by Texas Relays experience...
Texas, perplexed with KU track
ashamed," Timmons added.
Timmons figures on some derogatory remarks at the 44th Kansas Relays when Ryun anchors the distance medley and four-mile relay squads. Jim Neihouse, Randy Julian, and Thorn Bigley will run with Ryun on the distance medley, and milers Roger Kathol, Mike Solomon and Doug Smith will get the baton to Ryun in the four-mile.
"You figure people will say we're backing down (in sprint medley and two-mile), but we planned these combinations ahead of the Texas Relays," said Timmons. "We don't have many opportunities to test relay combinations before the league meet."
With that off his chest,
Timmons turned to another sore spot or eyesore as the case may be.
The need for an all-weather track at KU has been the source of concern—and no action—for three years. Had there been rain on Saturday during any one of the last three Kansas Relays, the meet would have been completely cancelled.
"Unless we get the track facilities we need here, the Relays will be in deep trouble in the next few years," Timmons said. "We won't be able to draw the outstanding athletes, and our track program will suffer along with it."
Apr. 16
1969 KANSAN 13
Many headaches
Timmons lists as the major headaches with the present facilities as inadequate drainage, broken curbing on the inside of the track—"that crumbled mess"-no permanent markings on the track, and six running lanes instead of the standard eight.
"It is the worst track of all I have seen in my four years at KU," said Timmons, "and nothing of any consequence has
been done to improve the facility for many years."
There are countless other problems with the present facility. Additional clay and cinders are needed for greater depth since the present mixture is out of balance. The cinders must be shipped from New Mexico—an expensive item—and it's costly to keep the track graded. Truck traffic used for other events ruins a wet cinders track.
And the pre-Relays chores are time-consuming and often useless. The track must be surveyed, graded, dragged, watered, brushed, rolled, and
marked—and when April rains do the watering for the groundkeepers, the entire process except for the surveying must be repeated.
debt almost $1 million. Stinson reports that $170,000 had been borrowed for the west expansion to Memorial Stadium; $500,000 for the east end student bleachers, and $400,000 for the facelifting of athletic administrative offices in Allen Field House.
Timmons noted that because of the facility, the Relays has lost two of the finest track schools in the country—Southern University and Texas Southern—to the Pelican Relays at Louisiana Southern. Other schools that might be attracted by the tough competition are discouraged by the prospect of (Continued on page 35)
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In recent years, rains have necessitated the use of disc plows, rakes, steam rollers, and butane-burning flame thrower pulled by tractor to rehabilitate the quagmires.
Funds unavailable
Financing an all-weather track at a cost of approximately $200,000 would be impossible through the athletic department. Wade Stinson, athletic director, estimates the department is in
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