294 THE SOONER MAGAZINE Oklahoma's Mercury Tom Churchill By Frank L. Dennis, '28, of the Kansas City Star HO is the greatest all-around athlete in America todave I believe he is Tom Churchill, and the records bear out the bc- lief . the ( niversity of Pennsylvania April Promptly someone will suggest that ABOVE is a scene during the 26, showing left to right Everette E. Barney Berlinger of Pennsylvania is a 110 meter hurdle race in the Decath- Utterback of Pittsburgh, Tom Church- greater all-around athlete than Church- lon tit the Per Relay games held at ill and Alden Holsinger of Juanita college. Photo by International News- reel . ill by virtue of his victory over Tom in the decathlon \pril 26 at the ]'emu relay s. But Berlinger's victory there (Churchill was a close second) merely shoved him to be a slightly better all- around track athlete, whereas Church- ill is an outstanding performer in two .l GOOD WINNER .I GOOD I. OS Is A' Tout Churchill takes victory like u IIc takes defcal like a gentleman gent-leman.This has impressed sport a rit- ers like Alan Gould of the Associated Press about its much as Tout's versa-tility.Atleft he is seen shaking hands with Barney Berlinger of the Univer-sit yofPennsylvaniawhonarrowly y heat out Tom in I he decathlon. Churchill calls Berlinger his best friend and has flit, highest admiration for him. Photo by International Nezcsrecl other major intercollegiate sports and is excepticnal in several others . \\'hat is the history of this remark-- athlete, this modern Olympian? Well, story a saga of Tom's is strug-gle besttold by tracing it fromthe timehe was achubbysc hoolboy at Dalhart, Texas, grimly striving to win a place on the ward school, teams, past the climax of his selection to represent \merica in that most grueling com- petition, the decathlon, in the Olympic games, to the denouement, his present every-clay competition in intercollegi- ate athletics. JUNE, for 1929 295 -Photo by International Newsreel . A, AMERICAN DISCOBOLUS: CHURCHILL IN 771E PENN RELAYS Tom. Churchill, Oklahoma's great Olympian, about to one of the strangest contrasts involving youth and aye, be- hurl the discus in the thirty-fifth Penn relays (it the Univer- tween Paavo Nurmi, middle-aged foot racer, and two sity of Pennsylvannia April 26. Churchill neon the discus brawny youths who are destined to be among America's by throwing it 125 feet two inches . The Associated Press greatest all-round athletes, Barney Berlinger of Pennsy- declared of Churchill and other athletes at the Penn Re- vania, and Tom Churchill of Oklahoma, both just at the lags : "Youth usually holds complete sway in the Pennsylva- voting age." Many sport writers have called Churchill nia relay carnival but this year's competition has developed America's greatest all-around athlete . 296 THE SOONER MAGAZINE OM CHURCHILL was born kogee eleven and which tied an other- stead of something else and a Jay- T February 26, 1908, at Blair, wise all-victorious Norman team. hawker. His freshman year at Norman he Oklahoma, which makes him No one who saw Tom play in the suffered a broken leg while playing 21. Doing the chores and final game of the state high school tackle on the Boomer eleven, but re- chasing calves on his Uncle Tone's basketball tournamerit that year, in covered in time to play center and ranch helped develop the legs that armory, at Norman, will forget the forward at basketball . His versatility have carried Tom to international it. It was a great duel between two was further shown that freshman fame-and fame is the word, for who great teams and between two great year when Tom, seeking to while is more glamorous in this day than players, Churchill at center for Cent- away the time, won both the 175- the great athlete, excepting Lind- Willingham at center for 1?1 ral and pound and heavyweight fraternity bergh? And Lindbergh is now won (it was Cent- Reno. El Reno wrestling titles and the all-university merely Anne Morrow's husband. defeat of the year) hut I ral's only boxing championship. Side issues, By the time Tom was a freshman Churchill and Willingham would say these contests, but indicative of that in high school at Dalhart, Texas he tied in their individual duel. At any had outgrown an earlier tendency superlative ability that called for rate, both were on the all-state team . Uncle selection of him, the toward roly-polyness. That year he Sam's As a preliminary to the track sea- broke into football fullback and next year for participation in the as son that spring, Churchill