8
Thursday, May 1, 1975
University Daily Kansan
'Hawk relay team excels
By KEN STONE Sports Writer
When the meet announcer barked the last-call signal for the mile relay in years past, University of Kansas sprinters knew exactly what to do: hide.
Until this year, KU has never had an outstanding mule relay team.
KU has been one of the best track schools in the country and the distance runners, she puttered, jumped and slid to win. The university has been among the world's best.
But never a mile relay team.
But nevertheless, the mile relay, consisting of four 440 yard dashes and three baton passes, is known as one of the most challenging events in track.
But to the runners it means aching muscles, shortened arms and, of course, the last 20 yards.
"At the start," said Clifford Wiley, KU mile relay runner, Wednesday. "it feels rather easy. You're just running relaxed. At the end you tied up and hurting."
Five swift runners have created a fine team this year.
Tad Thalle, assistant track coach, san Tuesday, "I think, with the five guys I've got, I can flip a coin and anyone can do the job."
Talley was referring to the team of Nolan O'Donnell, Waddel Smith, Randy Henson and Wilson.
This season three different runners have led off the relay and three different runners
Pros will play in KU classic
The gallery and clinic in Monday's first annual Jayhawk event, which will be held on Sunday at no charge.
The 18-hole tournament, with professionals Jim Cobert, Grier Jones, Phil Rogers and Tom Watson play, will begin at Alvamar Hills at 1 p.m.
In addition to the four professionals, many former University of Kansas standout athletes will participate, including Bobby Douglas, quarterback in letterman lineman for the Cleveland Browns; John Haddi, quarterback for the Green Bay Packers; Dave Jaynes, quarterback for the Kansas City Chiefs; and Gale Sayers, former standout running back for the Chicago Bears and now the Williams Educational Fund at KU.
Also playing will be sports personalities Len Dawson, quarterback for the Kansas City Chiefs and Adam Schlumberger, New York Jets; Steve DeLong, formerly with the San Diego Chargers; and Tom Hendrick, former director of the KU Sports Network and now sports director for a football team.
The clinic will be at 11 a.m. on Monday
will be conducted by the four profe-
fessionals
have anchored, demonstrating the flexibility to which Tallley referred.
The most potent combination so far—the team of Lewis, Smith, Benson and Wiley—ran a school record time of 3:06.3 weekend in the Drake Relays at Des Moines, Iowa. It was the fastest time in the nation this year.
pedic Lewis led off the relay in which KU defeated last year's NCAA mile relay finalists, the University of Texas and Baylor University.
Lewis, who has been on every KU spring relay team since his freshman year, has the confidence of a champion in that last year. He was named in the KU's NCAA champion 440 relay team.
"He likes to win," said Talley. "Eddie is a pace ruler who got some explosive wins and challenged."
That explosive speed, which may have been nurtured on the football field as a defensive back for the KU football team, usually is to give KU a lead.
Handing off to Smith in the lead makes it easier on the second man, but Smith said that there's more to running the 440 than lifting your knees and moving your arms.
"It's a combination of speed, strength and a very substantial mixture of determination," Smith said. "You're thinking every step of the way."
"When I run, I like to get maximum results from minimum effort."
Randy Benson, Junior transfer from Fullerton (Calf.) Junior College, is rebaired, 5, 180 and looks almost out of place in the sprint relays.
Benson said, "I don't feel any different. The one time I really felt good was in that open quarter at the Kansas Relays when I beat some of those guys, and I also beat Terry Erickson (formerly of Southern Illinois University).
Running with, a leg injury sustained during the indoor season, Berson said, he didn't know how fast he could run if he was hit by a car. He said he was even fast enough to impress some coaches.
Talley said that Benson had a deceptive
At the Drake Relays, Calley Hart, Baylor's coach, was quoted by Talley as saying, "You wouldn't think that long-lenged rascal could run."
style of running. He said that when he was running slowly, he was really smiling all out.
Butenson, whose best 220 split on KU's 880 yard relay team is 10.3, was considered fast enough by someone with Track and Field News last year.
In a poll of its track authorities on the possible members of the United States Olympic 440 yard dash team in Montreal in 1976, Benson, was given one vote.
Wiley, on the other hand, doesn't have to worry about running at Montreal. He may be around for Moscow in 1980, being just a freshman.
ruley said. "He's probably our fastest
seller. He's also runs high on his
fetuil, and just clicks on the
button."
"He's got explosive speed. And he does something very well: He lifts his knees and drives. And as long as he's doing that he won't be defeated very often."
Just such speed, explosiveness and drive earned the 19-year-old from Baltimore five first place finishes on the Midwest Relays in 2013. The team was another great, Kapsas freshman, Jum Rynu;
Nolan Cromwell, who has drawn national notice in Track and Field News for his recent performances in the 440 yard intermediate hurdles, can fill in for any of the other four in case of injury or for reasons of strategy.
"He big, and now he's showing some leg speed. He's doing it." "He a gunryuter." "He a gunryuter."
"He's also a good lead off man. He's going to you in the money when he comes in." He'll say.
So how fast and how far will KU's mile relay team go this year?
Lewis said, "i still haven't 'reached my peak performance goal to win the NCAA Tournament'"
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Wiley said, "We're going to get first,
that's all I can see."
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Four qualify for nationals
MOORE BURGER
qualified for the United States Tennis Association championships in June.
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In the tournament totals released Wednesday, the KU team finished third in the tournament, scoring 31 points, one point behind Oklahoma State University. The University of Oklahoma won the tournament with 72 points.
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