Illinois’ Kerr Went Back-To-Back At NCAAs

By all accounts, George Kerr was an excellent quarter-miler.

Yet, as a sophomore at Illinois – when he had the fifth-fastest 400/440 time in the world – he chose to run the 880 yards at the 1958 NCAA Outdoor Track & Field Championships at Berkeley, California.

Kerr didn’t make that final, but by 1959 he showed half-mile talents rarely seen.

At the 1959 NCAA meet in Lincoln, Nebraska, Kerr won the 880 by 1.9 seconds in 1:47.8 with a blistering last half lap. That was equal to the third-fastest yet seen in meet history.

Fans at the Drake Relays knew he could still run faster. They witnessed Kerr split a 1:46.6 for the 880 of a world-best sprint medley when the 880 world record at the time was 1:46.8. He followed that with a 45.7 split in the mile relay less than an hour later – the WR was 45.7 at the time.

Kerr’s final race as a collegian came at the 1960 NCAA Outdoor Championships, back again at Berkeley’s Edwards Stadium. The race – held at the Olympic distance of 800 meters instead of the then-normal 880 yards – was a classic.

The first lap was led by Stanford’s Ernie Cunliffe in 51.7 with Kerr in second until he stormed to the front on the last turn. He held his lead for an amazing time of 1:46.4, a new meet and collegiate record that made him third-fastest in world history.

Behind Kerr, Cal’s Jerry Siebert had come from further back to also pass Cunliffe and finished in at PR 1:46.9, also under the old MR.

While that top-3 all made the Rome Olympics later that summer, only Kerr medaled. He did so with two bronze medals, once in the 800 and then again anchoring his native Jamaica 4×400 team.