Friday, April 20, 1956
University Daily Kansan
Page 15
Podoley Seeking 3rd Decathlon Title
Gil Maienknecht, head of Central Michigan's information service, writes a good line on the Chipppe-was' husky decathlon ace. Jim Podoley. . . . "Podoley's performance in athletics at Central Michigan can be likened to discovering oil in your backyard."
Podoley, Maienknecht relates, came to the Mt. Pleasant, Mich., school of 2,528 enrollees unannounced and unheralded. Th at hardly will be the case here April 20-21 when he goes after his third straight Kansas Relays decathlon championship. That would be an unprecedented feat in this meet. Even Olympic champions Jim Bausch and Glenn Morris never scored a decathlon triple here.
Furthermore, Podoley is the only
competitor who is within reach of completing a triple in any event here. No other senior in the expected field will come in with two legs toward any of the other 12 individual titles.
Last Kansas Relays triple crown was fashioned by Texas A&M's Darrrow Hooper who swept two of them in the discus and shot put in 1951, 1952, and 1953.
The 6 foot 2½ inch, 190-pound Czech not only will be defending his title here, but will be seeking his third consecutive record performance. As a sophomore he scored 6-128 points for the 12-event grind, fracturing the 6,066 which Oklahoma A&M's J. W. Mashburn had notched the first year. Last year, Pedoley upped that figure to 6,340
Podokly had placed fourth in the last two national decathlon fields. He scored 6215.5 at Wabash last year and 5,661 at Atlantic City in 1954. He was leading at the end of the first day in the latter meet, but pulled a muscle and was forced to waive the final two events, the javelin and 1500 meters.
in besting a classy field, which included Eddie Ray Roberts, another Aggie, and Joe Savoldi of Michigan State.
That is not all the bright spots on the big guy's ledger. He holds four school records and a share of two more. These include $21.4$ in the 220; $22.5$ in the 220 low hurdles; $23$ feet $11\frac{1}{2}$ inches in the broad jump, and $15.0$ in the 120 highs. His $-99.8$ in the 160 is worth
a half-share of the school record, and he owns one-fourth of the mile relay mark.
Little wonder he has averaged 21.7 points per meet over the last three years with a high of 27 in the 1955 Interstate Conference. He was little all-American halfback in the first two touchdowns he scored over the past two years only two have been launched inside the enemy 25-yard line.
Young Jim spent the first year and a half after graduating from Otisville (Mich.) high working at the Pontiac Motor Co., and helping his widowed mother operate their farm. He still does the latter, mostly en weekends.
The 22-year-old Mt. Morris farm boy got his start on a home-made track and basketball court on the 80-acre Podoyle tract just 64 miles from the Central campus. He and two older brothers built their own quartermile circuit and basketball court. They held meets and games continually.
Podoley returned from a month's layoff last Saturday with a 5 feet 10-inch leap in the high jump, only event he entered in a dual. He pulled a muscle Feb. 17 against Indiana and was side-lined even deeper with a severe skin allergy.
He is expected to be in top condition by the time he opens the two-day trial here April 20, when decathlon entries weave their first five events between the 52nd Interscholastic games.
KANSAS RELAYS 1956
For Your Convenience we offer you the Relays Schedule
ORDER OF EVENTS AND TIME SCHEDULE Morning Events, Saturday, April 21
Event Number
Event Number Time
110-Meter Hurdles (Decathlon) 9:00
Discus Throw (Decathlon) 9:15
Pole Vault (Decathlon) 9:50
Shot Put (Preliminaries) 10:00
120-Yard Hurdles (Preliminaries) 10:00
1. Javelin Throw (Preliminaries & Finals) 10:00
100-Yard Dash (Preliminaries) 10:20
A.A.U. 400 Meter Hurdles (Preliminaries) 10:45
Javelin Throw (Decathlon) 10:50
A.A.U. Hop, Step & Jump (Preliminaries) 11:00
2. Discus Throw (Preliminaries & Finals) 11:00
120-Yard Hurdles (Semi-Finals) 11:00
100-yard Dash (Semi-Finals) 11:05
1500-Meter Run (Decathlon) 11:25
Afternoon Program
Opening Ceremony—K.U. Band 1:15
3. 120-Yard Hurdles (Finals) 1:30
4. College Two-Mile Relay 1:40
5. 100-Yard Dash (Finals) 1:55
6. University Four-Mile Relay 2:00
7. College Half-Mile Relay 2:20
8. Kansas City H.S. 880-Yard Relay 2:30
9. University Quarter-Mile Relay 2:40
10. A.A.U. 400-Meter Hurdles 2:50
11. Presentation of Queen 3:00
12. Glenn Cunningham Mile 3:05
13. University Two-Mile Relay 3:15
14. College Sprint Medley Relay 3:25
15. College Invitation Sprint Medley Relay 3:35
16. University Sprint Medley Relay 3:55
17. Junior College Sprint Medley Relay 4:10
18. College Distance Medley Relay 4:20
19. University Half-Mile Relay 4:35
20. A.A.U. 3000-Meter Steeple Chase 4:50
21. University Distance Medley Relay 5:05
22. Kansas High School Mile Relay 5:20
23. College Mile Relay 5:25
24. University Mile Relay 5:30
25. Outstanding Athlete Award
Closing Ceremony
Field Events
26. Pole Vault (Preliminaries & Finals) ... 1:30
27. Shot Put (Finals) ... 1:30
28. Broad Jump (Preliminaries & Finals) ... 1:30
29. High Jump (Preliminaries & Finals) ... 2:00
30. A.A.U. Hop, Step, and Jump (Finals) ... 3:30
Another Service of . . .
Lawrence National Bank