L.A. Times spotlights masters relay team

The following appeared February 10, 2000, in the Orange County edition of the Los Angeles Times

By Martin Beck, TIMES STAFF WRITER

Track and field is in bad shape in this country. Most of the best athletes are competing in other sports and public interest is waning. "It's in the toilet," says Doug Smith, a former track coach at Edison High.

But Smith hopes to be part of the solution by helping to organize a masters track meet this month in Mission Viejo. Admittedly, it's a small small step -- the Saddleback Masters Relays are expecting about 200 athletes at Saddleback College on Feb. 26 -- but a movement has to start somewhere.

"Throughout history," Smith said, "anything that has been done in the United States really has started with a grass-roots movement. I'm not trying to be dramatic but look at the Revolutionary War. We are trying to reinvigorate the sport by starting something that will make people aware of masters track and field."

To reach that end, Smith, the meet director, and others are scrambling to make the Saddleback Masters Relays a high-quality event. They got a late start planning because the idea to hold the meet came together this fall, but have gained momentum. Proceeds will go the the Saddleback College track and field program.

Several former Olympians will be on hand, some of whom will be competing. Randy Williams, the former USC Trojan who won the long jump gold medal at the 1972 Olympics in Munich, and Payton Jordan, who was the U.S. head track and field coach at the 1968 Games and is the age 80-84 world record holder at 100 meters, are expected to compete. Larry Myricks, who won a bronze medal in the long jump in 1988, will be an honorary meet referee.

The meet, for athletes 30 and older, fills an early season void after masters events in Palm Springs and Reno were canceled because of low participation. The Saddleback event will give a competitive test for those preparing for the USATF Indoor Masters Championships next month in Boston.
Smith, who lives in Laguna Hills, is also a masters athlete and will be part of a relay team shooting for the 60-and-older 400-meter world record at the Saddleback meet.

The record -- 48.46 seconds set by a German team in 1997 -- is vulnerable, Smith said, because of the six world-class sprinters who live in the Southland.

San Diego's Harold Tolson, 61, won the 60-64 national 100-meters championship in 1999, running 12.07, the fastest time in the world.

Smith, 60, finished second in 12.14, the second best time in the world in 1999.

"When they get in the blocks, it's like a good fist fight," said Dan Girling, a meet organizer. "It's like a sub-13-second fist fight. These guys are really good friends but when they get in the blocks, kiss the friendship goodbye."

Other potential members of the relay team:

* Bill Knocke, 60, of Huntington Beach, a former masters national champion and world-record holder in the hurdles.

* Dick Richards, 65, of Encinitas, the 1999 world champion in the 100 and 200 meters in the 65-69 age group.

* Gary Sims, 62, of Fallbrook.

* Kenny Dennis, 62, of Los Angeles, a three-time world masters sprint champion.
Besides the 400-meter relay record, the group will be going after the 4-by-200, 4-by-400 and sprint-medley relay record.

"We think," Smith said, "we will be able to break, sometime this year, every sprint relay record in the world."