JULY 1965 NCAA CHAMPIONSHIPS
We have broken up the July issue into two parts. This deals with the NCAA meet. The second report will cover the AAU championship and big doings in Europe. So, just like the lead in to the Lone Ranger radio show, join us now as we return to those thrilling days of yesteryear.
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| Edwards Field Today |
It is June 17 and we are at the University of California's Edwards Field. The battle for the team championship has been skewed by the absence of two certain winners, Washington State's Jerry Lindgren and Texas A&M's Randy Matson. Lindgren is a freshman and therefore not eligible. Matson “didn't consider the NCAA meet important” according to Cordner Nelson's report.
Before we begin, let's whet your appetite with a trivia question that you can spring on the gang when they gather Friday at the Dew Drop Inn. Ask if anyone knows the slowest final lap run in a winning NCAA mile. Go ahead, take a guess yourself. No, you are not even close. Read further and you will be armed with the answer.
For the first time since 1949 there are two double winners. New Mexico's Clarence Robinson takes the long jump and the triple jump with marks of 25-10 ½ and 50-2.
Doug Brown of Montana has to work a little harder for his double, 36 laps worth. He wins the six mile by well over half a minute in 27:59.2 to break Al Lawrence's collegiate record by 36 seconds. Two days later in the three mile, his margin of victory is slightly less, three inches to be exact. After leading most of the way, he looks beaten when Kansas' John Lawson jumps him on the backstretch of the last lap. Brown comes back on the curve and pulls even down the straight. They fight shoulder to shoulder to the tape with Brown getting the call as they are both timed in 13:40.2. We spoke to John Lawson this week, and he mentioned that the "call" took about 45 minutes to decide. It wasn't real obvious. ed.
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| Clarence Robinson with Coach Hugh Hackett |
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| Doug Brown and Coach Harry Adams |
Nebraska sophomore Charlie Greene lives up to the potential he demonstrated before being injured last year, taking the 100 in 9.4 over Darrel Newman of Fresno State.
North Carolina College's Edwin Roberts has a disappointing three days.
Roberts is the co-favorite with Greene but false starts out of the 100. With scratches and injuries to his main competitors, he is a strong favorite in the 200. Apparently this news hasn't reached Villanova's Earl Horner who comes off the curve in the lead and holds off Roberts as they both run 21.1.
earl horner Not much out there on Mr. Horner. Click on link to left for a 2000 article about him.
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| Charlie Greene, Nebraska |
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| Edwin Roberts |
earl horner Not much out there on Mr. Horner. Click on link to left for a 2000 article about him.
Kentucky State's Jim Kemp has assumed the favorite's role in the 400 off his 46.2 semifinal. He certainly is not the crowd favorite as two California kids, Dave Archibald and Forrest Beaty, are setting their blocks in lanes six and seven. From his position in lane two he can keep an eye on them. Beaty is out early and leads down the backstretch before Kemp corrals him on the curve and enters the straight a yard ahead. Archibald is two yards back. The situation doesn't change and Kemp wins, 46.2 to Beaty's 46.3 and Archibald's 46.4.
When interviewed, Kemp says, “I thought that Cal boy had it. I was done in but I looked over at him and he didn't look good. I thought maybe he had given up and I called up enough to finish.” A tired Beaty replied, “At least he had the energy to turn his head. I didn't”.
Ed. Note. Jim Kemp was one of those rare people who could run a full gamut of short races from a 9.3 100y , sub 46 440, 1:48 880, and may also have run a sub 4:10 mile, but that is unconfirmed. Not sure if he had an official mile time. It would be interesting to know. Legend has it that he went to California to run a 440 and nobody showed up, so he got into the 100 not having a competitive 100 under his belt and ran and won in 9.3. If anyone can confirm the 880 and mile times, please contact us.
The NCAA meet has an excitement advantage over the other national caliber meets in that there is a team championship and it matters (as opposed to the AAU which no one really cares about). Brigham Young, New Mexico, San Jose State, Oregon, California, Washington State and Southern California all have realistic championship aspirations. One by one, they slip out of contention until only Oregon and USC are left. We will follow these teams through the rest of the meet.
