JULY 1967
The NCAA meet on June 15-16-17 finds us in Provo, Utah, “this Mormon city of unusual customs”, as reported by Dick Drake, though no bearded men with half a dozen wives are reported. In fact all that Drake mentions that can be considered unusual is that Brigham Young University has “probably the greatest athletic complex of any university in the world”.
USC makes up for losing the dual meet to UCLA and the conference meet to Oregon by outscoring the combined efforts of the Bruins and Ducks, 84-40-27 as the AAWU powers finish 1-2-3.
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| USC Team 1967 NCAA Champions L-R Paul Wilson, Bob Seagren, Craig Grant, John Link, Dick Joyce, Bill Fosdick, Coach Vern Wolfe, Lennox Miller, Asst. Coach Ken Matsuda, Dave Buck, Paul Kerry, Earl McCullough, Roger Wolff, Dennis Carr (partially hidden), You know who, Carl Trentadue |
The Trojans account for three of those records in one race. The foursome of Earl McCullough, Fred Kuller, OJ Simpson and Lennox Miller makes short work of its pending 440y/400m world record of 39.0 set a week ago by improving their passing to clock 38.6, a full second better than the accepted record. Their competitive chops are evident by the fact that second place Tennessee finishes 20 yards back in 40.3.
While this is the world record and collegiate record, it is not the American record. Those of our most ardent readers know why. Hands up. Yes, you in the blue bathrobe. That's correct, Lennox Miller is not a US citizen. He is Jamaican. As 440 yards is 402.336 meters and the 400 meter record is 39.0, the USC lads are credited with the WR at the international distance as well. They don't get the collegiate 400 record because, well, apparently there isn't one.
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| Charlie Greene |
Oddly, though Tommie Smith holds nine world records, previous to the 220 he had never won a national championship. That changed 20.2 seconds after the starting gun is fired. Smith comes off the turn a couple feet down to Lennox Miller, but moves away easily to win by two yards over Miller's 20.4.
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| Emmett Taylor |
Ohio University's Emmett Taylor and Iowa State's Steve Carson hit the tape together in the 440 with Taylor the winner by .01 as both are credited with 45.9.
Wade Bell of Oregon makes a courageous move on the backstretch of the 880 to break away from the field. Though USC's Dennis Carr comes from last to make up a dozen yards in the homestretch, Bell wins by three tenths in 1:47.6.
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| Jim Ryun |
Given Provo's 4500' elevation, there are no records in the distances. WR holder Jim Ryun lets the pace dawdle through a 3:11 1320 before blasting a 52.5 final lap to win in 4:03.6 over Oregon's Roscoe Divine's 4:06.2.
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| Roscoe Divine |
The only doubt in this race was Divine being allowed to run. Coaches, have you ever made an error that kept a kid from competing? If so, you are not alone. The esteemed Bill Bowerman had Divine in both the mile and the 880, meaning to scratch him from one. He failed to do so. As he had to run or be disqualified from both races, Divine trotted a 2:24 half. Several coaches signed a petition to disqualify him from further competition on the grounds of not giving an honest effort but it was denied by meet referee Brutus Hamilton.
Gerry Lindgren tied Randy Matson for high point man by providing 20 points for his Washington State Cougars with 10 second wins in the 3 and 6 mile events.
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| 250 pounds/20 points |
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| 120 pounds/20 points |
Matson set a shot put meet record of 67-9½ to leave longtime rival Neil Steinhauer three and a half feet back. A couple weeks ago Matson said he was done with the discus, but this day he took one for his Aggie team, winning in 190-4. The final was held during the coldest and wettest part of the meet, hindering all the competitors. USC's Gary Carlsen, the favorite off his recent 206, could manage only 186-4.
LSU's Delmon McNab may only be 5-10, 180 but he possesses the javelin equivalent of a Sandy Koufax fastball. His 263-5 wins by 17 ½ feet as only two others better 240'.
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| Photo from the NCAA meet in Provo. It appears on cover of biography on Chris McCubbins by Joe Mackintosh J.Gordon Shillingford Publishing 2013. McCubbins would become one of the few athletes to represent both the U.S. and Canada in major international competitions. |
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| Nightengale |
Oklahoma State's Chris McCubbins opens up five yards mid-race on Kansas State rival Conrad Nightengale in the steeplechase and pulls away to win in the surprisingly good time of 8:51.4.
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| April 1968 T&FN Cover |
One reason Earl McCullough leads off the USC relay team is that according to Dick Drake “his characteristically fast get away may the the quickest in all of track today”. That appears to be true in the high hurdles where he leaves behind Tennessee's Richmond Flowers, himself a 6.0 60 guy. McCullough leads by a yard and a half at the first hurdle. Flowers closes, but doesn't quite make it as Earl the Pearl hits the tape first with a margin measured in inches. Both are credited with 13.4, excellent under any conditions, but outstanding considering that they were running into a slight headwind and McCullough hit two hurdles solidly. Irv Hall of Villanova takes third over UCLA's Ron Copeland, 13.6 to 13.7.
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| Richmond Flowers |
Given the happenings of the previous week, 440 hurdle favorite Geoff Vanderstock is happy to finish third. Bob Steele of Michigan State defends his title with a 50.2 clocking. American's Andy Bell edges Vanderstock for second by a tenth in 50.6. In the great scheme of things, Vanderstock is delighted that he is here to compete. The week before he suffered an impacted and infected tooth. A subsequent penicillin reaction doctors said came within six hours of killing him. In perspective, that third place medal looks pretty good.
