Ja'mari Ward is the #1 jumper in the country and certainly of his generation. Could he land as the all-time jumper of all-time in Illinois annals? (Mark Capapas photo)
The Long Jump and Triple Jump are two events that even at this moment the state of Illinois has been at the forefront and known for. Cahokia superstar junior Jamari Ward is currently #1 in the US in the triple jump and in the long jump (25'6" on Tuesday). But the Golden Age of jumping would be the 1980's PERIOD!
In no way am I attacking Jamari. He's the best right now and probably will be next year as well. And when we discuss a Mount Rushmore of Illinois jumpers, his face may just end up as the top figure on it. The ol' skool athletes and fans have seen this type of jumping greatness before though. Can you imagine if Jamari went back in time to an Illinois state meet with his then season best 24'10 and jumped..... and tied for 2nd? That's exactly what would've happened in 1984. One of the all-time great jumpers, Andre Love (Westchester St Joseph) came out of sectionals with a 24'06 and didn't win state! Illinois has either decided to erase and forget or never heard of the great Tim Simon (Maywood Proviso East) who won it at 25'0 1/4w. Just think in '84 a 24'04 1/2 got 4th!... 4th!!
A big problem after the 80's is that a 23' became the new 24 ft jump. Prior to Jamari, all the way back to 2000, there have been just three years where the state was won with a 24 foot jump - ('03) 24'01 3/4, ('04) 24'00 1/4, and ('12) 24'00 1/2. I'll let you see where this would've placed them. The '84 LJ final was the greatest collection of jumpers at state ever.
IHSA all-timers David Bond & Bob Jelks (Decatur MacArthur)
1984 LJ Results
Tim Simon (Proviso East) 25'00 1/4"w
Edmondo Moxey (Danville) 24'10
Scott Shorney (Wheaton Central) 24'07
Matthew Patrick (Centralia) 24'04 1/2
Van Cowden (Danville) 23'11 3/4
Andre Love (Westchester St Joseph) 23'10
Tracy Robinson (Proviso West) 23'06 1/2
Darren Barber (Springfield Lanphier) 23'01 1/2
These guys were versatile too. Simon won the 400m in 47.48. Edmondo Moxey took 2nd in the 200m (21.61) and 3rd 100m (10.56) How's that for a state meet? And remember the 100/200m had rounds. The problem is Jamari is the only one who can pop a 24 ft jump. So it looks and sounds unbelievable. In the 80's this was the norm. Can you imagine the hype these jumpers would've gotten today? They'd all be ranked as top jumpers in the U.S. Decatur MacArthur was in the Big 12 conference so we saw Moxey and Van Cowden of Danville have big jumps weekly. We constantly saw Darren Barber (Lanphier) at invitationals, so when they jumped well, it was like Jamari today... expected. In '85, Andre Love improved on his 6th place finish of 84 and won in 23'01 1/2. Alan Turner (N Chicago) won in 23'09 1/2 and threw in a 4th in the 400m for free in 1986.
The TJ is where Jamari Ward reigns as king as the #1 TJ in the country. There is nobody, I repeat nobody, unless he gets injured to the point he can't jump that is a remote threat to him. Jamari, if he chooses, can take one jump as he did at Top Times and walk away the state champ this year and next year. The only competition he has is himself and history. This may shock some, but as great as he is and as many titles as he's won, he is NOT the school record holder at Cahokia. Kali Jackson ('06) is at 52'05 3/4. I guarantee you, Coach Leroy Millsap has probably mentioned on an occasion or two, that he has a year left so he probably will get it. Jamari is the only jumper of today who could've competed in the Golden Age of triple jumping.
The TJ of '86 had Alvin Campbell (Oak Park) 49'71/2" as he stole the state title from two of my teammates from Dec MacArthur - Tony Rice 48'11 3/4" (50'8" @ jr. nationals) and Carlos Sidney 48'05" who went 2nd and 3rd. I can make up a fantasy TJ just from my city where Jamari couldn't take one jump and walk away. Rice 50'8 1/2" ('87), Byron Topps 50'7" ('94), Tylian Smith 50'00 1/2" ('01), Decatur Eisenhower's Adam Hodges 50'3" ('97), David Bond 49'06 1/4" ('84), Sidney 48'5" ('86), and David Stewart 47'7" (48'3" in '84). I'll go a step further, my teammate Jared "Country" Thompson was ranked #6 in the state, but #3 on our team and couldn't go to the sectional meet because of Tony and Carlos. "Country'" 47'06" ...... well that would've won state... last year! I left a few names out, but believe me we had more than just these guys. Our city thought that a 49-50 ft jump was supposed to happen and that it was normal to do that.
I didn't forget Bannon Hayes (Rock Island '85) 49'00 1/4". and can we PLEASE not forget to mention perhaps the greatest Illinois triple jumper period -- oh yeah, he's an 80's Golden age legend, 1981 to be exact. Luther South's legendary Mike Conley - 51'11 1/2". Mike is, without question, the most accomplished jumper after high school. Conley won Olympic gold in the 1992 Barcelona Olympics and silver in 1984 at L.A. He also won gold at the 1993 World Championships in the triple. Last but not least he recruited the BSide himself to come to the Univ of Arkansas.
I want everyone to see that the true Golden Age of jumping was in the 80's This was also a history lesson to many athletes and fans , as well as a reminder to some of past IL greats. The competition and athletes were on a level that may never be seen again. The job of this generation is to add to the legacy of Illinois track and field and continue as well as add to the history of past greats.