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| Forrest Beaty |
The NCAA meet has an excitement advantage over the other national caliber meets in that there is a team championship and it matters (as opposed to the AAU which no one really cares about). Brigham Young, New Mexico, San Jose State, Oregon, California, Washington State and Southern California all have realistic championship aspirations. One by one, they slip out of contention until only Oregon and USC are left. We will follow these teams through the rest of the meet.
The 880 has the possibility of a dynamite match up between Olympian Tom Farrell of St. John's and Oregon State's Morgan Groth, the owner of the world's fastest time this year. This dual doesn't happen because Groth will be running the 880 in next week's AAU meet and therefore has chosen the mile this week.
That is not to say that Farrell is a shoo in. No, indeed, the field is loaded. George Germann of Seton Hall, Dave Perry of Oklahoma State, Wade Bell of Oregon, Darnell Mitchell of Ohio U. and Noel Carroll of Villanova are all capable of winning.
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| Farrell and Groth a bit later in the year |
Mitchell takes the field through the 220 in 26.7 with Farrell and Carroll in close attendance. Bell moves up on the leaders and is on them as the quarter goes by in 54.6. Perry, who is well back at this point, makes his move down the backstretch, catching them by the 660. Mitchell still leads in 1:21.8 over Carroll and Farrell with Perry and Bell shoulder to shoulder and then Germann. Farrell lives by his kick and today it doesn't let him down.
He has been working on his speed this season and has a 46.9 quarter to his credit. Now it comes into play. He passes Carroll on the curve, then Mitchell on the straight en route to a five yard win in 1:48.1. Carroll gets by Mitchell for second in 1:48.9 but the Ohio runner holds off Germann for third as they cross the line in 1:49.2. Bell, fighting for precious team points, moves too early and runs out of gas, finishing fifth but supplying the Ducks with two much needed points. (Germann's twin brother Herb, will win the indoor 1000 yards in 1966).
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| Wade Bell |
Groth didn't tangle with Farrell, but UCLA's Bob Day will supply more than enough challenge in the mile. Day has set NCAA records in the mile and two mile this season. His 3:56.4 is the fourth fastest mile in the world. Groth is a fantastic finisher. The question is whether Day will allow him to be near enough in the final straight to use his speed advantage.
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| Bob Day |
The answer to that question is no. Let's make that NO! At least that is Day's strategy. He is out at an insane clip, passing the quarter at 55.3. Seeing this as madness, the field lets him go, confident that they can make contact soon. Soon does not come. Day is through the half in 1:53.4. He had planned 1:57. A few years later the sportswriters must have forgotten this race when Filbert Bayi would take off this way and was hailed as a revolutionary. Now Day knows he is in trouble but the foot doesn't come off the accelerator. The next two 220s go off in 30.0 and 31.3 putting him at 2:54.7 at the bell. He says of this moment, “I was dying. I looked around, saw that everyone was far back and made up my mind to hang on.”
For the spectators the last lap must have been like watching a car wreck, horrible but you can't look away. Day is in trouble, yet the field is well back. The penultimate furlong passes in an agonizing 32.5. The field is closing but the gap is still so large that fans can't gauge a point where Day will be caught. It is obvious that Day has nothing left, no kick that he has been saving. Now it is simply a question of finishing. Each step is more labored than the one that precedes it. Mothers are covering their children's eyes. Bob Delany of BYU and Robin Lingle of Missouri are closing like vultures on road kill. Mercifully Day escapes their clutches, staggering home in 34.6 to win in 4:01.8 as Delany and Lingle finish in 4:02.4 and 4:02.5. Ed Dean of Notre Dame passes a fading Groth for fourth in 4:03.6. Groth, fifth in 4:04.7, says of Day, “I expected him to go out fast, but not this fast”. He says Day has beaten him “both mentally and physically”. Day says what was the prevalent fear of those watching, “ I thought I was going to faint in the stretch”.
Alert readers have already known the answer to the trivia question posed at the start of this report. The slowest final lap in a winning NCAA mile is 67.1. In the words of the immortal Walter Cronkite, "And you were there."