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| Geoff Vanderstock |
Based on this season's 16 meet winning streak, Arizona's Ed Caruthers is the overwhelming favorite in the high jump. He clears 7-1, but loses on misses to Ed Brown of Idaho who is experiencing his first season in track and field. Brown is a basketball player who prepped in New York.Coach Doug McFarland suggested he fill his spring with track after seeing him jump 6-6 on his first day out. Dick Fosbury from Oregon State “thrilled the crowd with his unique backwards roll style” in placing fifth at 6-10.
Ed Brown and Coach McFarland?
The four top vaulters could have phoned in the results from Los Angeles. SC's pair of world record holder Bob Seagren and Paul Wilson both clear 17-4 with Seagren winning on misses, but Wilson gives a prediction of the future with an oh, so close miss at a WR of 17-8. UCLA's Dick Railsback and Rick Sloan clear 16-8 and 16-4 for third and fourth.
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| Dick Railsback |
Though this is not a common double, Railsback demonstrates significant hops by setting the record for the pole vault – high jump combination as he finishes sixth with a 6-9 high jump. Yep, just one inch behind that backwards jumping kid from Oregon State.
Both horizontal jumps are conducted into the wind. Gary Ard of Kansas and Jim Helton of Utah State go 1-2 with PRs of 25-9 and 25-2½.
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| Calvin Hill long jumping at the Queens-Iona Relays |
Except for fifth place finisher Art Patera of BYU, the hammer throw could have been held in a time zone two hours earlier, as the other nine placers are all from New Jersey, New York or New England. Rhode Island's Bob Narcessian takes the gold at 197-0.
If you think genetics and upbringing are not important in passing down some tradition and abilities, see below. Bob Narcessian's father was also a very good hammer thrower.
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| Bob Narcessian |
Dr. Paul H. Narcessian ('33)
DR. H. PAUL NARCESSIAN '33 was introduced to the hammer throw by legendary Rhode Island track and field coach Fred Tootell. Narcessian was a member of the track teams from 1929-32. He earned his D.M.D. from Tufts University in 1936. During WorldDR. H. PAUL NARCESSIAN '33 was introduced to the hammer throw by legendary Rhode Island track and field coach Fred Tootell. Narcessian was a member of the track teams from 1929-32. He earned his D.M.D. from Tufts University in 1936. During World War II, he was stationed in both Africa and Italy, where he served as a station hospital oral surgeon. In 1989, at the age of 77, he entered the Senior Olympics as a hammer thrower. Continuing to participate, Narcessian held eight world records and 17 U.S. records at the time of his induction. His sons Robert and Richard were both standout hammer throwers and are also members of the URI Athletic Hall of Fame. The Narcessians are the first to have three representatives from the same family in the Hall of Fame. from URI sports information. War II, he was stationed in both Africa and Italy, where he served as a station hospital oral surgeon. In 1989, at the age of 77, he entered the Senior Olympics as a hammer thrower. Continuing to participate, Narcessian held eight world records and 17 U.S. records at the time of his induction. His sons Robert and Richard were both standout hammer throwers and are also members of the URI Athletic Hall of Fame. The Narcessians are the first to have three representatives from the same family in the Hall of Fame.
Iowa's 3:06.8 caps an undefeated season in the mile relay, giving the Hawkeyes the nod over Rice's 3:07.2
Bits and pieces: If you want to see both next year's national collegiate championships, the NCAA and the college division meet, you won't have far to go. The NCAA meet will be in Berkeley while the college meet will be half an hour south at Hayward State (currently the laboriously designated California State University, East Bay). Just to make certain the Bay Area is the center of US track, next year's AAU indoor nationals will be held in Oakland.
.....Evidence of how we have evolved socially comes from Dick Drake's "On Your Marks" column. “Of the 50 finalists in the 100, 220, 440, high hurdles, long jump and high jump, 43 were Negro – once again indicating the strength of this race in these events.”......As long as he is on the race subject, Drake points out that Sam Perry, who equalled the WR in the 60 while a Fordam student in 1965 has become the youngest member ever of the Passiac, NJ city council at 22, also the first Negro. note: a quick check of Wikipedia reveals that Sam graduated from Columbia Law School and had a lengthy career as an attorney, dying in 2000.)Sam Perry's Obituary from the IAAF website.
21 July 2000 – Southport, Connecticut - Sam Perry, who shared the world record in the 60-yard (55-meter) dash with Bob Hayes, died after a lengthy illness. He was 55.
Perry, an attorney and former city councilman in Passaic, New Jersey, died Tuesday night.
In 1965, Perry, running for Fordham University, was clocked in 5.9 seconds at the Millrose Games at Madison Square Garden, tying the world record Hayes set the year before.
Perry graduated from Fordham and Columbia University Law School.
He served as a councilman in his native Passaic for four years before moving to Connecticut where he practised law.
"When you look at his name on our record board, it is just incredible,'' said Tom Dewey, Fordham's track coach since 1980.
"These kids don't know about Sam till we show them the pictures. His performances were tremendous. He still holds school records and we have kids who have run fast, but I don't know if his records will ever be broken.''
....Jim Grelle is certain he will be going to Mexico City Olympics next year. He is signed up as a tour leader......Oh, remember that apparent 39.0 world record run by USC in the San Diego Invitational? Well, it hasn't been submitted as a WR because it was run against a “makeshift team”. Apparently competing against a bunch of bozos can make you faster. This is made academic by Trojan's 38.6 at the NCAA, but still.
2 comments:
Very nice. Correction: Roscoe's last name spelled "Devine"
Kenny Moore spells it 'Divine' thirteen times in his book, "Bowerman and the Men of Oregon". We'll stick with 'Divine' for now.
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