An excellent all-around athlete, John Borican demonstrated his versatility by winning national titles in the pentathlon (1938 and 1939), the decathlon (1941) and the 800 meters (1941 and 1942). He also was a good 400m hurdler and placed second in that event at the 1938 USA-Germany dual meet. It was indoors, however, where Borican posted his most impressive achievements. His best season was 1939, when he won 11 of 15 races and set world indoor bests in the 800 meters, 880 yards and 1000 yards. He also set a world indoor best at three quarters of a mile in 1940. Overall, he won four straight national indoor titles at 1000 yards or 1000 meters from 1939 to 1942. In 1939, he set his 1000-yard record against another Hall of Famer, Glenn Cunningham, in a match race. One of his outdoor bests was a 46.2 for 440 yards, run on a straight course. World War II prevented Borican from competing in the Olympic Games. A portrait artist by profession, he had his brilliant career cut short on January 4, 1943, when he died of a mysterious form of pernicious anemia.
World Record: 1,000 m - 2:24.30
1938 AAU: Pentathlon (1st) 1939 AAU: Pentathlon (1st) 1941 AAU: Decathlon (1st) 1941 AAU: 800 m (1st) 1942 AAU: 800 m (1st)
Portrait artist and illustrator