Gene Venzke had a long career, placing in the top five at the national outdoor championships ten times between 1930 and 1940.[1][3] His greatest successes, however, came indoors, as he was national champion in 1932, 1933 and 1936[1][4] and also set a number of world records.
Venzke was in excellent shape during the 1932 indoor season.[5] On February 6 he broke the indoor mile world record of Paavo Nurmi and Joie Ray with a clocking of 4:11.2 at the Millrose Games in New York.[6] He improved to 4:10.0 eleven days later at the Baxter Mile, also in New York.[7] On February 27 he broke the 1500 m world record with a time of 3:53.4.[8] Despite his age he was still in high school at the time, having dropped out for several years.[8][9]
At the 1933 indoor championships Venzke beat the Olympic fourth placer, Cunningham, in 3:55.4.[11] But again he failed to maintain his best shape into the summer; at the outdoor championships he was only third and Cunningham broke his American record.[3][12]
Venzke's main rivals in 1934 and 1935 were Cunningham and Princeton University's Bill Bonthron.[13] At the 1934 NCAA championships Venzke, now a sophomore at the University of Pennsylvania, placed third behind these two.[14] At the national championships Venzke ran 1500 meters in 3:50.5; however, this was only good enough for third place as Bonthron broke the world record.[3] At the 1935 championships he took second behind Cunningham.[3]
Venzke regained his national indoor title in 1936, scoring a close win over Cunningham in a world record time of 3:49.9.[15] At the outdoor championships he was again beaten to third behind Cunningham and Emporia State's Archie San Romani; however, he defeated Bonthron, who was fourth.[3] At the Olympic Trials the following week[nb 1] the same men took the four top spots in the same order, with Venzke in third making the Olympic team ahead of Bonthron.[17] At the Olympics Venzke won his heat and placed 9th in the final.[1]
After the Olympics, he was part of a United States relay team (with Chuck Hornbostel, San Romani and Cunningham) that set a new world record of 17:17.2 in the 4 x Mile relay.[1][18] He stayed in good shape for many more years,[19] running his personal mile best of 4:08.2 in 1940.[9] Originally from a poor family, Venzke made money as an investor[9] and opened a golf range in Reiffton, Pennsylvania after finally retiring from running.[9][20]
Notes
^In 1936, the national championships and the Olympic Trials were held separately for the first time since 1924. In 1992 they were merged into a single meet again.[16]
References
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*Distances have varied as follows: Mile (1940–2002) and 1932, 2007 and odd numbered years since 2011, 1500 meters (1933–1939), (2003–6, 2008–2010) and even numbered years since 2010
