January 29, 1972
Legendary Oregon runner Steve Prefontaine, wearing his Oregon jersey and bib No. 182, recorded a decisive victory on the wood oval track at the Memorial Coliseum, shattering the American record for the event.
More than 10,000 screaming fans followed Pre as he set the pace and established a substantial lead ahead of then-world-record mile holder Jim Ryun.
With two laps to go, Pre charged for Ryun and the crowd came to their feet. On the final lap, Pre pushed past the record holder, lapping the tall runner who wore bib No. 85. The crowd went nuts, their cheers deafening, and gave Pre a standing ovation while he took victory laps, appearing visibly exhausted from the race.
Six months later, Prefontaine competed at the Olympic trials in Eugene and went on to represent the United States at 1972 Olympic Games in Munich.