RIP László Tabori - History's 3rd sub-4 miler has died. He also coached Boston and NYC champs.

portsea57 wrote:

Wow! I just got his biography last week, and was reading it today.

He was the last of the great Hungarian trio who rewrote the record books in the mid-50s.

As I understand it, the great Hungarian trio missed out of winning Olympic medals in 1956, because of the aftermath of the Hungarian uprising in 56 against Soviet communist rule.

Oddly enough, the gallant Hungarians today are also leading the fight for European survival.

Nice post, Cush!

Trojan76 wrote:

László Tabori passed away today at CedarsSinsi hospital in Los Angeles. Tabori was the third person ever to break the 4 minute mile. He was 86 years old.

Editor's note: We added to the title to make it more descriptive. The original title was "RIP László Tabori."

Here are a few articles on him.

IAAF:

https://www.iaaf.org/news/iaaf-news/laszlo-tabori-obituary

AP:

https://apnews.com/17def53efda04b70a5c67e6aa1aea5ba

USC:

http://usctrojans.com/news/2018/5/23/track-field-former-usc-assistant-t-f-coach-and-famed-distance-runner-tabori-passes-away.aspx

I didn't know him well, however trained with him for a short time when he was coaching the SFVTC and when I was living in the valley. Very humble guy. RIP.

I trained at the San Fernando Track Club with him for a year. He was the toughest coach I ever trained under. I also hit his store on occasion on Woodman. RIP coach.

Lazlo had just retired when I joined the LATC in 1963, but he was around frequently.

A good man gone.

Question 2 wrote:

I read the Bob Shulz bio 20 + tears ago .

Did he not train under his tutelage ?

Schul, Tabori, and a host of others trained under Mihaly Igloi.

Laszlo had a fondness for catfish. After several attamps to get me to join him on a fishing a venture, I go ally conceded. We drove to a secluded section of the Santa Ana river near a freeway overpaid. I asked him where was his fishing gear. He said " where going to make it". He quickly drew a net and using some branches made a fishing net. We probablynetted about twenty cat fish about 45 no it's time. We then retreated to where his wife was preparing an open fire pit. The fish was delicious. It was one of my finest memories. He was always himself

No matter what company he found himself in.

I'm Michael Spino and I trained with Mihlay Igloi after graduating from Syracuse University with a 4.09 mile in 1966/67 long after Lazlo Tabori wasn't around anymore, however the legend of what he and his compatriots Iharos and Rosevogi did historically with Igloi lives on in both mystique and legend. Recently, I watched an old newsreel of their training warming up on the inside grass with the pep and spring of those legs having run thousands of short intervals on the grass in the now totally disbanded Freiberg interval system. We never saw this type of training before the trio and coach in the 1950's and some utilized it afterwards and yet the magic of the maestro coach is unparalleled- one picture of him in a raincoat striking his arm forward is a authentic replica of the dynamic energy he had and Tabori was the only one who actually made it to the US and competed on US soil. With all the types of training, slow, fast, hills, etc, this trio trained completely different and it was done in a bygone era never to return.

Met Laszlo just once back in 1986 at his store. We talked and he cordially invited me to workout with his club that evening. I was familiar with that type of workout as my college coach had been Bob Schul.

Speaking of Bob Schul, Laszlo claimed that he had taught a young Schul everything about world-class racing. When I told this story to Schul, he said that he had allowed Laszlo to stay around a few extra years well after Lazslo's prime.

That was my best view into how strong of a competitive ego required of a world-class track athlete.