set six rec- into basketball as forward, making Olympics. ords in the city meet at Oklahoma the all-conference team in the latter I Believe the greatest test Tom City-discus, shot, pole vault, low football season sport, as a 14-year-old boy. As a sort ever had was in the hurdles, and broad jump. The broad ,year. Ad Lindsey, of chaser he high-jumped, pole-vault- his sophomore jump -,vas the best Tom ever made- puzzling ed and threw the discus for the track serving his first year, was 23 feet, 7 inches . combination. Tom team, breaking the high jump record out a successful state meet at Norman a end, tackle, guard and half- at the Panhandle meet at Goodwell, In the played one held punting, Oklahoma. bursted blood vessel in foot back, doing most of the and Tom attended Dalhart high the fall him to second place in the pole vault, winning an all-Missouri Valleyhon-orable mention. enter other of his second year and played foot- and he was unable to the he made up for it basketball that year he was for ball again, but moved to Oklahoma events . However, In all-victorious City during the winter, with his par- the following week at Stillwater by ward oil. that notable by himself to all-Valley forward if ents, and for the first time in his winning enough points team and was paired per- life had a coach. win the state title for his school. ever there was one . He great Bruce Drake. Roy S . Bennett of Central high All that spring he had been going fectly with the school coached the sturdy 15-year-old out for baseball in addition to track, ORTUNATELY, Tom's soph- boy in basketball to a letter at for- and by dove-tailing the baseball and niore year was an Olympic ward. In the state track meet he track schedules at the tw-o state games year, and John Jacobs won second place in the discus. inects managed to help bitch Central drilled him rigorously in the Tom whiled the smirmer away play- to the final of one tournament and decathlon, ten wearying events. :1f- He ing baseball, making all-city catcher far along in the other. lost only ter winning the Kansas Relays de- in the junior league . two games that season . cathlon with over 7,300 points and Tom's parents being about as rest- During the summer preceding his taking third in the Penn Relays with less as their son, they moved to senior high school year Tom had won some 7,300, Tom set an unofficial Wichita. Kansas, early in his junior second in the state high spring hoard world's record in the decathlon in year and took him along. He played diving championship, so in an emer- Norman in a tryout, with 7,900 points regularly it end on the. football team. gency one night he was called on to -perfection in the ten events scores Now, Wichita always has good dive for the Central team in a dual 10;000. It is significant that 'Loin's basketball teams, so it was no small meet and lettered, thus winning five pest mark in the decathlon came a feat when Tom made forward on the letters in one year. a time when he was rested. I doubt court squad. His team won the state In four years of high school Tom that he has been rested since. scored fourth place in championship, with Tom making for- made 14 letters, was chosen best all- Anyway, he fifth place ward on the all-state second team, around athlete at both Wichita and the Olympic tryout and proper, with inorc and then went to Chicago to win the Central highs, won 58 medals and err the Olympics 7,419 points At Ghent, after the national interscholastic championship. several other trophies in addition to than . Amsterdam, Tom pick- drubbing a great El Reno, the admiring glances of girls and uni- Olympics at fur Oklaho-mateaminthefinalgame,andwith versity coaches, the latter group ed up a few medals and cups just Tom making all-American forward hoping to proselyte successfully. the fun of it. on several newspaper selections. To nil" knowledge the best marks Track was something of a dessert HE University of Kansas came To!u ever made in the decathlon for the Oklahoma boy that year. He near-damned near-getting were these : 1110 meters, 11 .2 seconds ; merely threw the discus and javelin Churchill's enrollment the fall broad jump, 21 feet. 8 inches ; high putting the shot. pole vaulting, high - of 1927. All his high school jump, 5 feet 8 1/2 inches ; shot Put 42 jumping' . and running on the mile coaches were K. U. men and wished feet ; 400 meters, 51 .3 seconds ; 110 relay team to assist Wichita to state hirer to go to Lawrence, which he meter high hurdles, 51 .6 seconds; and Kansas Relay championships.