Saluki Track Team Wins Five of 12 Events Here Against Strong Lincoln University
Gary Carr talked about what two weeks' rest would do for his ailing legs. Oscar Moore joked and Kidded but made a serious prediction. Vetefan Bill Cornell said he was getting too old to run the hardest double in track, the mile and half-mile.
The shouting and the sound of showers: finally died away as members of SIU's track squad dressed one-by-one and filed out of McAndrew Stadium Saturday night.
The team had suffered a resounding 95-49 loss to powerful Lincoln University of Jefferson City, Mo. But all wasn't in vain. The Salukis set three new stadium records in a mediocre meet in which performances were good but not sensational.
SIU's speedy mile relay team cracked one of the records with a 3:12.9 effort, although it took great performances by Jerry Fendrich and Carr to do it. Fendrich brought the Salukis back into contention with a 47.8 third leg, and Carr finished the job with a rousing 46.7 anchor lap to overtake Lincoln. The visitors also broke the old 3:13,8 record.
Robin Coventry, bothered by a foot injury had run a 49.4 opiening leg, and Cornell had turned in a 49.0 in his third performance of the evening.
Cornell won the milfe in a good 4:12.8, but he was beaten in the half-mile, 40 minutes later by George Harris of Lincoln. Harris won with a 1:53, while Cornell was clocked in 1:54.7.
A pair of SIU freshmen set the other stadium records in
§hibition events.. Olympian Oscar Moore ran far ahead . the field in a special two-mile race, and John Vernon was in a class by himself in the triple jump.
Vernon, a freshman from Nottingham, England, leaped 49 feet 8 inches to erase by a foot and 8 inches the record he set earlier this season. Moore was as impressive in running the two-mile event in 8:57.2 to break Bill Silverberg of Kansas' record of 8:59.6,
The smooth-running Moore was happy with his performance, which he said he hadn't expected, but he predicted still better times. "About two more weeks of training and I'll be ready," he said.
Rich Ellison and Mike Bull, SIU freshmen, also turned in good performances in exhibition pole vaults. Both cleared 14 feet.
Lincoln University won 12 Of the 17 events. The Salukis could win only the javelin, the 440, the two-mile run, the mile and mile relay.
Joe Beachell won the javelin- %lth a throw 197 feet 1 inch, while Carr took the 440 in 47.9 and Jack Trowbridge came from behind to overtake teammate Jack Leydig to win the two-mile in 9:30,1.