Bill Nichols entered KU in 1927 2fter having lettered in football,
basketball and track «t Larned High School for 3 years, He made a
freshman numeral in football and track his first year but a back
injury caused him to give up varsity competition until his junior
year when he won indoor 2nd outdoor high hurdles against Missouri
and Kansas State and on February 14, 1930 he won the 50 yard high
hurdles in Convention hall in Kansas City setting a KU record in t
that meet,

Dick lettered in track 2t Liberal, Kansas and made two letters at
Kemper Military school. While at Kemper he set an outdoor half-
mile relay record in 1923 which still stands. Dick did not mompete
his first year at the University but made the team his second year ag
a half-miler, Placed second and third in several meets but did
not win any firsts,
aah”
tee ‘determination to win is related in an incident at Lineoln, Neb,
at the Big Six outdoor track meet in 1930, Kans s was leading
Nebraska a few points up to the final race of the day, the mile
realy. KU had to plece third or better to win the meet. Brutus
Hamiltop had named his four men on the relay team but at the last
minute’ he changed one man and substituted Dick, Until that t ime
j had never run a quarter mile in competition but after the /
when KU placed second 2nd won themeet Coach Hamitton told
taat he had run the best raee of his life,

Dick 2nd Bill's friendship started wien they were fellow

Journalists at KU «nd continued through their athletie
competition . ( Dick mrried Bill's sister who graduated from
KU in 1930 ) 7