The Tie Goes To The Runner(s)

A dead heat.

On Independence Day, we recognize two service academies – Army and Air Force – that captured their first (and still only) victories by male athletes in this meet 56 years ago. It happened in a thrilling finish in the Men’s 5000 Meters, resulting in the first unintentional* tie for first in a running event in the history of the NCAA Track & Field Championships.

This was 1964, long before technology would make judging close finishes much less time consuming than this one took – several minutes and even then it was only pending until photo negatives could be developed hours later in a trackside room. The final result was a tie between Bill Straub of Army and Jim Murphy of Air Force, both in a meet record time of 14:12.3.

Both Straub, a senior and recently commissioned second lieutenant, and Murphy, a sophomore, were among a select few runners who weren’t doubling back from the 10,000-meter final the day before. The freshness in their legs would become valuable as the race turned into a mad dash on the final homestretch.

Murphy had led for the previous four laps before being passed by Straub and Central Connecticut State’s Jim Keefe going into the last turn. Straub then grabbed the homestretch lead with Murphy finding a second gear. At the finish, Murphy leaned and Straub lunged, tripping over Murphy’s leg.

“I stuck my head out,” Murphy was quoted by United Press International. “I have a habit of doing that in a close race. Sometimes they go on that.”

The Associated Press noted Straub, who tumbled to the ground at the finish, “…needed help off the track, his legs rubbery and his eyes glazed.” Straub later told the AP, “I’m usually sick after a fast last quarter, but not like this.”

Ironically, the very next day the meet had another dead heat in the 400 meters. There has not been a tie for first in any event since at the NCAA DI Outdoor Championships.

Fun fact: Finishing fourth in this race at Hayward Field was an Oregon sophomore named Ken Moore. The Eugene native would become much famous later as Kenny Moore, a two-time Olympic marathoner and the longtime track & field writer for Sports Illustrated. He authored the seminal biography on Bill Bowerman (Bowerman and the Men of Oregon).

*The only other tie for first in this meet in a running event before then came in the 1944 mile, when Michigan twins Robert and Ross Hume intentionally tied. They attempted to do the same in 1945, but Ross was given the win over Robert, both with the same time.