Monster day for M95 Don Pellmann: three world records, one AR

Don Pellmann was ready. His shadow was ready. The meet was ready (with a USATF sanction in hand). So yesterday at the Bay Area Senior Games held at Stanford, Don proceeded to smash three world records and one American record while being treated by paramedics for a pole vault injury to his leg. The shadow? That was masters swimmer Sally DeMoss, who made sure EVERYTHING was perfect for record consideration. Don is 95. So he age-group WRs in the high jump (0.99 meters or 3-3), shot (8.21 or 26-11 1/2) and discus (18.92 or 62-1). He ran the 100 in 24.14 to destroy Leland McPhie’s listed American record of 37.16 but fell short of the WR of 21.44. So how does Don plan to celebrate his latest record spree? Quit track, says his son, Jim, who chronicled the day in a long note (below). According to Jim, his dad says says this is “absolutely, positively” the last meet he’ll ever compete in, “but since we’ve heard the same thing for many years, it’s hard to take that seriously!”

Don, apparently in his drive phase, bears down for an AR in the 100.

Here’s the note Jim Pellmann sent out late Sunday night:

PBS channels across the country have now scheduled airings of the documentary “Over 90 and Loving It” in which Don is featured.  See below.  Many of the channels are showing it in the next week or two.

But first let me fill you in on Don’s NEW records, set Sunday!

Sunday was the day for the track and field events at the California State Senior Games Championships, held at Stanford.  Some of you know that Don was planning to compete, though it turned out to be a last-minute decision, as we have had terribly cold and rainy weather for the last 9 days straight!  As a result, Don was not able to get much practicing in, PLUS he was fighting off a cold/flu bug a couple of weeks ago.

But today was the only non-rainy day in the last 10, and we had an overcast day with occasional appearances by the sun, and light winds.  So Don was able to give it a go, and did pretty well.

This meet was of particular interest as it was the first local major meet since Don turned 95 last August, and had moved into another age group (95-99) and thus able to set new records for that age group.  Yes, there have been a few other participants in that age range, so that there are records in most events, except the pole vault.

The problem with getting CERTIFIED records is that there are very strict record-keeping and reporting requirements.  For example, all measurements have to be verified by THREE judges who have USATF credentials; the measurements have to be done using a STEEL measuring tape or other scientific instruments (the running events are all captured by computer and photo finish, so that is the easiest); for the throwing events (discuss, shot put), the implement has to be weighed BEFORE and AFTER the throw, heights for pole vault and high jump have to be measured BEFORE and AFTER a record jump, etc., etc.  It is all quite overwhelming, not only for the athletes, but also the judges and meet officials!

As some of you may remember, when Don competed in the National Senior Games in 2009 (also at Stanford), he competed in 8 events and set national and world records in 6 events, and the judges did all the right measuring and paperwork, but we later found out that the meet had not been properly sanctioned by the USATF ahead of time, and they would not sanction the event after the fact, so Don’s records were not recognized.  This was not a big concern for Don, as he was mostly just happy to have performed well, but many of his fellow athletes were quite upset that his accomplishments were not officially recognized.

As a result of that, one athlete from San Diego (Bud Held, who was an Olympic javelin thrower in the ’50s) took particular interest in Don’s records, and wrote to the meet director for today’s events, Jeff Myers, asking to make sure the meet was USATF-sanctioned, and that the proper official record keeping would be done for Don’s attempts.

Thanks to Bud’s efforts, and some detailed instructions he forwarded, Jeff assigned a volunteer to shadow Don throughout today’s events, and ensure all measurements, signatures, and paperwork were completed.  So we had the pleasure of spending the day with Sally DeMoss, herself a masters swimmer!  Here are Sally and Don:

Sally DeMoss made sure Don's records were kosher.


Sally was a real sweetheart, not only wrangling the appropriate judges and measurements when needed, but cheering for Don and encouraging him throughout the day.

I should also mention that Jeff clued the announcer into Don’s world record attempts and the announcer then gave Don ample recognition before each one of his events.

So for Don’s first event, the 100-meter dash, the announcer let everyone know the record he was attempting, and got the crowd on their feet cheering him on:

RESULT: Don broke the American record (37.16 seconds) by MORE THAN 13 SECONDS with a time of 24.14 (the world record remains at 21.44)

Next was the high jump:

Don does a variation of the straddle, nearly becomes oldest man over 1 meter.

RESULT: Don broke both the American AND World record, with a jump of 0.99 meters (3′ 3″).  He cleared it easily, and could have probably jumped higher, but they were waiting for him at the other events, so he left it at that.

Next was the pole vault, and he easily cleared the 1.00 meter height (3′ 3″) on his first attempt:

But he didn’t push the pole backwards after clearing the bar, and the pole then knocked the bar off!  He missed in his second and third attempts, so did not set a record.  AND … he managed to scrape his leg against the pole in the process … OUCH!

A paramedic treats Don for injury. Didn't stop him from setting records.