There is no way to accurately recreate the ebbs and flows of the team race but the next two events are critical in determining the outcome. Stanford just set the world record of 39.7 in the 440 relay last month. The Indians win the first semifinal in 41.1. New Mexico is second in the same time. San Jose State becomes the odds on favorite by winning the second heat in 40.7 over Michigan State and Nebraska, both at 41.1. Sadly for Stanford, their only world class sprinter, Larry Questad, has pulled a muscle in the 100 and is not available for relay duty.
The final is no contest. Wayne Herman of San Jose is out early and the Spartans, with Tommie Smith anchoring, win easily in 40.5. Nebraska 40.9, Michigan State 41.1, BYU 41.1 and Stanford 41.2 trail. This is ten points in the San Jose column yet there is no rejoicing as Tommie Smith has pulled a muscle in the last couple yards. He will run the final of the 220 but is never a factor, finishing in 22.0. Essentially this win has ended the Spartans' chances for the team title.
USC is banking heavily on the high hurdles. Paul Kerry, not in championship consideration until he won the Federation meet last week in 13.7, is the Trojans' best hope
but Theo Viltz has also made the final. Their job is made easier by injuries and illnesses that have kept several top hurdlers from entering. The pre-meet favorite, Jerry Cerullia of Utah State, wins his semi in 14.1 but hits every hurdle in the doing. The other semi goes to Gene Washington of Michigan State in 14.0. Viltz and Kerry each placed second so the Trojans are counting on some big points.
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| Theo Viltz in HS leading, ran 14.4 in HS |
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| Theo Viltz masters runner |
The SC hopes are realized. Cerullia and Viltz lead early with Washington and Kerry close. At the sixth hurdle Kerry comes alive. He catches Cerullia at the ninth hurdle and wins as they both clock 13.9. Washington hits the ninth hurdle and finishes sixth. This is all the opportunity Viltz needs. He takes third in 14.0. Suddenly the sun is shining on SC. They have 16 points in one event. In a meet where the points will be divided among multiple contenders, it won't take many to take home the trophy.
The 440 intermediates have little effect upon the team race. Tony Lynch of Harvard and Tom Wyatt of Oregon State are pre-meet favorites and indeed win the the semifinals. The final is a different matter, however. Lynch set the stadium record of 51.1 in his semi and leads the final until the ninth hurdle where Occidental's Vance Peterson goes by. Peterson has been known to hit the tenth hurdle but this time he clears, only to have San Diego State's Larry Godfrey pass him on the run in. Godfrey 51.5, Peterson 51.6, Lynch 51.8 and Wyatt 52.0.
Oregon's opportunity to score big points rests on the shoulders of steeplechaser Bruce Mortensen (more about him later). At the end of five laps he is in a tightly packed group of eight including Tracy Smith of Oregon State, Jack Batchelor of Miami of Ohio, Eamon O'Reilly of Georgetown, Ray Barrus of BYU and Earl Clibborn of UCLA. Mortensen makes his move on the next lap and the pack loosens. At the gun he has a four yard lead over Barrus and Clibburn. The Oregon star pulls away for a decisive win in a personal best of 9:00.8 and ten oh so important points. Clibborn appears ready to pass Barrus on the last hurdle when he falls. Barrus gets second in 9:03.0 and Clibborn recovers quickly to nab third in 9:05.8. His determination is underscored by the fact that he broke his leg in the fall.
And now to the part of the meet where big guys throw heavy stuff. The hammer throw has always had an East Coast tinge and today is no different. In a field of only seven competitors, Boston College's John Fiore is the only one over 200 feet and only by 10 inches. He is followed by Bowdoin's Alex Schulten, Northeastern's Bill Corsetti and Art Croasdale of Harvard.
You can almost hear coaches thinking ,”Seven guys and six score? We gotta get us a hammer thrower.”
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| John Fiore, Boston College |
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| Alex Schulten , Bowdoin College |
You can almost hear coaches thinking ,”Seven guys and six score? We gotta get us a hammer thrower.”
