The First Annual Legacy Track Meet is scheduled for Saturday, April 17, 2004
Morgan State University will conduct the First Annual Legacy Track Meet on Saturday, April 17, 2004 from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. on its new 8-lane mondo track at Hughes Stadium on the campus. All alumni members, friends, and families are invited to come out on this date to meet and greet old and new friends and to renew old acquaintances. The Legacy Track Meet is to honor all past great track persons, who have made Morgan famous both nationally and internationally.
Morgan State has had so many past outstanding athletes, so the University will honor athletes for each decade. For the First Legacy Track Meet, we will honor those outstanding athletes for the period from 1930-1959. After that, we will honor athletes during the following periods:
Second Legacy Track Meet - April 2005: 1960-1969
Third Legacy Track Meet – April 2006: 1970-1979
Fourth Legacy Track Meet – April 2007: 1980-1989
Fifth Legacy Track Meet – April 2008: 1990-2000.
The first runner from Morgan to bring glory to the school was Dr. George H. Spaulding, Head of the Chemistry Department, who placed second in the decathlon at the Penn Relays in 1930. Dr. George Spaulding also teamed up with another Morgan great, Russ Sterling, dash man who brought Morgan its first CIAA Championship in track. Other great track men in the 30’s and 40’s were Alfonso Cottman, Ducky Ross and Elmore Pepper Harris, to name a few.
In 1949, history was made when the foursome of Sam LaBeach, Bob Tyler, Bill Brown, and George Rhoden broke the Penn Relay record but was disqualified on a trumped-up charge. The group came back in 1950 to break the Penn Relay record that had stood for 56 years. The team continued to win at the prestigious Melrose Games in New York and other track meets throughout the United States. Many track athletes were attracted and came to Morgan because of the popularity of this track team during that era. Art Bragg won the 100-yard dash at the Penn Relays in 1952 and 1953. Josh Culbreath won 400-meter hurdles at the Penn Relays in 1953, 1954, and 1955. Bob Barksdale won the High Jump in 1955 and 1956, while George Dennis tied with Bob Barksdale in 1955 and won in 1957. Lance Thompson won the Long Jump in 1952.
The Flying Four that came after the Historic Four in the mile relay team comprised of Otis “Jet” Johnson, Herman Wade, Jimmy Rogers, and Josh Culbreath. This group broke the CIAA record that was set by the Morgan Historic Four of LaBeach, Tyler, Brown, and Rhoden.
During the 1950’s, Coach Hurt’s freshman mile relay team also won at the Penn Relays. Coach Hurt also had a cadre of sprinters, all capable of running 9.6 seconds and below. Examples of some of these sprinters, in addition to Art Bragg and others mentioned before were: Ken Kane, Dickie Waters, Paul Winder, Herb Washington, Linwood Morton, Bobby Gordon, Byron LaBeach, and many others.
Again, we are encouraging all alumni and friends to come out on Saturday, April 17 to pay homage to these former track greats and to see the new track stadium. Come one and all to support our track program. They need your encouragement, and the University needs your support.
