#42 Hall of Fame Goes Big

In This Issue

• Hall of Fame Goes Big

• The Spring 2024 Class

• Who’s Already In The HOF?

• College Signings

• Other Things

The Hall of Fame Goes Front Burner

For years we have had the idea of a Michigan Track & Field Hall of Fame, which has limped along over the years with the nucleus of first inductees set in place. Over the last year we have started expanding it somewhat through our “Legends” features in this newsletter.

In revisiting the concept recently, a few things became very clear. The Michigan T&F Hall of Fame needs to be more prominent because its place as a inspiration to athletes of today and tomorrow is invaluable. The process needs to be expedited, not only to catch up with the major legends in the sport but to keep up with the progress in our sport. And the Hall of Fame needs to be diverse—not just in a racial and cultural sense (and events, of course), but it needs also to represent the various eras in our long history of the sport in this state.

With all that in mind, I’ve had some good communication with the folks at USTFCCCA (the national collegiate coaches association), as their Collegiate Hall of Fame is the best example of a virtual HOF in our sport I can think of. They’ve done a great job with creating a respectful tribute and publicizing it well. Their HOF started in 2022 with an initial class of 30, and they’ve added 14 more in each year since. Of course, their association, with actual funding, has resources that Michtrack will likely never have. USTFCCCA for instance, has an annual convention, and they can afford to fly in their honorees for an actual ceremony.

The virtual part we can do at Michtrack. One of the hold-ups has been our past insistence that each honoree get a full-length article on their page telling their story. So much of the “inspiration” part of the whole project comes from that very time-consuming in-depth research and storytelling. USTCCCA gets by with a couple paragraphs, perhaps because their legends are better known nationally. So far now, with new inductees, we are just publishing a short summary. Once funding is available (funding=time=research/writing), fuller accounts will be published.

We are creating a new sponsorship category to make this happen. Hall of Fame sponsors will be permanently recognized on our HOF page. And individuals or businesses can make a sponsorship in the name of their team, school, organization or community if they wish. Details here.

Hall of Fame - The Spring 2024 Class

The latest 10 inductees to the Michigan Track & Field Hall of Fame bring our number of honorees up to 32. We anticipate bringing another class of 10 on board later this year. Nominations are being accepted, but please, read the criteria on our website. Being a state champion? Not nearly enough—we have had over 26,000 state champions in track & field in this state, and that’s not even factoring in our cross country champions! To make a nomination, email [email protected].

Note that this is not a ranking, per se. Many athletes in future classes may have similar or better credentials than those that are already in the Hall. The emphasis in creating the initial classes is that the athletes reflect a variety of eras and events, and thus we recognize that many more legends are still to come.

Eugene Beatty – Detroit Northeastern 1929

Best known as a hurdler, Beatty had incredible strength and range. As a prep sophomore, after he failed to make the finals of the 50-yard hurdles at indoor nationals, he jumped into the half-mile and won the race by 15 yards. Outdoors he won national titles in the high and low hurdles, and was a key leg on Northeastern’s 4x2 champions. At the MHSAA level, he won two titles each in the highs, the lows, the long jump, and the 4 x 200. Collegiately, he ran for what is now known as Eastern Michigan, winning the 1932 NCAA title in the 400 hurdles after setting an American Record at the Penn Relays. The heavy favorite to win the 1932 Olympic Trials, he fell while leading at the final hurdle and finished 4th. The winner was disqualified for a lane violation but given the team spot that would otherwise have gone to Beatty, and so he missed competing in the Olympics. Later in life, he accomplished far more than he did on the track. In 39 years working in the Ypsilanti public schools, he founded the nation’s first pre-school, the forerunner of Head Start programs that have improved the lives of millions.

Tia Brooks-Wannemacher – East Kentwood 2008

The 2008 D1 state champion in the shot with her 48-0.5 meet record, Brooks went on to compete at Nebraska. In 8 Big 12 meets, indoors and out, she won 5 conference titles and was 2nd three times. She was the NCAA runner-up indoors and out in 2011. In 2012, after winning both NCAA titles, she made the Olympic team by placing 3rd in the Trials. She finished 17th in the qualifying round in London. The next year, in her final campaign for the Huskers, she again won NCAA titles indoors and out. She took 2nd at the USATF Nationals and placed 6th in the World Championships in Moscow. In 2015, she finished 2nd at USATF and was 13th in the qualifying round at the Worlds in Beijing. In 2016, after throwing a lifetime best 64-8.75, she placed 4th at the Trials, missing her chance to return to the Olympics.

