Friday, September 21, 2018

V8 N. 59 MARCH, 1968, #2

MARCH , 1968 (#2)

In the three previous NCAA indoor championship meets, there have been no double winners. This year Jim Ryun and Bob Beaman turn the trick.

Beaman dominates the long jump, breaking Rainer Stenius' meet record on all five of his legal jumps en route to raising his own WR to 27-2¾. (more on Stenius below) Whereas the long jump was never in doubt, the triple jump was. After jumping 52-3 on his second jump, Beaman meant to say that he was passing his final jump in the trials, but instead of saying “pass”, he says “scratch” thereby eliminating himself from further competition. He could only watch as Nebraska's Lennox Burgher exceeds 51' five times to come ever so close with a best of 52-1.

Bob Beamon (Getty Images)

It was understood that Ryun would win the mile, but Kansas needs the points that a double will bring. Which way to go, down to the 880 where he will tangle with Villanova's Dave Patrick or up to the two mile, where (Washington State) Gerry Lindgren and his streak of 8 NCAA championships (indoor, outdoor and cross country) awaits? The decision to move to the two mile, though presenting a daunting challenge, proves propitious for the Jayhawks as Ryun hangs with Lindgren before unleashing his unmatched finish to win 8:39.0 to 8:40.8. World record holder Kerry Pearce is third at 8:45.0.

Jim Ryun leads the mile
(Getty Images)

The mile doesn't require as much energy as the pace dawdles, allowing Ryun to finish in 54.7 en route to a 4:06.8 win over (Kent State) Sam Bair's 4:07.2.

Villanova wins the team title with 16 of their 35 1/3 points coming in relays. With Larry James anchoring in 46.6, the Wildcats take the mile relay in 3:14.4. They also win the distance medley in 9:49.6 and take second in the two mile relay, as Patrick's 1:49.2 can't quite catch Harvard, 7:26.8 to 7:27.4.

George Lawrence "Larry" James (November 6, 1947 – November 6, 2008)

James wins the 440 in an 11 lap to the mile WR of 47.0. Patrick and Frank Murphy go 1-2 in the 880 and the Wildcats go home happy.

Last year's champion, USC, scores a mere point less this year but their 25 isn't a challenge to Villanova. Oklahoma 17, Kansas 15 1/3 and El Paso 15 round out the top five.

While the boards are being pounded in Detroit, the outdoor season is getting started the same days in the Texas Southern Relays in Houston. Southern's Harvey Nairn catches fast starting Roy Hicks of Texas Southern in the high hurdles. Their times of 13.6 and 13.7 are 1-2 on the world list. Hicks has no reason to hang his head. He wins the long jump in a PR of 25-2 and takes fifth in the high jump (no height mentioned).

The following weekend the big boys come out to play in Santa Barbara's Easter Relays. Southern California and San Jose State tangle in the 440, 880, mile and 2 mile relays. SC's world record holding 440 team (McCullouch, Fred Kuller, OJ Simpson and Lennox Miller) (see more about that 440 team below) win over the Spartans 39.7 to 40.4. The same quartet repeats in the 880, 1:23.6 to 1:24.0. San Jose State bounces back in the mile relay with Lee Evans anchoring in 46.9 to edge the Trojans 3:11.3 to 3:11.8. Carl Trentadue's 1:48.8 anchor puts SC on top in the two mile relay, but just barely. The Trojans and Spartans both clock 7:24.0.

The pole vault is frustrating for UCLA. In addition to watching rival USC go 1-2 with Bob Seagren and Paul Wilson clearing 16-6, the Bruin duo of world-class vaulters has a miserable day. Rick Sloan twists an ankle high jumping and will be out of action for some time. Jon Vaughn clears 16-0 for third, but when vaulting at 16-6, an official attempting to grab his pole hits the standard and it falls, hitting Vaughn's hand and ending his day.

John Vaughn (Historic Images)

In his outdoor season opener, Ed Carruthers high jumps 7-2 and has a near miss at 7-4.

Remember Sam Walker breaking the HS SP record at 69-11¾ as reported in our last report? Well, he has now not only exceeded 70 feet but 71 feet by an inch....only to find that the landing area slopped over the legal limit. Hang in, Sam, the season's still young. We'll be keeping an eye on you.

Sam Walker

Sam Walker montage (Only if you are really into weight lifting)

Rainer Stenius (the following was lifted from T&FN threads)

Most of you probably know that Rainer Stenius died last month (December 1)(2015?) in Espoo, Finland. He was only 71 years old.

I met Rainer a few times while he was living in the United States in the 1960's. I believe he still holds the Cal State Los Angeles school record for the long jump (and maybe the triple jump, too).

His jump of 26' 9 1/4" (8.16) in 1966 was the Finnish national record for about 39 years and he was the 1966 NCAA long jump champion.

I believe he was injured in 1968 and did not compete in Mexico City at the Olympic Games. Does anyone have more details about this?