Does anybody know where I can find out a detailed history of their careers and rivalry please? I've got Harris and Clarke's "The Lonely Breed" but was wondering if there was anything else out there more detailed, whether book or article (wasn't there a TFN article on them back in the 1970s?) or web.
Cheers!
There is a book called The Milers. It is from the early 80's. Great chapters on the both of them. Great to see someone interested in these guys. Likely, had they not retired before their prime, one of them would have pushed the other to under 4 min long before bannister.
There is also another book called "3:59.4: The Quest for the four-minute mile" by Bob Philips. It starts in the 1890s and continues all the way to El G when he ran 3:43. It talks about guys like Walter George, Lovelock, Paavo Nurmi, Wooderson, Herb Elliot, and of course Roger Bannister. But there is a good deal of information on Hagg and Andersson, especially when they lowered the mile from 4:06 to 4:01 in the 1940s.
This past fall I named my new quarter horse Arne, after Arne Andersson. I wanted to name the second one Gunder, but my finace wouldn't go for it.
Here's an interesting link, but in Swedish. Gunder the Wonder was banned for life in 1946 for accepting prize money.
barakus,
if you get three more horse be sure to name them Ric, Tully, and Ole.
I'm very fortunate to have inherited a copy of "The Lonely Breed" from my dad. The chapter about Andersson is one of the best.
The picture in the book of Andersson and Hagg running for the tape, looking at each other as they run down the finishing straight is one of my favorites. Neither is conceding the race, and it's almost as if they're daring each other to try to win.
Hagg wrote an autobiography back in the 40s but unfortunately it was never translated to English. I recall there being a chapter on them in "Running-The Power and the Glory" by Norman Harris (1986). I believe Andersson is still alive and living in a town near Gothenburg.
According to Swedish Wiki, he lives in Vanersborg, nne of G'burg. He will be 90 on 27 October.
The Big Swede wrote:
There is a book called The Milers. It is from the early 80's. Great chapters on the both of them. Great to see someone interested in these guys. Likely, had they not retired before their prime, one of them would have pushed the other to under 4 min long before bannister.
I've got this book, very rare. Great book though
Thanks guys. Seems a shame that there's not a book dedicated to their rivalry (a la The Perfect Distance about Coe and Ovett). Maybe one for somebody out there on Letsrun? It would be great to find out in detail from Andersson and those that knew Hagg.
Here's hoping!