John Garrels – Detroit Central 1902

Garrels only won one state title in the early years of high school track in Michigan, capturing the 1902 discus throw at 101-10 (college weight implement). At the University of Michigan, he developed into one of the world’s best throwers and hurdlers. He broke four World Records in the discus and hurdles, but was denied official recognition for them. A starter for three years on the Wolverine football team, he made the 1908 Olympics and won the silver medal in the 110 hurdles as well as the bronze in the shot put.

Deby Lansky LaPlante – Taylor Center 1971

One of the best female athletes to emerge from the club system prior to the MHSAA sponsorship of girls track, Lansky placed 4th in 60-yard hurdles at the (senior) indoor nationals during her senior year. The previous year she had set the meet record in the 80-yard hurdles at the AAU Junior Olympics. She went on to become one of the nation’s best, twice winning national titles indoors and twice outdoors. Her greatest moment came when she won the 1979 nationals in an American Record 12.86.

Loren Murchison – Detroit Eastern 1916

At age 15 he won the Detroit schools decathlon, competing the next year for Eastern High. Then he moved to Missouri where he developed into a top sprinter. He made three Olympic sprint finals and won gold on the U.S. 4 x 100 in both 1920 and 1924. At age 27 he was struck with meningitis and spent the rest of his life in a wheelchair.

Penny Neer – North Adams 1978

In 1978, Neer won the Class D shot and discus for tiny North Adams High. She came to Michigan on a basketball scholarship and played softball in addition to throwing for the Wolverines. She won three Big 10 discus titles, and was the first Michigan track woman to make All-America status. She won the 1982 AIAW title. In 1985 she threw her career best 201-4. She made the 1992 Olympic team, finishing 24th in qualifying in Barcelona. Track & Field News ranked her among the U.S. top 10 for 11 years straight from 1982-92.

Frank Nelson – Detroit University 1905

As an athlete on the powerful University School squad, Nelson never won a state title. His senior year, his parents sent him to an East Coast prep school, the Lawrenceville School in New Jersey. He continued his pole vaulting at Yale. In 1912 he was a last-minute replacement on Team USA for Paul Maxon, another former DUS athlete. In Stockholm he won the silver medal in the pole vault. He also played baseball in the Olympics (a demonstration sport)—but he played on the Swedish team.

Dathan Ritzenhein – Rockford 2001

At Rockford, Ritzenhein made himself a prep legend, winning his first national title as a sophomore. He won two D1 crowns in the 1600 and three in the 3200. He set state records at 1600 (4:05.9), 3200 (8:41.10) and 5000 (13:44.70). He captured Foot Locker nationals twice. At Colorado he won the 2003 NCAA cross country race. He made Olympic teams in 2004 (10,000), 2008 (Marathon) and 2012 (10,000) and held the American Record for 5000 with his 12:56.27.

Eddie Tolan – Detroit Cass Tech 1927

A legend at the high school level and beyond. Tolan won three straight 100/220 sprint doubles at the Class A state finals for Cass Tech. Made All-American 6 times for Michigan, placing 2nd in the 1931 NCAA 100, the year he won the NCAA 220. At the 1932 Olympic Games he won the 100/200 double and became the first Black American to be hailed as the “World’s Fastest Man.”

Todd Williams – Monroe 1987

Williams won the Class A 3200 in 1986 and ’87, as well as two-straight cross country crowns. He finished 2nd at Foot Locker Nationals his senior year, and placed 23rd at the World U20 race in Poland the next spring. At Tennessee, he was a 3-time All-American. In 1991 he helped the Vols win the team title by placing 2nd in the 10,000 and coming back for 3rd in the 5000. He made the 10,000 Olympic team in 1992 and 1996, and competed at Worlds in 1993 (7th) and ’95 (9th). He retired with PRs of 13:19.50, 27:31.34 and 2:11:17.

