Ron Morris, Olympic silver medallist and a longtime acquaintance I met through this blog has passed away in Southern California on May 31, 2024. He contributed to this blog often helping me get into contact with people we were writing about. He put me in touch with Dick Bank who was one of the most unforgettable of that group. For many years Ron operated the track and field supply company On Track. It's said that he was the most successful of the jumpers in the conversion from steel to fiberglass. He was always available for a conversation about the good old days. A dear friend and colleague Phil Scott who could talk the arm off a slot machine would get on the phone with Ron for hours on end. When he heard that Ron had never seen film of himself vaulting at Rome in 1960, Phil was able to somehow finagle a copy of the film from the International Olympic Committee in Lauzanne and pass it on to Ron. I don't know if the IOC is still looking for that film. To show his gratitude to Phil, Ron devoted two pages of his annual company catalogue to Phil upon his passing. Ron was not one to forget a kindness by making another kindness.
Ron in Action video link
In action at Rome This link will take you to a 13 picture series of Ron at Rome Olympics clearing 4.40 meters (14' 5 1/4"). Note the pole vault was late in the day and a lot of spectators had gone home. Photos series was taken by an unnamed German photographer. From U. of Oregon library archives.
Below is what Wikipedia has to say about Ron.\'
Ronald Hugh Morris (April 27, 1935 – May 31, 2024) was an American track and field athlete who won the national title in pole vault in 1958, 1961 and 1962.[3] He placed fourth at the 1959 Pan American Games and second at the 1960 Summer Olympics.[4] Morris vaulted 15 ft 0 in (4.57 m) in June 1971 for a Masters M35 World Record at the 1971 Los Angeles Senior Olympics. After retiring from competitions, he worked as athletics coach.[1] Morris competed for the USC Trojans track and field team.[4] He died on May 31, 2024, at the age of 89.[5]
His athletic and coaching experience includes:
- 1952–1953 Two time California Interscholastic Pole Vault and U.S. Interscholastic Record Holder[1]
- 1955–1957 Twice Intercollegiate All-American and University of Southern California Pole Vault Record Holder
- 1956 Sixth man in history to clear 15 feet
- 1956–1966 Eight times AAU All-American – ranked in the top 10 in the world for ten years
- 1960 Silver Medal in XVII Olympiad, Rome, Italy
- 1962 Only World Class athlete to successfully convert from steel to fiberglass (ranked #1 in the world that year)
- 1978 Ranked by Track and Field News as the 2nd Best Pole Vaulter (longevity) in history
- 1960–1978 Track Coach at California State University, Los Angeles (prepared several All-American athletes)
- 1978–? Owner and operator of On Track
1 comment:
George, I can't verify this but will take Ron at his word but Larry Knuth shared with me that Ron had told him that he had never 'no heighted' in a meet. How amazing is that???
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