Randy Matson's absence is a boon to Oregon. The Duck's Neil Steinhauer tops the field in dramatic fashion. His 62-9 ¼ is a meet record and each of his five legal throws is better than any one of his competitors. In what may seem insignificant at the time, USC's Jeff Smith misses the sixth and final scoring spot by 5 ¼ inches, a very important margin as you will see.
Matson would have been a prohibitive favorite in the discus as well. In his absence Stanford's Bob Stoecker takes the gold medal with a throw of 183-7 ½ . Gary Carlson of USC who had thrown over 190 feet earlier in the season can manage only 173-ll today for fifth place, providing two more points for the Trojans.
The javelin goes to Arizona's John Tushaus whose 250-2 ½ is enough to edge Penn State's Swedish sophomore, Lennart Hedmark, by a foot and a half.
Neither Oregon nor USC score in the high jump but the event has an effect on the team outcome. SC has to be counting on big points in this event as defending champ Lou Hoyt is entered. This is not to be by the slimmest of margins. Maryland's Frank Costello clears 6-ll to win. Second, third and fourth go to Bob Keppel of Washington State, Ted Winfield of BYU and Mike Bowers of Michigan State all at 6-10. The next five jumpers all clear 6-8 and are separated by misses and attempts. Bill Carter of Cal and Randy Geyers of LSU get fifth and sixth. Hoyt is relegated to a tie for seventh by having cleared 6-4 instead of passing until the bar was at 6-6 thus giving him one more attempt. The Trojans get an unexpected goose egg in the scoring column.
Oregon and USC go head to head in the pole vault. With the bar at 15-8 ½, five vaulters remain: Canadian Gerry Moro of Oregon, Mike Graves of Occidental, Ed Martensen of Arizona, Bill Fosdick of SC and former world record holder John Uelses of La Salle. Uelses and Martensen miss all three attempts and are out. Fosdick clears on his first try, Graves on his second and Morro on his third. No one can get over 16-1, so the finish is Fosdick, Graves and Morro. Ten points for USC, six for Oregon.
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| Gerry Moro |
With only the mile relay remaining, SC leads Oregon 32-28 but the Ducks are in this race and the Trojans are not. A third and Oregon wins. A fourth produces a tie. A fifth and the trophy goes home with the Trojans.
Defending champion California is the favorite and they should be based upon a streak of 24 consecutive wins. Yet they are running with a substitute and three guys tired from heats and finals, so maybe they are vulnerable. They won their heat yesterday in 3:09.9. Oregon had taken the other in 3:11.1.
Bowling Green was a non-qualifying fifth in the semis but Iowa was disqualified so the Falcons are in. BG is given no chance in the final but apparently no has told lead off man Tom Wright. He runs 47.9 to open up four yards on the field. Then the cream rises to the top. Cal's Dave Fishback splits 46.8 and the Bears have the lead. Forrest Beaty's 45.7 puts an end to any doubt and Dave Archibald's 46.6 brings the local boys home a winner in 3:07.5.
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| This is the 1964 Mile Relay Champion Team almost same as 1965 winners. Forrest Beaty, Al Courchesne, Dave Fishback, Dave Archibald |
The team championship depends on the anchor leg. Drake is off four yards ahead of Oregon which is a yard up on Abilene Christian. Lynn Sanders runs 46.9 to pass both and give ACC second. When the anchor men hit the straight it is apparent that Drake will hold off Oregon. The best the Ducks can do now is fourth and a tie for the team title. But wait a minute, here comes Morgan State's Nick Lee running the fastest split of the race, 45.6. Now all the USC team has become Morgan State cheerleaders. With every stride Lee is gaining on the Ducks' Gordon Payne, but he falls three yards short at the tape. Oregon has four points and shares the title with USC.
