KU Relays

[WildcatEngineer]

The KU Relays were this weekend. There has been little if any coverage.

I saw Jim Ryuns last mile at the KU Relays in 1972. It was a HUGE event. It was the year of Munich Olympics.

I cannot think of any sporting event that has dropped in status more than the KU Relays. And hell it is an Olympic year.

[bhoovy]

The Cats were in California. Looking at the results of the ku relays, ku was the only major college in it. Drake and Omaha were there but everyone else was either small college, like Washburn or jucos.

I thought it carried a little more popularity but either I’m mistaken or it’s just really dropped off.

[WildcatEngineer]

The Cats were in California. Looking at the results of the ku relays, ku was the only major college in it. Drake and Omaha were there but everyone else was either small college, like Washburn or jucos.

I thought it carried a little more popularity but either I’m mistaken or it’s just really dropped off.

BH, in the 60s, 70s, and 80s it was the Arkansas Relays then the KU Relays then the Drake Relays. Each were major events that drew large crowds.

1972 Memorial Stadium was shoulder to shoulder. The Hill was full. The horrid massacre of Jews by the Palestinians at the Munich Olympics was 90 days away. The top US Track and Field people were in Lawrence to prep for Munich.

In my lifetime the KU Relays has gone from the premiere event for US Track and Field to a glorified High School/Small College so what track meet.

[Kralicek]

The Cats were in California. Looking at the results of the ku relays, ku was the only major college in it. Drake and Omaha were there but everyone else was either small college, like Washburn or jucos.

I thought it carried a little more popularity but either I’m mistaken or it’s just really dropped off.

BH, in the 60s, 70s, and 80s it was the Arkansas Relays then the KU Relays then the Drake Relays. Each were major events that drew large crowds.

1972 Memorial Stadium was shoulder to shoulder. The Hill was full. The horrid massacre of Jews by the Palestinians at the Munich Olympics was 90 days away. The top US Track and Field people were in Lawrence to prep for Munich.

In my lifetime the KU Relays has gone from the premiere event for US Track and Field to a glorified High School/Small College so what track meet.

Sad but true!

[WildcatEngineer]

KU Relay Story - We took our grandsons to the KU Relays to see Maurice Greene, when he was the world record holder (worlds fastest man). KU had paid a fee for him to run. He came back with his buddies (One got busted for Steroids by KU) to run the Open 4 x100 Relay and see his family in KCK.

When Greene came out to warm up on the Football Field, he was in straight black warmups with no insignias. There was no announcement. He was just out there with the High School and misc. College kids. But one could tell it was the worlds fastest man. Every movement had purpose and was executed with amazing precision. He was the Thoroughbred in the middle of a herd of nags.

He ran anchor on the relay. I had binoculars on him. The guys next to him were from Cloud County, Highland, and Running Clubs. They were spellbound.