V 13 N. 42 More Drake and Penn Photos and Some Comments Inspired by Yesterday's Post

 After yesterday's posting of Drake Relays photos,  John Perry sent us two photos with a comment about running in both Drake and Penn in the mid 1960's when his team Oklahoma State was at the top of the heap amongst US college middle distance relay teams under coach Ralph Higgins.  Bill Blewett responds to John and John gives a follow up.   

George,

Here are two photos from Penn in 1964 and Drake in 1966. Different endings though! 

In 1964, Tom Sullivan and Villanova caught and passed me. That was my last anchor leg on the two mile until Kansas Relays in 1966. At Drake, Kansas and Modesto in 1966, Jim Metcalf and I made great handoffs and and I held off Preston Davis of Texas at Kansas and Drake and Dennis Carr of USC at Modesto. That’s Richard Romo handing off to Davis at Drake. Looks like George German from Seton Hall was also right behind me at Penn. 

Look at that Penn track! Never ran so hard to go so slow! 

John Perry ,   Oklahoma State

Great photos, John. I wish newspapers were able to cover track today like they did a half century ago.  What was your split on the chewed up Penn track?

You mentioned Dennis Carr. I was in class at Lawton (OK)  High School with his brother Dave Carr, who wasn't running.  Rick Carr became a runner (he was not on the LHS track team) when the family moved back to LA.  Rick later ran 4:03 for USC. He trained under Igloi.

How is your training going?

Bill Blewett

 Bill,

Villanova won 4 relays in the 1964 Penn Relays! Their winning time in the two mile was 7:31.7 with Sullivan running a 1:50.1 anchor (incredible time on that track). That team plus Noel Carrol ran a WR 7:19.0 at the Coliseum Relays a few weeks later. I don’t even remember my time, probably mid 1:52 or 1:53. What I do remember is running through huge holes and losing my balance. I run “tall” with a narrow stance and my knees kept hitting together! Worst I’ve ever felt after an 880, bad tunnel vision and throwing up numerous times. However, I was back running the mile relay 2 hours later and ran a good second leg. We ended up third in a big homestretch battle with St John’s (Tommy Farrell), Morgan State (Nick Lee) and our anchor (Raymond Bothwell). Morgan State’s Winning time of 3:15.3 demonstrates how “slow” the track was. Nebraska won Drake on the same day with a 3:09.2. We beat Nebraska in winning Texas Relays that year. 

Anyway, two years later, Higgins wanted to go back to Penn and we refused. We didn’t want any part of the “Villanova Lion’s den“, the “paddock”, that Penn track or a pissed off Villanova wanting revenge for the two Indoor NCAA two mile relays defeats to OSU. Higgins wanted to beat Jumbo on his own turf! Our team wanted the “rubber match” with Texas at Drake. They won Texas Relays and we won Kansas, we wanted 2 out of 3. 

 Drake made us the “honor team” and recognized Higgins for all of his many years of OSU competing at Drake. So we went there and won two relays, Sprint Medley with a big challenge from ACC and Charlie Christmas and the two mile relay against Texas. Also, the last time OSU won two relays at Drake. Von Ruden also won the individual mile that day. It was the next event after we won the Sprint Medley, so we came home with three wins! Good meet for us!

John Perry