▁Ross ▁did ▁not ▁grow ▁up ▁possess ing ▁a ▁love ▁for ▁running . ▁In , ▁fact ▁it ▁was ▁not ▁until ▁he ▁was ▁cut ▁from ▁Wood bury ▁High ▁School ' s ▁baseball ▁team ▁that ▁he ▁took ▁up ▁running . ▁It ▁was ▁not ▁long ▁before ▁his ▁second ▁choice ▁of ▁sport ▁was ▁a ▁true ▁calling , ▁as ▁Ross ▁bl oss omed ▁into ▁one ▁of ▁the ▁greatest ▁high ▁school ▁distance ▁run ners ▁in ▁the ▁entire ▁state ▁of ▁New ▁Jersey . ▁In ▁the ▁spring ▁of ▁ 1 9 4 3 , ▁his ▁senior ▁year , ▁he ▁was ▁crown ed ▁the ▁N . J . ▁State ▁M ile ▁Champion ▁and ▁National ▁Inter sch ol astic ▁Ind oor ▁M ile ▁Champion . ▁ ▁World ▁War ▁II ▁Like ▁many ▁te en agers ▁during ▁his ▁generation , ▁Ross ▁graduated ▁from ▁high ▁school ▁and ▁went ▁straight ▁into ▁military ▁service . ▁He ▁joined ▁the ▁Navy ▁and ▁fought ▁in ▁World ▁War ▁II . ▁Upon ▁dis charge ▁several ▁years ▁later , ▁he ▁was ▁discovered ▁by ▁Vill an ova ▁University ▁track ▁coach ▁Jim ▁" J um bo " ▁Elli ott ▁and ▁awarded ▁a ▁scholar ship ▁after ▁a ▁victory ▁in ▁a ▁two - mile ▁race ▁at ▁Mad ison ▁Square ▁Garden . ▁ ▁Vill an ova ▁University ▁Ross ▁was ▁one ▁of ▁Elli ott ' s ▁first ▁magnific ent ▁run ners ▁at ▁Vill an ova ▁during ▁the ▁late ▁ 1 9 4 0 s . ▁In ▁ 1 9 4 8 ▁he ▁won ▁the ▁NCAA ▁ste e ple ch ase ▁championship , ▁which ▁p aved ▁the ▁way ▁for ▁his ▁ 1