Dedicated to Laszlo Tabori
From “Sport s Illustrated” 1955 by David Mayer
“On May 27, Iharos and his sorter ,stockier, curly-haired friend,Tabori, flew into London for the annual British Games at White City Stadium.The flight from Budapest made them both airsick.As a result Iharos decided not to run in the mile race the next day, although Tabori decided he would…………………..
Tabori was at the time only the third-ranking 1500-meter man in Hungary and had hardly ever run the mile before. “I know only vaguely what the mile distance is” he said later, after the race.
On top of everything else it had rained hard the night before, and the track seemed slow.The English crowd grumbled.What they had expected to be the big race of the Games would probably be the big disappointment.
They were as wrong as they could be.What they saw was one of the greatest mile races in history.Tabori, Chataway and Hewson all run the mile in less than four minutes, and this barely a year after Banister had first burst past the great barrier.
Tabori ran third through the 59.9-second first lap behind Alan Gordon, who was in the race as pace setter and Chataway.Hewson was a closed fourth.Gordon still led at the half mile in a sparkling 2:00.8, a good stride ahead of youthful Hewson, who had moved up into second place.Chataway and Tabori were third and fourth, close behind Hewson.
On the backstretch of the third lap Gordon faltered and Hewson swept by into the lead, driving ahead, as Norris McWhirter report in Athletics World, “because with amazing confidence he thought that he could run away to win under four minutes”
Hewson led at ¾ mile mark in 3:02.This time was excellent in itself, but if a four minutes mile were to be achieved the last quarter mile would have to be run less than 58 seconds.And Chataway and Tabori, second and third, were three and four yards back of Hewson.
The last lap produced everything that could have been demanded of it.It was run in less than 58 seconds and by all three men.It provides a tremendous finish and it proved the valid of what Norris McWhirter calls mile-running’s two “Laws of Acceleration”.
“Entering the back straight” McWhirter wrote, “Tabori closed up and Chataway put on an unsustained tactical kick.He who accelerates twice is lost.Coming off the last turn Tabori, who had lain third while Hewson and Charaway were rubbing shoulders, moved late and decisively from behind, only 50 yards from home.He who accelerates from behind wins”
Tabori challenged Chataway and Hewson on the last turn, and Chataway, seeing him,tried to increase his own effort and pass Hewson.”A mistake”, he said later, “trying to pass on the bend.Wrong.”But Tabori, heedless of the extra yardage, passed both Chataway and Hewson in a tremendous burst of speed and came into the home stretch in front.He broke the tape five yards ahead of Chataway, who was barely inches in front of Hewson.Tabori was timed in 3:59, both Englishmen in 3:59.8
That phenomenal mile race sent Tabori’s name racing around the world”
The Hungarian assault
World records as of May 1 1955
1000m. 2:19.5 Boysen Norway
1500m. 3:41.8 Landy Australia
1 mile 3.58 Landy Australia
2000m. 5:07 Reif Belgium
3000m. 7:58.8 Reif Belgium
2 miles 8:40.4 Reif Belgium
3 miles 13:26.4 Kuc U.S.S.R
5000m. 13:51.2 Kuc U.S.S.R
6000m. 15:21.2 (relay) Hungary
World records as of Nov 1955
1000m. 2:19. Boysen Norway
Rozsavolgyi Hungary
1500m. 3:40.8 Iharos Hungary
Tabori Hungary
1 mile 3.58 Landy Australia
2000m. 5:02.2 Rozsavolgyi Hungary
3000m. 7:55.6 Iharos Hungary
2 miles 8:33.4 Iharos Hungary
3 miles 13:14.2 Iharos Hungary
5000m. 13:40.6 Iharos Hungary
6000m. 15:14.8 (relay) Hungary