Another Blast From The Past –
Abel Kiviat, H.S. Miler to World Record Holder in 70 Days !!!
by Bill Welsh  

           March 3, 2008 - When last we looked down the track at Abel Kiviat, he was on his way to a sub- 2 minute half and a Jr. Met AAU Championship.

            That was on 7-10-1909, slightly over a month after he won the first of his high school championship races, which were the half mile and one mile runs.  Abel was now

wearing a singlet of the Flying Fist - the Irish American Athletic Club.  Kiviat also took his Curtis HS teammate John Drebinger with him to his new team and AAU Club competition. 

            On July 3rd Drebinger made himself recognized at the Brighton AC Games in Brooklyn by winning the 60 yd  dash in 7 seconds flat.  "JD" was no longer a novice and was on his way to being known as "Ten Flat" – so dubbed by the Staten Island Advance sports reporter.

            On Saturday, August 7, 1909, at the Asbury Park A.A.'s Summer Athletic Games, Abel Kiviat set his first of several World Records.  At that time only a month and fiifteen days past his 17th birthday (DOB 6-22-1892). Abel Richard Kiviat ran a blistering 2:47 - 2/5 two-thirds of a mile, a 4:10 mile pace. The one-time Rosebank Baseball Player ran from scratch and allowed liberal handi-caps to the field in what may have been only his 5th or 6th race ever in the sport of running.

            Starting ahead of Kiviat were William F. Frawley, (60 yards) and Herb McCherry ( 70 yards). Bother were still leading as they entered the last lap.  When they came to the last 100, Kiviat caught McCherry but Frawley still had him by about 6 yards.  With a desperate sprint, Abel cut into that lead but finished 2nd - two yards short of a win.  His time again was 2:47 for 2/5.

            The old record which Kiviat broke belonged to W.G. George.  George’s time was 2:48 for1/5 made way back in 1883 in NY City.

            Today 116 years since Abel's birthday, we think of Jim Ryan and Alan Webb as school boy wonders with sub fours.  They were truly great, however, both had four years of running experience with teammates and demanding coaches, urging them on. 

            Staten Island's Abel Kiviat was only into his first three months of competition !  How really phenomenal was he?