Wednesday, October 28, 1998
The University Daily Kansan
Section B · Page 3
Kansas runner Herb Semper, a standout track athlete in the 1950s, crosses the finish line. Former track coach Bob Timmons is honoring Semper and other successful former Kansas athletes with sculptures at Rim Rock Farm. Photo courtesy of University Archives
KU athletics celebrates early running decades
Distance runners' past remembered
The Kansas tradition of producing legendary distance runners began in the 1930s with Glenn Cunningham. It gained notoriety in the 1960s with Olympians Billy Mills and Jim Ryun.
By Cal Butcher Special to the Kansan
But for nationwide dominance, it was the 1950s that supplied the University of Kansas with its greatest runners. Kansas won every cross country conference championship in the 1950s. Herb Semper, Waste Santee and Al Frame won individual NCAA National Championships, and the Jayhawks were the 1953 NCAA team champions.
The decade began with Semper capturing the 1950 and 1951 NCAA titles. Santee won it in 1953, and Frame followed a year later with the 1954 title. All three were two-time winners of the Big Seven Conference Cross Country Championship.
Semper's back-to-back titles set the standard for his Kansas teammates. His second victory came at the expense of then-freshman Santee, who placed a disappointing 36th.
"I told Herbie he was going to have to get used to finishing second," joked the up-and-coming Santee. "And then he went out and won the national championship my sophomore year."
Semper, who lost the sight of one eye in a childhood BB gun accident, graduated in 1952 as the conference record holder in all
In his final national meet as a collegian, he placed third with a career best 9:05.0. He left KU holding 11 two-mile records in Big Seven competition.
three two-mile races. His fall standard was 9:14.2, his indoor mark was 9:07.0, and his outdoor best was 9:21.0.
Al Frame was known for his endurance and determination. His unusual style of running with bowed head and low knee action limited his speed, but did not hinder his ability to recover from a race.
He was often able to win both the mile and the two-mile in the same meet. In the 1955 outdoor conference meet, he ran 4:16.5 and won the mile, then came back with a 9:27.9 and captured the two-mile.
Frame, who grew up in Wichita, was also a great scholar at Kansas.
His ability to double also included the 1956 indoor 880 and mile. He was the first man in conference history to win indoor titles in the 880, mile and two-mile. Overall, he won seven conference championships in both track and cross country.
"He ran for Coach (Bill) Easton," said former Kansas coach Bob Timmons, "but he was also a Summerfield scholar and earned a Phi Beta Kappa. Not many people know that about our runners."
Timmons is honoring Frame, Santee, Semper, Glenn Cunningham, John Lawson, Billy Mills and Jim Ryun. He has installed seven life-sized silhouettes around the course at Rim Rock Farm for the 1998 NCAA Division I and II Cross Country Championships.
In addition to the silhouettes, Timmons had already designated the "Herb Semper Four Corners" and the "Al Frame Incline" as permanent fixtures on the Rim Rock
Kansas runner Al Frame (pictured), along with Herb Semper, defined the Kansas track dynasty of the 1950s. Photo courtesy of University Archives
Farm Course.
"Frame and Semper are the last two silhouettes to go in," said Timmons, "and they'll be on the lower course. They should all be ready for the national meet."
Semper and Frame are members of the University of Kansas Athletics Hall of Fame. Both have indicated that they will be returning to Lawrence to see the silhouettes and attend the KU Track & Cross Country Reunion to be held in conjunction with the NCAA National Championships next month.
Gale Sayers, KU graduate & Chicago Bears Football Hall of Famer.
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