A TRIBUTE TO LARRY JAMES - page  1

 

                                     
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A TRIBUTE TO LARRY JAMES


A Tribute to Larry James
by Walt Murphy




It was an event as thrilling and memorable as a day at the Olympics. And no wonder--everywhere you looked, there were Olympians, many of them medalists.

Hosted by The Richard Stockton College of New Jersey, an estimated 1,000 people showed up on December 1 to pay tribute to 2-time Olympic medalist “Mr. G. Larry James”  for his “Four Decades of Excellence”. (James won gold[4x400] and silver[400] medals at the 1968 Olympics in Mexico City)

It became apparent during the afternoon that James, the Dean of Athletics and Recreational Programs and Services at the school, had touched the lives of many people over the years and the word “love” was used by just about everyone who spoke of their relationship with the former Villanova Wildcat.

This was the kind of tribute normally reserved for someone who has passed away. In fact, an equally moving affair had been held just a few days earlier at the NY Athletic Club in honor of the late Al Oerter. But James, a member of USATF’s Hall of Fame, got to hear first-hand all of the wonderful things that people had to say about him. And you’d never know that he was facing an uphill battle against cancer. As if he wanted to let everyone know it was OK to enjoy the day, he had a smile on his face from the moment he walked into the Sports Center until the affair ended some three hours later.

One of the first speakers was Ed Kehe, James’s coach at White Plains H.S. in NY. Kehe spoke of James’s all-around talent, citing his ability in the 180y and 330y hurdles and the triple jump, as well as the long sprints. Said Kehe, “Larry, you’re my hero, I salute you for a life well-lived”. James was a key member of White Plains teams that set long-standing National Records in the 880y and mile relays in 1966.

Dave Patrick, the captain of the Villanova team in 1968, when James was a sophomore, said, “Jumbo (Elliott) is looking down on you, busting out with pride”, referring to the legendary Wildcat coach.

Patrick spoke of James approaching him early in the 1968 indoor season concerning the teams’ planned participation in the NYAC meet in Madison Square Garden. This was a tumultuous time, when the battle for civil rights was raging, and James was concerned about the team supporting an event sponsored by a club that had discriminatory policies at the time. Patrick called a team meeting to discuss what the team should do and the vote was 17-0 in favor of boycotting the meet. The united team became known as “Jumbo’s Togetherness Troupe”. (The NYAC has come a long way since then--its new Athletic Director is African-American)

Patrick, the 1968 NCAA Champion in the 1500-meters, then talked about the 1968 Penn Relays, the setting for one of James’s most memorable races. Villanova had already won 4 Relays titles, but their quest for an unprecedented 5th win would have to come at the expense of favored Rice in the mile relay, the final event of the weekend. 

Said Patrick, “28,000 fans (with most rooting for the hometown Wildcats) were just waiting for this event. Rice’s Dale Bernauer had a 15-yard lead going into the anchor leg, but you could see by the look on his face that nothing would stop Larry. The roar of the crowd was unbelievable--deafening”. James not only caught Bernauer, he never let up and went on to win by about 10 yards.  (see link below for photo)

Sitting in the stands, Patrick and other Wildcats checked their watches to see what James’s split was. They all had the same thought--”I must have messed up--no one can run that fast”. “And then”, continued Patrick, “we hear Jack O’Reilly (the late “Voice of the Relays”) say, ‘Larry James just ran 43... and you couldn’t hear the rest, the roar was so loud”. James had run an incredible 43.9 anchor (for yards!), the fastest relay split in history at the time. James was encouraged by his teammates to take a victory lap in front of the thousands of fans who were still buzzing about James’s incredible performance.

Patrick concluded his time at the microphone by telling James that Erv Hall, one of his 1968 teamates (and the Olympic silver medalist in the 110-hurdles) had a gift for him.  James had to be convinced it wasn’t a practical joke, but then opened the box to find a Villanova warmup shirt, emblazoned with his worthy nickname, “The Mighty Burner”, and his Penn split--43.9y.  At that point, all of his Villanova teammates stood up, each holding their own copy of the shirt.

Next to speak was another Villanova alum, Don Bragg, the 1956 Olympic gold medalist in the pole vault. Bragg, who hired James in 1972 when he was the Athletic Director at Stockton,  said to his former employee, “I’d like to repeat the words of Johnny Weissmuller, who said...”--and then proceeded to give his patented Tarzan yell, much to the delight of James and the rest of the crowd. (Bragg had aspirations to play the jungle role made famous by Weissmuller)

Unable to attend due to a conflict with the group’s Annual Meeting, which was being held at the same time in Hawaii, USATF CEO Craig Masback offered his tribute in a video. Masback, who followed James at White Plains H.S., related how he was one of three 8th--graders who got to ask James questions after he returned home from the 1968 Olympics. Masback then praised James for his contributions to USATF, which include his roles as Team Manager at the 2003 and 2005 World Championships and Budget Chairperson. “We wouldn’t be the same organization without you”, said Masback.

A poster was then displayed that featured the signatures of many USATF members who had to be at the Annual Meeting. The poster was brought from Hawaii by Accusplit’s Steve Simmons, who was instrumental in bringing together many of the athletes for the occasion.

Simmons, an ardent supporter of the idea that the 1968 U.S. Olympic team was the “greatest in history”, told of a conversation he had with Michael Johnson, the world record holder at 400-meters. Referring to the likes of James, Lee Evans, and Tommie Smith, Johnson said to Simmons, “You don’t think I could beat those guys, do you?”. Simmons, not looking to deflate MJ’s sense of his place in the history of the 400,  just said with a smile, “Let’s not go there”.

One of the many highlights of the afternoon came when his relay teammates from Mexico City--Vince Matthews, Ron Freeman, Lee Evans-- got up as a group to offer their comments.

Matthews, who competed against James in high school, said he understood the term “The Mighty Burner”. “Larry delivered smooth, efficient, heat”.

Evans, who beat James for the Olympic gold medal in the 400 in 1968, first saw his future teammate run at the 1968 Millrose Games, where he won the 500y.  “I said to myself, ‘He’s pretty smooth’, and found  myself admiring him. Then I realized he might be running the 400 outdoors. I asked Jumbo Elliott, ‘What’s this kid going to run outdoors?’. He just smiled, but when I got back to California, I increased my training regimen”. (James had been considered more of a prospect in the 400-meter hurdles entering the 1968 season)

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