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1920 United States Olympic trials (track and field)


1920 USA Outdoor Track and Field Championships
17 July9–10 July (decathlon, steeplechase)
Cambridge, MassachusettsTravers Island, New York (decathlon, steeplechase)
Harvard Stadium (men)
← 1919 USA Championships1912 trials 1921 USA Championships1924 trials →

The 1920 United States Olympic trials for track and field were held from 9 to 17 July 1920 and decided the United States team for the 1920 Summer Olympics in Antwerp, Belgium. As women's athletics was not added to the Olympic programme until 1928, only a men's trials was held. Most of the finals took place 16–17 July in Cambridge, Massachusetts at Harvard Stadium, except for the steeplechase and decathlon in Travers Island, New York and the decathlon in New York City.

The meeting also served as the 1920 USA Outdoor Track and Field Championships, unlike future editions which were held separately. It was the first U.S. track and field trials that consisted of only one final per event to make the team, except for the marathon trials which took place over four races.

A maximum of four athletes could be named to the team per event, unlike the three-athlete-limit of future Olympics. Also unlike future Olympic trials, the 1920 trials results were not completely determinative of the team; in several cases athletes who finished outside of the top 4 were selected based on consistency of previous results.

The marathon team was said to have been chosen based on results from marathons in Brooklyn, Detroit, Boston, and New York, although in practice only athletes that ran the Detroit, Boston, or New York marathons were selected. The top Americans at each of these races (Charles Mellor, 2:30:04 for 1st in Detroit; Arthur Roth, 2:30:21 for 2nd in Boston; Joseph Organ, 2:51:06.2 for 2nd in New York) were named to the team, along with Carl Linder who was the 2nd American finisher in Boston (2:23:32 for 3rd overall).

EventFirstSecondThirdFourth
100 yardsLoren Murchison10.0Jackson Scholz10.1 eCharles Paddock10.2 eMorris Kirksey10.2 e
220 yards straightCharles Paddock21.4Morris Kirksey21.6 eLoren Murchison21.6 eGeorge Massengale22.0 e
440 yardsFrank Shea49.0Ted Meredith49.4 eRobert Emery49.7 eGeorge Bretnall50.0 e
880 yardsEarl Eby1:54.2Donald Scott1:55.0 eThomas Campbell1:55.3 eBryan Sprott1:55.4 e
1 mileJoseph Ray4:16.2Edward Curtis4:19.0 eLawrence Shields4:19.2 eJames Connolly4:20 e
5000 mHal Brown15:26.0Clifford Furnas15:29.0 eJohn Simmons15:30.0 eIvan Dresser
10,000 mFrederick Faller32:15.0Earl Johnson32:18.0 eGeorge CornettaMax Bohland
120 yards hurdlesHarold Barron15.2William YountWalker SmithFrederick Murray
440 yards hurdlesFrank Loomis55.0John Norton55.2 eAugust DeschCharles Daggs
3000 m steeplechasePatrick Flynn9:58.2Michael Devaney10:06 eAlbert Hulsebosch10:08 eRay Watson
High jumpJohn Murphy1.93 mRichmond Landon1.92 mHarold Muller1.92 mChristopher Krogness1.89 m
Egon Erickson
Oliver Corey
Walter Whalen
Pole vaultFrank Foss3.99 mEdwin Myers3.99 mEdward Knourek3.91 mEldon Jenne3.91 m
Long jumpSolomon Butler7.52 mSherman Landers7.14 mDink Templeton6.91 mJack Merchant6.82 m
Triple jumpSherman Landers14.83 mDaniel Ahearn14.55 mKaufman Geist14.03 mClarence Jaquith13.95 m
Shot putPatrick McDonald14.33 mHarry Liversedge14.05 mGeorge Bihlman13.78 mHoward Cann13.56 m
Discus throwAugustus Pope44.63 mWilliam Bartlett43.22 mRoy Evans41.13 mMerle Husted41.03 m
Hammer throwPatrick James Ryan51.62 mMatthew McGrath50.68 mJames McEachern47.76 mBasil Bennett46.74 m
Javelin throwMilton Angier58.79 mJames Lincoln57.07 mKenneth Wilson52.56 mFlint Hanner52.55 m
DecathlonBrutus Hamilton7022.9815 ptsEverett Bradley6965.1180 ptsRobert LeGendre6578.7885 ptsHarry Goelitz6461.5310 pts
3000 m walkWillie Plant13:08.0
PentathlonBrutus Hamilton17 pts
Weight throw for distancePatrick McDonald11.56 m
  • List of USA Outdoor Track and Field Championships winners (men)
  • List of USA Outdoor Track and Field Championships winners (women)

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