Men's 4 × 200 metres relay world record progression explained

The following table shows the world record progression in the men's 4 × 200 metres relay in athletics.

Time	Team	Nationality	Location	Date	Participants	Event
1:27.8	University of Pennsylvania		Philadelphia	1919-06-07	Sherman Landers, F. S. Davis, W. C. Haymond, Elmer Smith	Penn Relays
1:27.4	New York AC		Pasadena	1921-07-05	Bernard Wefers, Jr.,^[1] Lovejoy, Ray, Farell
1:25.8	University of Southern California		Los Angeles	1927-05-14	House, Herschel Curry Smith, Borah, Lewis
1:25.0	Stanford University		Fresno	1937-05-15	Jim Kneubuhl, Stan Hiserman, Ray Malott, Jack Weiershauser^[2]	West Coast Relays
1:24.4	University of Southern California		Fresno	1949-05-14	Mel Patton, Ron Frazier, George Pasquali, Norman Stocks	West Coast Relays
1:24.0	University of Southern California		Fresno	1949-05-20	Mel Patton, Ron Frazier, George Pasquali, Norman Stocks	West Coast Relays
1:23.8	United States		Sydney	1956-12-05	Leamon King, Andy Stanfield, Thane Baker, Bobby Morrow
1:22.7	Texas University		Austin	1957-04-05	Wally Wilson, Eddie Southern, Hollis Gainey, Bobby Whilden^[3]	Texas Relays
1:22.6	Abilene Christian College		Modesto	1958-05-31	Bill Woodhouse, James Segrest, George Peterson, Bobby Morrow	Modesto Relays
1:22.1	San Jose State College		Fresno	1967-05-13	Ken Shackelford, George Talmadge, Lee Evans, Tommie Smith	West Coast Relays
1:21.5	Italy		Barletta	1972-07-21	Pietro Mennea, Franco Ossola, Pasqualino Abeti, Luigi Benedetti
1:21.4	Arizona State University		Philadelphia	1977-04-30	Gary Burl, Tony Darden, Gerald Burl, Herman Frazier^[4]	Penn Relays
1:20.26	University of Southern California ^[5]		Tempe	1978-05-27	Tom Andrews, James Sanford, Billy Mullins, Clancy Edwards	Sun Devil Relay Classic^[6]
1:19.38	Santa Monica Track Club		Koblenz	1989-08-23	Danny Everett, Leroy Burrell, Floyd Heard, Carl Lewis
1:19.11	Santa Monica Track Club		Philadelphia	1992-04-25	Michael Marsh, Leroy Burrell, Floyd Heard, Carl Lewis	Penn Relays
1:18.68	Santa Monica Track Club		Walnut	1994-04-20	Michael Marsh, Leroy Burrell, Floyd Heard, Carl Lewis	Mt. SAC Relays
1:18.63	Jamaica		Nassau	2014-05-24	Nickel Ashmeade, Warren Weir, Jermaine Brown, Yohan Blake	IAAF World Relays

References

http://www.saunalahti.fi/~sut/eng/mwrrun.html#4x200

Notes and References

1. Web site: Bernard J. Wefers, Sr. (American athlete) -- Encyclopædia Britannica. britannica.com. 2014-06-28.
2. Web site: Oakland Tribune from Oakland, California on May 23, 1937 · Page 10.
3. http://www.e-yearbook.com/yearbooks/University_Texas_Cactus_Yearbook/1957/Page_554.html
4. Web site: Arizona State University Official Athletic Site – Track & Field – Arizona State Sun Devils. thesundevils.com. 2014-06-29.
5. The USC team finished second in this race; the Tobias Striders won in a time of 1:20.23, but their time was rejected as a record because the team members were from different countries: Guy Abrahams (Panama), Michael Simmons (USA), Don Quarrie (Jamaica) and James Gilkes (Guyana).
6. A roundup of the week May 22–28 . 5 June 1978 . Sports Illustrated. 20 February 2017.