PATRONIZE KANSAN ADVERTISERS
Timmons, Ryun aid outlook
Track future looks good
By JOHN LAWSON
The University of Kansas was outstanding, both academically and athletically, in its first 100 years. The next 100 promise to be as good-or better.
KU HAS BEEN A LEADER in track and field for the past two decades. Under Coach Bill Easton's guidance, KU teams dominated the Big Eight in Cross-Country with 16 out of 18 conference championships, indoor with 14 of 18 titles, and with 11 out of 18 outdoor titles.
Coach Easton's teams won more than twice as many conference championships as all the other Big Eight teams combined.
Under Bob Timmons last year, the KU team won the National Federation Cross-Country meet, the Big Eight and NCAA Indoor titles, and the National Federation Outdoor Track and Field Meet in Terre Haute, Indiana.
THE REASON FOR A BRIGHT future in the track program lies in one man—Timmons. He might be short (5'4"), but he is a very determined coach.
At Wichita East High School, the coach tutored such athletes as Archie San Romani Jr., and of
course, world record holder, Jim Ryun.
Ryun is a plus factor in the KU track program. He holds two world records already at the age of 19. The next three years as a varsity runner Ryun will undoubtedly help in many conference and national championships.
There are many other outstanding athletes on the team, all of whom are faced with the handicap of running and jumping in Ryun's shadow.
One example is Mike Petterson. However, this will not be new for "Pete," because he was Ryun's teammate at Wichita East. He was one of the all-time finest high school milers in the nation, but because his teammate broke four minutes, Petterson received little publicity.
Bob Steinhoff, second high school boy ever to pole vault 16 feet, is another athlete of national caliber doomed to compete with Ryun for headlines in the Sunday morning papers.
Steinhoff, a native of California, is not new to this situation either, however. At Downy High School, "Steiny," as he is referred to, was overshadowed by teammate Paul
Wilson, now at USC, and the first high school boy over 16 feet.
THE LIST OF OUTSTANDING athletes is long. But when there are back-up men like Petterson, Tom Yergovich (4:07 mile), Mike Kearns (4:17 high school miler), Gene McClain (4:05 miler), and Jim Olson (4:08 high school miler), the team has depth, a requirement for a championship team.
Considering the many fine athletes Timmons has assembled, the workload he requires, and the dedication he demands, nothing but a championship team can result.
The sprinters and field men Timmons and Assistant Coach John Mitchell have recruited show a strong, well-balanced team.
Hurdlers George Byers and Ken Gaines sprinters Steve Ashurst, Dwight Peck, Ben Olison, and shot putter Gary Tucker, to only name a few of the many, show that the future certainly is anything but bleak.
Daily Kansan
Friday, November 4,1966
11
Dear team,
Remember, you can get renewed strength from your friends that love you.
Hashinger Hall
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