He ran off to the Discus Throw, where they were waiting for him, with the paramedics in hot pursuit!

He stepped right up and threw:

RESULT: A new American record [previous: 15.95 meters (52’ 4.0”)] AND world record [previous: 17.22 meters (56’ 6.0”)] with ALL of his 3 throws, with his best being 18.92 meters (62′ 1″).

Only after setting a new record would he allow the paramedics (8 of them by now!) to work on his leg:

And at this point, not only the other competitors, but even the paramedics wanted to shake his hand, and have their picture taken with him!

And most touchingly: the man who let Don borrow his discus, Jim Doyle, who competes in the 60-64 age group, ended up giving him the discuss to keep as a souvenir of setting the new world record:

Last event of the day was the shot put, one of Don’s best events.  No picture this time, but you probably know the RESULT: each of his three throws bested the old American record [6.87 meters (22’ 6.5”)] and the old world record [6.93 meters (22’ 8.8”)], with his best throw at 8.21 meters (26′ 11.5″).

Also, by this time, the newspaper and TV reporters were catching up with him:

Don meets the press after his Day of Records at Stanford.

So it was a long day for Don, and he was mainly very disappointed in not completing a pole vault, especially when he cleared the height so easily.  But with four more gold medals to add to his collection. AND the attention and admiration of so many other competitors, it was well worth the effort and time spent.

He says this is “absolutely, positively” the last meet he’ll ever compete in, but since we’ve heard the same thing for many years, it’s hard to take that seriously!

Thanks to Bud and Jeff and Sally for their help today, and all family and friends for the support of Don’s athletic endeavors through the years!

Now here is the schedule for “Over 90 and Loving It” on various PBS stations around the country.

We are planning to go down to San Diego on April 20 for the official “premiere party” with the producers and several other seniors featured in the film, and we’ll send a report on that afterward.

Be sure to check your local PBS channel listings to verify these dates and times!

Albuquerque Santa Fe NM KNME Sunday, 4/10 at 2:00pm.
Atlanta WPBA Tuesday, March 29th at 10pm
Augusta WEBA Sunday 4/3 at 6pm
Baltimore WMPT Thursday, March 31st at 11pm
Bend, OR KOAB Thursday 3/31 at 11pm
Birmingham WBIQ Thursday, March 31st at 10pm
Bowling Green WKGB Monday 4/4 at 9pm
Champaign, IL WEIU Thursday 3/31 at 7pm
Charleston SC WITV Sunday 4/3 at 6pm
Charleston, WV WKAS Monday 4/4 at 10pm
Charlotte WTVI Wednesday 3/30 at 11pm
Cincinnati WCVN Monday 4/4 at 10pm
Cleveland WNEO Sunday, April 3rd at 3pm
Colorodo Springs K32EO Sunday, April 3rd at 7pm and 9pm
Corpus Christi, TX KEDT Wednesday, 4/6 at 7pm
Denver KBDI Sunday, April 3rd at 7pm and 9pm
Eugene KEPB Thursday 3/31 at 11pm
Evansville WKMA Monday 4/4 at 9pm
Flint – Saginaw WCMU Thursday 3/31 at 9pm
Fresno, CA KVPT Thursday, 3/31 at 10pm
Ft. Wayne WFWA Friday 4/1 at 9am
Grand Rapids-Kalmzoo-B.Crk WGVU Sunday, April 17th at 2pm
Greensboro Winston Salem NC WUNL Wednesday April 6th at 3pm
Greenville-New Bern WUND Wednesday 4/6 at 3pm
Huntsville – Decatur WFIZ Thursday 3/31 at 10pm
Indianapolis WIPB Thursday, March 31st at 9pm
Jackson, MS (all) Thursday, April 28th at 9pm
Jacksonville FL Brunswick GA WJCT Tuesday 3/29 at 11pm
Joplin-Pittsburg KOZJ Thursday 3/31 at 9pm
Kansas City KCPT Wednesday 3/23 at 9am
Las Vegas, NV KLVX Friday, April 15th at 10pm
Lexington, KY WKLE Monday 4/4 at 10pm
Los Angeles KLCS Friday 4/15 at 10:00pm
Los Angeles KOCE Saturday 4/23 at 5pm
Los Angeles KVCR Wed, 3/30 at 8pm; 3/31 at 12am
Louisville, KY WKMJ Monday April 4th at 10pm
Miami-Ft. Lauderdale WLRN Wednesday March 30th at 7pm, Thursday 3/31 at 10pm
Milwaukee WMVS Sunday, May 8 at 9am on 36.1
(repeating Sunday, May 15 at 6am)
Minneapolis-St. Paul KTCA Saturday 5/21 at 3pm
Mobile-Pensacola WEIQ Thursday 3/31 at 10pm
Mobile-Pensacola WSRE Thursday 3/31 at 9pm
Monterey Salinas KQET Saturday 4/2 at 6pm
Montgomery/Selma WAIQ Thursday 3/31 at 10pm
Myrtle Beach WHMC Sunday 4/3 at 6pm
New York WLIW Saturday May 7th at 5pm
New York WNET Thursday May 5th at 8pm
Orlando-Daytona Beach WMFE Sunday, May 1st at 1pm
Paducah-Cape Girard WKMU Monday 4/4 at 9pm
Portland, OR KOPB Thursday, March 31st at 11pm
(repeating Mon, April 4 at 3am)
Raleigh Durham WUNC Wednesday April 6th at 3pm
Reno KNPB Friday 4/1 at 10pm
Sacramento KVIE Monday, April 11 at 11pm
Salisbury WCPB Thursday 3/31 at 11pm
Salt Lake City KUED Thursday, April 7th at midnight
(repeating Sunday, April 10th at noon)
San Antonio KLRN Saturday, 4/9 at 8:00pm
(repeating Thursday, 4/14 at 9:00pm)
San Diego KPBS Tuesday April 26th at 9pm
San Francisco-Oak-San Jose KQED Saturday April 2 at 6pm
Savannah WJWJ Sunday 4/3 at 6pm
Seattle-Tacoma KCTS Sunday 4/3 at 6 pm
South Carolina/Columbia WRAJ Sunday 4/3 at 6pm
Springfield, MO KOZK Thursday 3/31at 9pm
Tampa-St. Petersburg WEDU Friday, April 1st at 11pm
Tampa-St. Petersburg WUSF Friday, April 1st at 4pm
Toledo, OH WGTE Tuesday 3/29 at 8pm,
(repeating on 4/13 at 3pm)
Traverse City WCMV Thursday 3/31 at 9pm
Tulsa, OK KRSC Tentative: 4/7 at 8pm
Washington, DC WHUT Tuesday, 4/19 at 9pm & Saturday, 4/23 at 10am
West Palm Beach WXEL Wednesday 4/13 at noon
Wilmington WUNJ Wednesday 4/6 at 3pm
Yakima, WA KYVE Sunday 4/3 at 6pm
Youngstown WNEO Sunday 4/3 at 3pm

