Meet Director Emeritus is honored at Centennial Gala, Games
"What an honor to be introduced by the greatest performers in Millrose history," said Schmertz, after tributes from seven-time Wanamaker Mile winner Eamonn Coghlan and six-time Millrose Games winner Mary Slaney. Schmertz in turn paid tribute to his wife, Judy, who served as his unofficial assistant for the many years he organized the event out of a basement office in their Long Island home. "For putting up with me and the crazy track business, she deserves a standing ovation," he said, and the crowd of 300 obliged.
At the Gala, Mary Slaney and Eamonn Coghlan gave Howard Schmertz a crystal bowl etched with the signatures of all 19 Hall of Famers in attendance.
Joining Coghlan and Slaney in a Parade of Legends at the formal Gala were Hall of Fame members Harrison Dillard, Diane Dixon, John Thomas, Greg Foster, Doug Padilla, Horace Ashenfelter, Stephanie Hightower, Don Paige, Renaldo Nehemiah, Marcus O'Sullivan, Joetta Clark Diggs, Marty Liquori, Gwen Torrence, Joni Huntley, Billy Olson, Dwight Stones and Cheryl Toussaint.
In addition to the Hall of Fame members, those attending included 1996 Olympic gold medalist decathlete Dan O’Brien; two-time Olympic gold medalist sprinter Maurice Greene; and actor Roscoe Lee Browne, who won the Millrose Games 880-Yard Run in 1952. The affair was emceed by WNBC sports anchor and track fan Bruce Beck.
"Tonight is not just a celebration of the Millrose Games, I think, but of track and field," said Coghlan.
Schmertz, 81, was also recognized during a ceremony at the 100th Millrose Games tonight, along with 19 other Hall of Fame members.
The Schmertz family has been involved in every Millrose Games since the event began in 1908, when Fred Schmertz was working as a delivery boy for the John Wanamaker Department Store. The elder Schmertz, who eventually became head of Wanamaker’s legal department, was named Meet Director in 1934. In 1950, son Howard was named assistant meet director, and assumed the head role when his father retired in 1975. The younger Schmertz was named Meet Director Emeritus in 2004.
Howard Schmertz graduated from DeWitt Clinton High School in the Bronx in 1941 and served in World War II as an Army infantryman, during which time he missed his only two Millrose Games in 73 years. Upon his discharge, he earned his undergraduate degree at Columbia University and, in 1948, graduated from Columbia Law School and went to work for the firm Dean Magill & Huber, which later became Huber Lawrence & Abell. Schmertz worked days as a partner in his law firm while devoting nights and weekends to his unpaid post as Meet Director.