And now, a personal note. The entire Once Upon A Time in the Vest staff was privileged to attend a function honoring Steve Prefontaine at the tavern where Pre used to tend bar. Those in attendance included the cream of the crop of Oregon distance running, many of whom had run with Pre. Your reporter chatted with a amiable guy in his 60's who looked like he could go out the door and run ten miles without a labored breath. Very self effacing, he identified himself as “just an average runner, not like these guys” (Paul Geis, Kenny Moore and Mike Manley were there). His name was Bruce Mortensen. No, Bruce, you were not an average runner. You were an NCAA champion. If you hadn't won the steeplechase, the University of Oregon would have one less championship trophy on display.
For a good interview with Bruce Mortenson on the blog Run Minnesota click on
Bruce Mortenson
For a good interview with Bruce Mortenson on the blog Run Minnesota click on
Bruce Mortenson
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| Bruce Mortenson (1) in a 1971 Minnesota road race, Bob Fitts (36) and Ron Daws (32) |
Former NCAA Hurdles Champion Kerry Passes Away
 |  Paul Kerry won the 1965 NCAA title in the 120-yard hurdles. |
Oct. 16, 2012
LOS ANGELES - Former Trojan hurdling great Paul Kerry, the 1965 NCAA Champion in the 120-yard hurdles, passed away on Oct.6 after an extended illness.
The two-time All-American Kerry lettered at USC from 1964-67 and won the 1965 NCAA high hurdles title with a time of 13.7 and took sixth place in the event at the NCAAs in 1967. His efforts in the hurdles at both the 1965 and 1967 championships helped USC capture the NCAA team track and field titles. Kerry's 120-yard hurdles time of 13.7 ranked sixth all-time by a Trojan, with the event now being a 110-meter race. He also ranked tied for seventh all-time by a Trojan in the 440-yard intermediate hurldes (52.1), which is now the 400-meter hurldes.
Kerry was born in Ardmore, Oklahoma and began high school there before moving to Los Angeles and attending Dorsey High and then Washington High. At Washington he began competing in track and field and setting records. Kerry then attended USC on a four-year track and field scholarship.
At USC, he earned a Bachelor's Degree in Physical Education and History, and a general secondary teaching credential. He later took graduate courses at several universities, including Pepperdine. During his college career, he was involved in many campus organizations and served as an officer on many occasions.
He ran track meets for the LA Unified School District Youth Services Program. Kerry taught at John Muir Junior High School before moving on to Santa Monica High in 1969 to teach social studies and to coach track and field. He worked at Santa Monica High until retiring in 1996. Over the years, he traveled to Sweden, Finland, Papua New Guinea, Brisbane, and Norway to help educate athletes and coaches. Among his honors was an NFL nomination as Teacher of the Year.
From 1975-1985 Kerry also had a simultaneous career in modeling in the summers. He worked for Nina Blanchard, Mary Davis Webb and the Ford Agency. In retirement from teaching, Kerry was active in working with AIDS groups and enjoying his passion for skiing.
March 16, 2012
Bob Day, who was a standout distance runner for the Bruin track and field program during the 1960s, has passed away after a battle with bladder cancer. Day passed away at the age of 67 on Thursday morning in Irvine, surrounded by his wife Jenny and their family.
Day was a beloved figure in the track and field world, especially at UCLA and in Irvine where he coached at Beckman High School since 2005. He was the first track and field/cross country coach for Beckman HS and built the program from the ground up.
During his career as a Bruin, Day won the 1965 NCAA title in the mile and placed sixth in the event at the 1964 Championship. He set the school record in the event in 1965 (3.56.4), a mark that would stand for 40 years in the Bruin record books before it was broken in 2005 by Jon Rankin. Day still ranks second all-time in the two-mile (8:33.0 indoor), fourth in the 5000m (13:44.2) and eighth in the 1500m (3:42.1) at UCLA. His indoor 2-mile mark (8:33.0) is still the school record.
Day also still holds the sophomore class record in the 1500m (3:41.04), and the freshman/sophomore (3:58.9) and junior (3:56.5) class records in the mile. Day also set a collegiate record in the two-mile (8:35.4) and indoor 2-mile (8:33.0).
In 1966, Day served as team captain, but an injury to his heel kept him out of the NCAA Championship.
He went on to win the 1968 USATF Senior National crown in the 5000m and represented the U.S. in the 1968 Mexico City Olympics in the event.
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