★ HIGHLIGHTS^ THEATHLETXS _ • RESULTS OF 24 T&F MEETS -Triangular -Providence •ANNUAL T&F MEETING CONGRESS . -Virginia -St. Louis -Nationals • NIKE MASTERS GRAND PRIX FINALS -Sports Festival -Philadelphia -Florida TFA -St. Cloud TC^ -Texas -Lincoln • 198110-MILE RANKINGS -Pentathlons in New AISA -Northwest Classic -Lake Erie -Midwest Regionals -West Virginia Jersey, New Mexico •ANDERSON & CHAPSON TURN 80 -MSA Meet in NYC -Dutch Masters and Missouri -West Valley -Honolulu -Puerto Rico Decathlon •RESULTS OF 29 DISTANCE RUNS National Masters News Theonlynationalpublicationdevoted exclusively to track &field and longdistance running for men and women over age 30 49th Issue September, 1982 $1.25 450 COMPETE IN NATIONALS; SPORTS FESTIVAL DRAWS 1800 4 World, 5 U.S. Age- 541 Vie In Philadelphia Bests Set in Wichita WICHITA, Kansas, August 6-8. Track and Field Over 450 over-age-30 athletes converg by PETE TAYLOR ed on America's breadbasket this PHILADELPHIA, August 14. — weekend for the 15th Annual Penn George Cohen and Jim Burnett, who. Mutual/TAC National Masters Track must be considered two of the all-time & Field Championships. great runners in masters track, provid It was the first national champion ed an emotional ending today to the ship meet ever held in the mid-America track and field segment of the First Na region of the nation, and dozens of tional Masters Sports Festival, by new faces turned out for three days of engaging in a brilliant duel on the final activity on Jim Hershberger Track at (800 meters) leg of the sprint medley Wichita State's Cessna Stadium. championship for men 40 to 49. Four world and five American Following an opening 400 meters of records were established in the 5-year 51.89 by his Southern California age-group competition for men and Striders teammate, powerful Bill women from age 30 throitgh age 80+ . Knocke, and 200 meter legs of 23.74 Entrants came from over 20 states, and 22.60 by the smooth Paul Edens with heavy contingents from Texas, and the explosive Lewis Smith, Cohen California, Oregon, the Plains and found himself, almost incredibly, Mountain states. about a stride and-a-half behind Weather conditions were ideal for Burnett when the anchor leg began. Friday night's opening events, with Burnett's Philadelphia Masters temperatures in the mid-70's. A low teammate, the underrated Dawson overcast helped keep Saturday morn Pratt, had stayed fairly close to ing's fahrenheit down, but Sunday was Knocke through the first leg. Pratt had hot — 92 in the shade and over 100 in (Continued on page 7) the sun. Events had originally been planned for the cool of Saturday even 0»< ?X ing, but a high-school football game ^ "0 5 Thane Baker of Dallas awes spectators in winning age 50-54 100-meter dash in fast 11.59 in forced the masters to vacate the track Penn Mutual/TAC National Masters Track & Field Championships in Wichita, Kansas August 7. CO S by 2 p.m. •O tu He later captured the 200 in 23.40. Baker won two Olympic medals in the 200 (1952 silver in O X w (Continued on page 9) 20.8; 1956 bronze in 20.9). Pointing from stands is 800-meter champ Carol Urish. > PO « to~ ^ t/lrj PHILADELPHIA Sportsfoto by John Allen ^ tsi Z S i HOSTS MASTERS Six Win Trips to Japan by AL SHEAHEN Best-Ever Masters Field "This is just the beginning," Festival Chairman Jack Kelly told the in Nike Grand Prix crowd at the opening ceremony of the PHILADELPHIA, August 15. The awarded free trips to Philadelphia by first National Masters Sports Festival finest field of long distance runners Nike for this climactic finale. Today, in Philadelphia August 12. "In a few ever assembled in U.S. masters com the top six age-division winners — years, we'll look back on this as the petition battled over a tree-lined again based on age-graded points — start of one of the biggest sports 10-kilometer course today as tlje 1st would win free trips to Tokyo, Japan movements this country has ever National Masters Sports Festi^l came for the World Veterans Distance Runn seen." to a close. ing Championships in September. When the festivities were concluded The race was the final of the nine- It was truly a battle of giants, with four days later, many of the 18(X) over- race Nike Masters Grand Prix Series. many of the best U.S. masters runners age-25 athletes who participated in the In each of the previous eight regional from all parts of the nation competing historic event would probably have Grand Prix runs, the top six runners — head-to-head for the first time. agreed. (Continued on page 16) ba^ed ' on age-graded tables —- were (Continued on page 14) page 2 National Masters News September 1982 directors follow this practice, however, OA. I expect at the moment the difficulty is It was very well run. Running events Write On! in establishing age group standards for did not restrict field events, which were women that would be both fair and ac held off the track. ceptable. I recognize the reason that The facilities were of very good Address letters to: may meet directors are switching to 10 quality. The track was surrounded by yr. age categories and women's trees and a lake, which helped cool National Masters News, P.O. Box 2372, Van Nuys, CA 91404 categories to only 50 plus, is un things off a bit for competitors. doubtedly due to the very few numbers Competition was of very top quality 5-YR. VS. 10-YR. AGE BRACKETS in each of the categories, which results with .some of the'nations top athletes. in tremendous expense for medals or Many top athletes didn't attend, but National Masters I am a fair runner, but have no local other awards, which cannot be covered next year I would advise a:ll to show up. competition in W.55, especially on the Officers by the low entry fees. (See "Pan'Am A lot of people chose the wrong meet track, so regularly run with younger Games cancelled," N.M.N. July/82). to miss. ATHLETICS CONGRESS women, finishing way behind. This Why do so many athletes need the Very good meet. Ken Kirk. means that in order to improve my "carrots"? Does their own personal Al Lipscomb TRACK & FIELD CHAIRMAN: time I have to compete against the Jim Weed achievement mean nothing to them? Tampa, Florida clock and lap times — no competition; 11672 E. 2nd Ave. Too many athletes seem to have lost SENIOR OLYMPICS Aurora, CO 80010 and it also means that I can take the sight of good sportsmanship and "the I have been competing in the Senior (303)341-2980 "gold" medal for every event I enter. I game's the thing," and appear to be Olympics (T&F) since 1970 and during LONG DISTANCE CHAIRMAN: take no pleasure in garnering two or only interested in collecting medals and that time, I have seen a steady decline three dozen medals each year, so usual Bob Boa! trophies — this attitude is not a good in the way it has been run. Its present 121 W. Sycamore Ave. ly take just one as a souvenir of the Wake Forest, NC 27587 example for younger athletes and sad state shows a complete lack of meet. I am in favor of no medal if a set children, or do they think we are just a preparation, organization and profes TRACK & FIELD RECORDS: standard for that age group is not Pete Mundle bunch of silly old fools? We should sionalism and, sad to say, fewer and achieved — this standard would be 4017 Via Marina iCC-301 remember that athletges of any age fewer participants. listed on the information sheet/entry Venice, CA 90291 have all the fun, glory, and their name A. No certified officials were on (213) 823-8804 form. I would like to see more meet in the results list, plus an accurate per hand to certify a U.S. or world record. LONG DISTANCE RECORDS: formance figure for comparison with B. Officials were recruited from Bob Martin past races and other athletes. Officials National Running Data Center NATIONAL MASTERS NEWS among spectators and competitors. P.O. Box 42888 and the dozens of other volunteers who C. Some of the timers were between Tucson, AZ 85733 put on these meets for US get sore feet 14 and 17 years of age. 49th Issue (602)323-2223 and backs, freeze or sunburn while D. No recall gun was available, and INDOOR RECORDS AND RANKINGS: SEPTEMBER, 1982 standing around hour after hour, have there were many athletes who jumped Haig Bohigian Editor a tough time getting a cool or hot drink 225 Hunter Ave. the gun and were not recalled. North Tarrytown, NY 10591 A1 Sheahen and snack, frequently have difficulty E. No wind volociiy machine was (914)631-1547 visiting the washrooms (because there's available, nor was there a scale to INDOOR T&F MEET COORDINATOR no spare volunteer to relieve them for a weigh implements. ''' Ron Salvio Production few minutes), and they are there from F. No list • of-.entnes or lane Squan Rd. American-Publishing Co. Clarksburg, NJ 08510 early morn until the meet is over, assignments were po,sted. (201) 266-8202 sometimes for 2 days! - and we think G. No "ERG" or "Gatorade" was CONTRIBUTORS OUTDOOR T&F MEET COORDINATOR: we are fit and in good shape! The available, even though entry fees were Bruce Springbett athlete arrives one hour before his/her raised to $9 for the first event.