Ralph Roylance,  a gent I never heard of, was profiled in his local Utah paper this week. He hasn’t competed in masters track for a while, but still skis at 83. What caught my attention was this: “He toured Europe competing in track meets and learning how to better throw the javelin. Roylance earned All-American honors in 1949 — the first Aggie track athlete to do so. He had his sights on the Olympics and was the best U.S. javelin thrower at one time and his throws of more than 239 feet were tops in the world as well. However, just before the U.S. trials for the 1952 Olympics Roylance had a Malaria flare up. He picked up the disease in the South Pacific during World War II serving his country. Weakened by the disease, his throws were not good enough to qualify. ‘I was going to be an Olympian, I had the best throws in the world,’ Roylance said.” True or no?  Another case of “the older I get, the farther I threw”?

So I checked with a few javelin experts — the Held brothers (Bud and Dick).

Bud wrote me:

I competed against Roylance a few times. He was remarkably good for his size, He is just a little guy with a lot of zip. I don’t remember any really great throws. I heard from Dick that he was out throwing the javelin a bit a couple of years ago, but no masters records. It is good to see some guys in their 80s out there still doing athletic stuff.  

Dick wrote me: 

Yes, Ralph was one of the best.  I am not sure he was the best as that was during the heydays of U.S. javelin throwing with Steve Seymour, Cy Young and Bill Miller along with Bud.  Bud won the 1948 AAU meet, I believe, but failed to place in the Olympic trials. Bud was the favorite in the 1952 Olympics but Cy Young won with Bill Miller second and Bud a distant sixth or seventh.  During that period, 1947-1955, any one of about seven or eight throwers could win any meet.  Ralph was one of those seven or eight. 

Bud just hit the BIG One in 1953 but Bill Miller hit one in 1954.  Ralph’s baseball career just reinforces my belief that a good pitcher with a 100 MPH fast ball is a great place to start as a javelin thrower.  I don’t remember meeting Ralph in person but I remember his javelin career very well.  

So it’s nice to see an old javelin guy get some recogniton.

Here’s the Utah story, in case the link goes dead: 

Not slowing down a bit

By Shawn Harrison

Roylance stays active at age 83

Pardon him if he gets a little antsy this evening and Saturday during halftime of the Utah State basketball game.

While Ralph Roylance enjoys attending Aggie events — he has had season tickets for years — he faced a bit of a dilemma. The 83-year-old Smithfield man would normally be zipping down the ski slopes, and this weekend is the Western Division competition at Park City.

“The big race is this weekend,” said Roylance during an interview at the Smithfield Implement, which he owns. “But I’m going to miss that.”

He has a good reason for staying in town tonight and Saturday. Roylance will be inducted into the Utah State Athletics Hall of Fame as part of the 2009 class this evening with six other former Aggie greats. During halftime of the USU-Louisiana Tech men’s basketball game all seven will also be honored.

When he received the call letting him know he had been chosen for the Aggie Hall of Fame, Roylance was a bit surprised. Sure, he had been a two-sport athlete at USU from 1947-50, but there have been a lot of talented stars over the years.

“Most of my accomplishments were done after my junior year,” Roylance said. “I injured my arm the first time I threw the javelin my senior year and lost the whole year. I quit the football team to tour Europe. … I just figured what I did was out of school and most of it was.”

He toured Europe competing in track meets and learning how to better throw the javelin. Roylance earned All-American honors in 1949 — the first Aggie track athlete to do so. He had his sights on the Olympics and was the best U.S. javelin thrower at one time and his throws of more than 239 feet were tops in the world as well.

However, just before the U.S. trials for the 1952 Olympics Roylance had a Malaria flare up. He picked up the disease in the South Pacific during World War II serving his country. Weakened by the disease, his throws were not good enough to qualify.

“I was going to be an Olympian, I had the best throws in the world,” Roylance said.

It bothers him, but he has moved on. Roylance competed in masters track competitions and held many American records. Then at age 40 he started skiing. The set-up was perfect — track in the summer and skiing in the winter. A crash, however, ended his throwing days as his shoulder never fully recovered.

“The skiing takes up my winters,” Roylance said. “I do all the races except downhill. I’ve been successful in them, but when you get my age, no one gives a damn anymore. But there are a few ex-Olmypians and world class skiers, so when you compete and do well, you feel good about it.”

His track accolades overshadow his other sport at USU a bit. Roylance played football for three years, earning honorable mention all-conference one season. At one time, the halfback held the school record for yards per carry at 7.0, until another 2009 inductee came along and broke it in Tom Larscheid.

“Football was not my bag, mainly because of my size,” Roylance said. “I was 153 pounds. I went both ways, everybody did in those days.”

He remembers throwing a block for Ron Romney, springing him for a 60-yard gain. Roylance also recalls the great play of quarterback John Caputo, but on the defensive side of the ball. Thinking back to his Aggie days, Roylance does wish his senior year would have been different.

“I figure if I had got that senior year, I would still be on the record books,” Roylance said. “… It was the best time of my life. It was truly a great time.”

He graduated from USU in 1950 with a degree in business. The Smithfield resident moved to Tremonton in 1969 for a few years to start a similar store as the Smithfield Implement, then moved back to his hometown.

In 2000, Roylance was inducted into the Utah Sports Hall of Fame.

While he is being recognized at USU for his athletic abilities in football and track, Roylance was arguably a better baseball player. He was a pitcher for the Smithfield Blue Sox for 15 years and his name is still among the best the club has ever had.

“Baseball was my best sport,” Roylance said. “Sometimes I wonder what could have been.”

His wife Nansi and three of his four children will attend the ceremony tonight.

Given some time to ponder a bit, Roylance could easily wonder what could have been had he not injured his elbow or pursued professional baseball. But he doesn’t have time to sit too long and reflect. Roylance has a business to run and slopes to swoosh down.

“As long as I can continue to do well at skiing, I’ll hang in there until hell freezes at least,” Roylance said. “… I’m not tired enough to retire yet.”