Editor's introductory note: The 1980's produced some of the fastest times in terms of sprints throughout the Midwest and more specifically in Illinois. I986 was a special year in which the state 100m and 200m all-time records were reset. But on this occasion one of the state's best ever quartets was assembled and poised for history of their own. But sometimes the best don't win. B-side puts a gut wretching spin on what happened to his fabled Decatur Mac Arthur foursome.
Part 1 - 1986. The outdoor season has arrived! Statewide coaches are trying to put together the right order and hand offs in preparation for one of the most exciting races in track and field- the 4x100m relay! The 4x1 requires speed, timing, precision and most importantly trust. Trust is crucial and without it the relay team is doomed. Each leg must hold up their end for the team to be successful. In my opinion, the 4x1 is the tone-setter for the meet. It can be a springboard for the rest of the meet with a win. It also has another side, one in which it can cause drama unless the coach handles it properly. I can't explain it, but every team seems to have that one person who thinks they should be on the relay but just isn't quite fast enough.
My dad told me at a young age an infamous line that he used on occasion, and one I use today as a coach. 'Son, colleges don't recruit relay teams,' he loudly proclaimed. 'Why take you and your boys, when they can recruit three state champions and have an even faster squad?' He went on to say they're fun, but in the end the school name would remain in history and that very few, if any, would remember the four guys on it or what leg they ran.
I have always been on and coached great relay teams. From as far back as a little kid running club track on a relay team we called "The Villains" (Los Risby, Buddy, Los, and myself The Villain). Los was the third leg on any relay we were on together and I have always been anchor even through college. Los and I were not only friends off the track, but had what many relay teams have, an unbelievable trust and timing with hand offs. One year in high school at relay practice we just set up a mark, he brought it in full speed, and said "lean!" I took the baton and it looked like we had been practicing for weeks. Our coach just shook his head. By the year of 1986, my senior year, to make the varsity 4x1 meant you were not only one of the four fastest in the school but one of the four fastest in the city. Each leg was fast enough to win individual 100m races in pretty much any meet we went to. At this point Los, who was also one of the state's top triple jumpers, had ruptured his quad and tore 40% of it. Wood or Elwood (100/300H) as we called him was the new third leg.
We didn't skip a beat throughout the season. Meet after meet we set records and were rewarded with large pizzas from a local pizzeria our coach owned. I can recall one day I was in band and was called out of class to try and break up what was a near fight between two friends over the 4x1. It was over who should be the third leg. Los and Wood went at it that day. Los was saying the only reason Wood was on it was because he was injured and Wood was saying he was faster than Los anyway. As anchorman and leader, sometimes it's our job to step in and handle these matters. Wood kept the spot the rest of the year but as of yesterday, it is still a touchy subject with Los as he said, 'my injury kept us from winning the 4x1 at state and a low 40-point time and us winning was as sure as death and taxes.' You can see how powerful the 4x1 is 28 years later as it still leaves a mark.
Every meet was the same, it didn't matter who we faced. Blowouts! We had unwritten job descriptions that each leg would follow for success of the team. E.S., our lead off legs' main job was to react to the gun and break stagger on the guy in the lane outside of him. T. Reynolds aka The Love Dr. was second and his job was simple: get a good hand off and be in the lead by the middle of the back stretch. Wood was third and his job was to get a great hand off and increase our lead. I aka The Villain or "Vill" was anchor and if by some chance we were behind, snatch the person in front or if I was in front annihilate the rest of the field and bring it home.
We intimidated most teams because we would do relay hand offs and drills prior to the event. We would stand in the grass in order. E.S. would stand and the Love Dr. would take a step or two to the right so it would be received in his left hand. Wood would take a step or two to the left to get it in his right and me two steps to the right to get it in my left. The baton went down the line. "Lean! Lean! Lean! Take!" All the way through about three times; we actually had timed contests in practice as E.S. would say 'Lean!' The other three legs hands would go back simultaneously and the baton went through quickly. All you could hear is 'Click! Click!' We would all have on our game faces and the t-shirts that said: '"Yes' The Dream Team Is Here!'"
After winning city, conference, and sectional titles we were coming into state as the favorite to win the 4x1. Articles were being written in the Chicago Tribune and Sun Times and we were from central Illinois. The Area Best meet was held the Tuesday before state. We ran in it and won, but Wednesday morning I couldn't get out of bed or walk. I had tendonitis in my knee from running on a hard track. The next two days were filled with doctors, ice and panic. I limped to school only to be iced the whole day in the locker room. The biggest thing was keeping it quiet. The news spread like cancer with whispers of 'the Vill is hurt!' 'They're done!' Our chance at history was going right down the drain.
I was kept off my feet until Friday's prelims. By that time the news somehow had gotten state wide that I may be injured. As anchorman at least the great ones, they feel they can and must come through for their teammates no matter what. The questions were could we live up to the pre-meet hype? And could I even run fast? We were able to execute as I was only able to go about 80% for the win. When I crossed the line I thought ok I wasn't limping and I was not in as much pain as I thought. We can win this; we had just made the finals!!
The next morning would be the finals of the 4x1. Adrenaline was undoubtedly covering up the pain. I had wondered if I would even be able to get out of bed but I was feeling pretty good. I warmed up a little more than the day before. As we all walked to our spots and I jogged in front of the stands, the fans went crazy. We were on the brink of history- just seconds away. We were favorites and underdogs at the same time.
E.S. got an excellent start as usual and handed off to the Love Dr. Love who ran the backstretch of the season putting us in the mix. Wood got the baton and maintained our momentum through the curve. The whole season came down to me closing the deal. Wood was about to step on the mark and I exploded out. If the knee broke, it just broke. Wood said 'lean!' But this time when I put my hand back there was no baton. Wood had missed my hand! The second time he hit it. At that point we were behind. But because this is the state finals there is no place to have a botched hand off. We crossed the line in 4th place. This had never happened before. It was our first loss ever in the state final. I still get upset about it today.
We had a great season and we were known statewide and made the Chicago newspapers and lived in central Illinois. We were able to capture all the fans at the meet. As time has passed the topic of the '86 4x1 leaves a bunch of "what if" questions. It's a topic that has made history in my life and I'm sure competing in the 4x1 will make history in someone's lives this year.