hall of Fame.
Don’s final job was working for the Wisconsin State Government as their Highway Safety Co-ordinator. He retired in 1985.
Lori and Don lived in Sun Prairie, Wisconsin.
Reflecting on his athletics career, Don said, “I wonder sometimes how I would have done running today, all things being equal. I would probably have been a millionaire.”
Don added, “I only ran for place. I never ran for time. I wasn’t interested in it at all.”
He kept a collection of wrist watches – most of which had been given to him for victories – in lieu of prize money.
Unfortunately, many of his trophies, medals and watches were destroyed in a house fire. Nevertheless, he was able to look back on a successful career. “Great memories. That’s what they are. Great memories.”
Don was also selected as one of Wisconsin’s fifteen greatest athletes.
Don’s wife, Lori, died in 2016. They had been married for 65 years.
When he died, Don had fourteen grandchildren, twenty-two great-grandchildren and two great-great-grandchildren.
RIP – Running Indoors Particularlyfast.