Those Already In The Hall of Fame

With links to their pages.

• Jack Bacheler - Birmingham Seaholm 1962

• Bill Bonthron - Detroit Northern 1928

• Judi Brown - East Lansing 1979

• Henry Carr - Detroit Northwestern 1961

• Rex Cawley - Farmington 1959

• Ralph Craig - Detroit Central 1907

• Candice Davis - Ann Arbor Pioneer 2003

• Hayes Jones - Pontiac Central 1956

• Reggie Jones - Saginaw 1973

• Francie Kraker Goodridge – Ann Arbor 1965

• Lisa Larsen - Battle Creek Central 1979

• John McLean - Menominee 1897

• Paul McMullen – Cadillac 1990

• John Owen Jr - Detroit 1879

• Neil "Pinky" Patterson - Detroit University 1906

• Tiffany Ofili Porter - Ypsilanti 2005

• William Porter – Jackson 1942

• Kim Turner - Detroit Mumford 1979

• Delisa Walton Floyd - Detroit Mackenzie 1979

• Herb Washington - Flint Central 1968

• Bill Watson - Saginaw 1935

• Lorenzo Wright - Detroit Miller 1944

College Signings

If you know of one that wasn’t previously reported here, please let us know! [email protected]. This has been a feature since issue #28. To check back issues, go here.

• Taylor Diemond (Cedar Springs) - Michigan State

• Vincent Guaresimo (Romeo) - Buffalo

• Kaitlyn Molnar (Grosse Ile) - Grand Valley

• Caleb Wynn (Allen Park) - Macomb

• Nick Yaquinto (Northville) - Detroit Mercy

Other Things

Record Missed: Turns out my summary of the New Balance Nationals missed a state class record! Rondre Austion of Motor CIty & Oak Park ran 400 in 48.78. That destroyed the 10th grade state record for a 200 track. The old best was 49.93 by Southfield’s Derek Hunter in 2005 on the Macomb CC track.

Freep Marathon Going Big-Time? That’s what it sounds like. They’ve got 2-time winner Zach Ornelas recruiting athletes for a renewed emphasis on the elite end of the race. Can Zach & crew beat the Michtrack Challenge? No, I don’t mean beating the miserable 2:54 I ran there in my first marathon. I mean beating the fastest marathon ever on Michigan soil: the 2:12:00 that Canadian Jerome Drayton ran to win the Motor City Marathon on Belle Isle in 1969. Article is here.

Adaptive Events Here To Stay: The MHSAA Representative Council has decided to make adaptive/wheelchair events a permanent part of regional and final track meets. Not a shocker, since voting no would have been a PR disaster. I only hope that participation increases, so that these athletes can enjoy the fun of more actual competition.

The Missed Opportunity: In researching the Hall of Fame entry for Frank Nelson above, I came upon the story of Paul Maxon. You won’t even find a Wikipedia entry for Maxon. He’s the guy that Nelson replaced on the 1912 Olympic team because he couldn’t compete (for reasons I have not dug up yet). He lost forever his chance to be in the Olympic annals, since the next two Games were canceled by World War I. The weirdest coincidence of the story is that the two were teammates at Detroit’s University School (now Grosse Pointe Woods University-Liggett) six years earlier. Maxon served in the war and returned to the Detroit area, where he founded a successful real estate firm. He died in 1975.

Plan On Those Post-Season Meets: The outdoor season has barely started, but it’s not too soon to start planning on your post-season competitions, if you’re so inclined. A twist this year is that the Nike Outdoor is going to be held on the same track the same week as the USATF U20 Championships. The U20 meet, really, is for high school athletes who can put down a serious national-class performance and compete against college freshmen. And it’s the only one of the post-season meets that can qualify an athlete for international travel as part of Team USA. This year, the top performers will be named to the U.S. team that is competing in Lima, Peru, at the World U20 Championships (August 27-31). Here are entry details for the U20 meet.

An Early Look At MHSAA TF Divisions For 24-25: Here’s the link.

Apologies: If there are any disruptions to the michtrack.org website. I’m trying to fix a few issues with it to make it more user-friendly, but hopefully it will all be resolved soon.