Background
Joseph Gregory "Greg" Rice was born in Deer Lodge, Montana on January 3, 1916, later moving to Missoula, Montana.
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Greg Rice
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He graduated in 1939.
Career
Like most athletes of his generation his athletics career was curtailed by the outbreak of the Second World War. Greg Rice ran for Notre Dame university track team whilst studying there. At 5" 5" height but barrel-chested, Rice was nicknamed the "Little Dynamo".
After leaving Notre Dame, Rice was affiliated with the New York Athletic Club On March 16, 1943, Rice set a world indoor best time for two miles of 8:51.0, a time not bettered for 9 years.
Overall, Rice was to set indoor best times on 8 occasions. On June 6, 1942, Rice set a new American outdoor record for 3 miles of 14:00.0.
His final race was on June 20, 1943, where he came second to the legendary Swedish runner Gunder Hägg over 5000 m at the Amateur Athletic Union Championships. His training for the race had been interrupted by time at sea following his enlisting in the United States Maritime Service six months earlier.
After his service in the war, Rice worked as an accountant for the toy company Louis Marx & Company.
He retired in 1984. Rice remained active within athletics serving as an official He died in 1991 of a stroke Rice was a very successful competitor at 5000 m in the United States of America National Track and Field Championships (then Amateur Athletic Union Championships) between 1938 and 1943: Accolades and
Achievements
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In 1940, Rice received the Sullivan Award as the outstanding American amateur athlete. In 1977, he was inducted into the United States Track and Field Hall of Fame In 1994, he was inducted into the Montana High School Association Hall of Fame. In 2005, he was inducted into the Millrose Games Hall of Fame (because of his four wins at 2 miles in the Millrose Games in 1939 and 1941-1943).