About the Film

This documentary features people in their 90s and 100s who are living extraordinary and passionate lives. Filmmaker Susan Polis Schutz has interviewed some of the most incredible people you can imagine people who aren’t aware of chronological age at all, but live as though the future and youth spring eternal. Through these interviews, she discovered ten characteristics that are the key to people living a fulfilling life at any age.

We meet and fall in love with a wide range of engaging characters. For starters: Nola Ochs receives her master’s degree just three months shy of her 99th birthday. Folk singer Pete Seeger, 90, uses his music to change the world. Fan Benno-Caris runs for city council in Addison, Texas, at the age of 91. Katie Brown, 91, bakes and serves cinnamon rolls five days a week. Marlow Cowan, 91, and his wife Frances have over 7 million views on YouTube.com playing the piano in the lobby of Mayo Clinic. Annell and Dr. Ernest Rogers, both nonagenarians, recently got married in a formal church wedding.

There is lovely-hearted Leola Dillard, 97, a charity organizer in Yazoo City, Mississippi. John Finn, nearly 100, is the recipient of the Congressional Medal of Honor for heroism during Pearl Harbor. Laura Simon, 103, is an artist/author working on her second book about her life. Granny D (Doris Haddock), age 100, is a feisty political activist who marches across the country. Les Lieber, age 96, plays his saxophone at Jazz at Noon every Friday in New York City. Don Pellmann, 94, is a Senior Olympics Gold Medal winner, and we see him easily doing the pole vault. Harry Rakoff, 94, saunters along the Coney Island Boardwalk, taking a break from his high-paced job driving a taxi in the heart of New York City.

We sit at their feet for words of advice, witnessing how they forgot to grow old and are always curious to see what’s going to happen next. Putting it succinctly, “You can drive yourself nuts worrying about things you can’t do anything about. Instead you should be exhilarated about living every day passionately.”

Print Friendly

March 28, 2011

4 Responses

  1. Weia Reinboud - March 28, 2011

    Very nice! But a pity he did not do the high jump to the very end.

  2. Karl Hawke - March 28, 2011

    Wow! Three WRs in a day! I did three events at the Mid-Atlantic meet yesterday and am sore today. And Don is 50 years older than me. Kinda puts things in perspective and makes me not hurt so bad.

    Thanks, Don, for your example. You’re an inspiration to all of us.

  3. Bernd Rehpenning - March 28, 2011

    This man impressed me 5 years ago when he set seven world records in one weekend. The performances of this man are incredible.
    My respect for Don Pellman.

    Bernd Rehpenning

  4. marilyn priel - May 15, 2011

    I would like to interview Don for a 30 minute program about himself on public access. The name of our show is called The Better Part. It is seen weekly throughout the South Bay and coastal areas. You can look us up on our website http://www.thebetterpart.com. I have interviewed many interesting and inspiring people. Cell:408-504-2614. Hope to meet this great man.

Leave a Reply