Joie Ray was one of America’s first great milers but later in his career moved up in distance. He is the only American to have represented the US at the Olympics in both the 1,500 (1920) and the marathon (1928). During his career he won 17 AAU titles, most notably the Mile/1,500 in 1915, and 1917-23, for eight wins at that distance. He also won the Wanamaker Mile at the Millrose Games seven times in 1917-20 and 1922-24. In 1923 he ran on a world-record setting 4×Mile relay team. He made the 1928 Olympic Team by winning the AAU 10K, which doubled as the Olympic Trials that year. For the marathon he won the New York-Long Beach (NJ) Marathon in May, which was an Olympic selection race, and finished third at the 1928 Boston Marathon. Ray was inducted into the National Track & Field Hall of Fame in 1976.
Personal Bests: 800 – 1:53.0 (1924); 1500 – 3:57.0i (1920); Mile – 4:14.4 (1919); 3000 – 8:31.2i (1923); 2 miles – 9:08.4i (1923); 10000 – 31:28.4 (1928); Marathon – 2-34:13.4 (1928).
United States