I attended Saturday’s “Golden Age of Track & Field” luncheon in Seal Beach and barely scratched the surface of stories and stars. But here’s an account I posted on Times of San Diego. I sat at a table with former UCLA coach Jim Bush, local track official Stan King, Speed City author Jim Adkins and four early 1960s Kansas stars — Bill Dotson, Bob Covey, Ernie Shelby and a guy named Mills. Billy Mills. With 114 present, I could have generated 113 astounding articles. One example: I took a picture of Billy chatting with a 1964 San Jose State grad named Gene Gurule. No idea who he was. So I Googled him and checked my History of the Olympic Trials and learned that Gene was a DNF in the Olympic Trials 10,000 where Gerry Lindgren beat Billy. Amazing. For more than 80 shots of the event, see my photo gallery. Organizers plan another luncheon in 2016. See below for history of the lunch.

From left at the KU table are sub-4 miler in 1962 Bill Dotson, me, Billy Mills and Ernie Shelby — two-time NCAA long jump champion and world No. 1.

In an exchange of email, Doug Smith heard from Sid Wing on the background of the annual track luncheon:

Doug: Besides yourself, did Howard and others help with the first one?

Sid: I believe it started before Howard [Bugbee] got involved.
 
Where was your first one held? Cannery Restaurant?

It started some 20 or more years ago. It was just a get-together by several of the old SC track guys who all lived in Orange county. Just 4 to 6 guys meeting socially annually at coffee shops around Newport. They had been meeting a number of times before I ever joined them sometime in the mid nineties. I was living in Arcadia at the time.

Was it originally for USC T&F only?
 
Originally it was for USC T&F only.
 
How many attended the first one?

It stayed small, less than a dozen, I seem to recall, until just into the early 2000s but still USC only. Meeting in seemingly increasing size over several years, maybe to around two dozen at the Cannery, Newport Beach in a more organized fashion. At that stage I got more involved in organizing it with USC guys coming from greater distances.

When did you, or whomever, decide to include other schools?
 
After a few years when someone in the group, probably 10 years ago, invited less than a half dozen Cal and Stanford guys and we all enjoyed the great camaraderie we began to realize what we were celebrating.

It wasn’t a school bond. It was greater than that. The bond and celebration was really between those who had competed in and experienced “The Golden Age of Track & Field” — the 30s, 40s, 50s and 60s.
 
That’s when it really mushroomed and grew to 75 to 90 attending each year for 3 to 5 years.  Our “Antique Track Luncheon” committee was headed by Howard Bugbee doing the ground work, Rod Wilger handling the finances & making all the restaurant arrangements, and myself doing the mailing and collecting the funds from invitees.
 
We always met in early October on a Thursday or Friday, always careful not to conflict with schedules of football devotees traveling to away games that week.

In the summer of 2014 we considered having it again in October 2014 but both Howard and Rod were having medical issues and I didn’t think I could do it all alone, we just decided to pass after I was unable to solicit others to assist.  We three hoped at the time that someone else would in time pick up the ball, and you did great!

Doug also added in his note to Sid:

First, I want to thank you for your kind words regarding Ron Allice, Larry Knuth and I resuming this luncheon, which you and others began years ago. Secondly, thank you for beginning this luncheon, which has grown over the years.

When Larry and Ron asked me to join them in this venture, I was very apprehensive, because I did not know if you and Howard Bugbee would approve. After all, it was your “brain child’ and now, we were taking your idea and venture, and attempting to continue this great function.