John Borican
 Borican in 1942 | ||||||||||
| Personal information | ||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Born | John J. Borican[1] April 4, 1913 Bridgeton, New Jersey, U.S. | |||||||||
| Died | December 22, 1942 (aged 29) Bridgeton, New Jersey, U.S. | |||||||||
| Education | Virginia State University Columbia University | |||||||||
| Sport | ||||||||||
| Sport | Athletics | |||||||||
Events | Long-distance running Decathlon Pentathlon | |||||||||
Medal record
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John J. Borican (April 4, 1913 – December 22, 1942) was an American long-distance runner.
Life and career
[edit]Borican was born in Bridgeton, New Jersey,[2] the son of C. H. Borican.[3] He excelled at track at Bridgeton High School.[4] He attended Temple University, but did not graduate, and then attended Virginia State University, earning his undergraduate degree. He also attended Columbia University, earning his Master of Arts degree.[5][6] He was a portrait painter.[7]
In 1940, Borican was awarded the John J. Hallanan Trophy.[8] In two years, he set a world record in the 1000-meter run with a time of 2:24.3.[2][9] He held six world records in long-distance running.[10][11] He then later took up the decathlon and men's pentathlon, winning both events at the 1941 USA Outdoor Track and Field Championships.[12]
Death and legacy
[edit]Borican died of pernicious anemia on December 22, 1942, in Bridgeton, New Jersey, at the age of 29.[5][13]
In 2000, Borican was posthumously inducted into the National Track and Field Hall of Fame.[2][5]
References
[edit]- ↑ "What About It?: Chances Of 4:00 Mile Remote If Dartmouth Abandons Handicap Meet". The Boston Globe. Boston, Massachusetts. March 16, 1940. p. 6. Retrieved April 28, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
- 1 2 3 "John Borican". National Track and Field Hall of Fame. Archived from the original on January 11, 2023. Retrieved April 28, 2024 – via Wayback Machine.
- ↑ "John Borican". U.S., World War II Draft Cards Young Men, 1940-1947. Retrieved October 12, 2025 – via Ancestry.com.
(subscription required) - ↑ John Borican, NJSports.com. Accessed October 12, 2025. "John Borican was born April 4, 1913, in Bridgeton to Charles and Sallie Borican.... He earned early fame as a football star and track and field athlete at Bridgeton High."
- 1 2 3 Wiggins, David K. (March 26, 2015). African Americans in Sports. Taylor & Wiggins. p. 40. ISBN 9781317477440 – via Google Books.
- ↑ "John Borican, 29, Champion Runner; Negro, Only Athlete to Win Decathlon and Pentathlon Title in One Year, Dies". The New York Times. December 23, 1942. Retrieved October 12, 2025.
- ↑ "Borican Now Ready". The Boston Globe. Boston, Massachusetts. January 25, 1941. p. 6. Retrieved April 28, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
- ↑ "John Borican to Bid in B. A. A. 1000 Race". The Boston Globe. Boston, Massachusetts. February 10, 1942. p. 20. Retrieved April 28, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
- ↑ "Other Records Set". Hartford Courant. Hartford, Connecticut. March 2, 1942. p. 11. Retrieved April 28, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
- ↑ "John Borican Is Greatest All-Around Track Athlete". Life. Time Inc. November 24, 1941. pp. 62–64. ISSN 0024-3019 – via Google Books.
- ↑ "John Borican Called His Shots in Important Races". Washington Afro-American. Washington, District of Columbia. January 2, 1943. p. 26. Retrieved April 28, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
- ↑ "John Borican". Track and Field Statistics. Retrieved December 14, 2024.
- ↑ "Death Takes John Borican, Natural Athlete of Track". Kearney Hub. Kearney, Nebraska. December 23, 1942. p. 3. Retrieved April 28, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
- USA Indoor Track and Field Championships winners
- 1913 births
- 1942 deaths
- Bridgeton High School alumni
- Sportspeople from Bridgeton, New Jersey
- Track and field athletes from Cumberland County, New Jersey
- American men long-distance runners
- 20th-century American sportsmen
- 20th-century African-American sportsmen
- American portrait painters
- 20th-century American painters
- 20th-century African-American painters
- American men decathletes
- American pentathletes
- Deaths from pernicious anemia
- Virginia State University alumni
- Columbia University alumni
- 20th-century American male painters