Forty years ago today, San Diego held meet for the ages
On this date in 1968, the San Diego Track & Field Association together with the city Recreation Department and the Los Angeles Seniors Track Club joined under the leadership of David Pain to stage a track meet at historic Balboa Stadium. It was Day 1 of the first U.S. National Masters Track & Field Championships, under AAU auspices. Pain said the meet would show that older runners could stay in “superb physical condition.” The meet — for men only that first year — would inspire past champions to return to the sport, he said, and “younger men will be encouraged to continue in competition beyond the age at which athletes customarily compete.” Well, it worked.
Just thought you might appreciate knowing this date.
Results of that first masters nationals are posted here. (But the dates are wrong. It was just a two-day event.)
Few of the original entrants still compete. One notable exception is multiple Hall of Famer Bud Held, who won the javelin as an M40 in the first nationals and still competes in throws and the pole vault as an M80 champion.
The organizer of those first nationals no longer runs track, and has been off his beloved bicycle in recent years as well. But as I noted earlier, David Pain will be the guest of the Spokane masters nationals next month. He turns 86 at the end of this month.
Hope you can meet him — and touch a living link with our history.
One Response
I can’t ride the road any longer because of back surgeries. Now it’s Track Stand in the garage 3 days a week. Are you still active in the club any longer? Walt Hapke,Huntington Beach.
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