John Romig

Background

Romig was born in Beaver Springs, Pennsylvania in 1898.

Education

Pennsylvania State University.

Career

Early years

Romig enrolled at Penn State University where he became a star athlete in distance and cross-country running. Romig was also selected as the top cross-country runner for the All-American Athletic Team published in the annual Spalding"s Official Athletic Almanac for 1921. Olympic competition

Romig"s victory was reported as follows:

Romig jumped into the lead at the fourth lap and held it to the finish."

Romig finished fourth in 5,000 meter race at the Olympic games in Paris with a time of 15:12.4.

The "Flying Finns," Paavo Nurmi and Ville Ritola, took the gold and silver medals, and a Swede, Edvin Wide, finished ahead of Romig for the bronze medal, though Romig had beaten Wide in the semi-finals.

Romig continued to compete following the 1924 Olympics, moving up in distance to the 10,000 meter race. Competing for the Meadowbrook Club in Philadelphia, he finished second in the 10,000 meter race at the 1928 Amateur Athletic Union championship.

Romig returned to Olympic competition in 1928. He ran for the United States in the 10,000 meter race in Amsterdam.

Later years

Romig later became known as an expert in explosives.

He was the manager of Quarry Mining Industries and an executive with Atlas Chemical Industries (now known as AstraZeneca) and Atlas Powder Company of Wilmington, Delaware. In April 1961, Romig was honored at the Penn Relays. In 1971, Romig was elected to the Board of Trustees of Penn State University.

Romig died in 1984 at age 87.

Achievements

• He won collegiate championships in the two-mile race in 1921 and 1922 and finished fourth in the 1924 Summer Olympics in the 5,000 meter race. Collegiate middle distance champion He won the two-mile run at the first National Collegiate Athletic Association track and field championships in 1921 with a time of 9:31. He was Penn State"s first National Collegiate Athletic Association track champion. In 1922, Romig won the United States of America Indoor Track & Field Championship in the two-mile race with a time of 9:21.2. In June 1924, Romig easily won the 5,000 meter race in the United States. Olympic trials at Harvard Stadium in Cambridge, Massachusetts with a time of 15:15.7. "The running of John Romig of Penn State in the 5,000 meters event which he won by ten yards, was a beautiful exhibition and raised hopes that Uncle Sam may figure better than anticipated in this race at Paris. The Associated Press reported on Romig"s performance in Paris as follows: "America had some consolation when John Romig, former intercollegiate cross-country champion, beat out Sipila of Finland for Fourth place." The "Flying Finns," Nurmi and Ritola, won gold and silver in the event.

Connections

teacher:

Square Consolidated High