Ernie Smith

[Texas]

I don't really buy into anything having to do with financial status. Kids are noticed for their athlectic potential as early as grade school, those who stand out are usually aware of that fact and enjoy the attention. Rich or poor if sports brings attention...........................

Yes, yes, yes well aware of all those poor southern kids and the one parent income and all that. I'm saying those athletes who came from that background would probably have still been star athletes if they'd grown up in Maine with mom a lawyer and dad a doctor.

[dj]

Before this devolves into defining how poor is poor, I'd throw the opposing viewpoint in. I think poverty historically has pulled kids away from sports, at least organized school sports. Poor kids were often getting jobs to help the family.

[paulthefan]

i think that is why kids from poorer areas have come to dominate much of sports these days.

I dont know but it would seem that poorer (really lower and lower middle class kids) have always dominated sports. The abject poor really dont get a chance to get into sports, heck they dont even get to HS.

[Jacksf]

Well the Central Valley has quite an incredible track and field legacy.
I would suppose that one of the reasons for its decline in more recent times, has to do with the fact that kids have so many other ways of entertaining themselves these days - you know, video games, computers, skateboarding, shopping, etc.
Previous generations had less money and less entertainment options.
As generations have become more wealthy, I think the less likely their kids are to be seriously involved in sports. i think that is why kids from poorer areas have come to dominate much of sports these days.

[Texas]

Re: Ernie Smith

Ernie was a standout hurdler and the younger brother of the great Tommie Smith.

1965 Cal State

1-T Dick Miller Monrovia 13.8
1-T Bill Persons San Fernando 13.8
3 Ernie Smith Lemoore 14.1
4 Garland Burrell Washington 14.1
5 Larry Guinn Redwood 14.2
6 Larry Dumas Castlemont 14.3

He'd end up at Oregon State. I know of a 9.4 100yd then..? ....

After Oregon State (where he ran on the 5th-place NCAA 4x1 in '69) he went to Washington State to get his graduate degree and was an assistant coach awhile as I recall.

You'd think he would have been more in the forefront considering the situation surrounding Tommie. If he was ever asked his opinion I know nothing about his reply.

[gh]

Re: Ernie Smith

Ernie was a standout hurdler and the younger brother of the great Tommie Smith.

1965 Cal State

1-T Dick Miller Monrovia 13.8
1-T Bill Persons San Fernando 13.8
3 Ernie Smith Lemoore 14.1
4 Garland Burrell Washington 14.1
5 Larry Guinn Redwood 14.2
6 Larry Dumas Castlemont 14.3

He'd end up at Oregon State. I know of a 9.4 100yd then..? ....

After Oregon State (where he ran on the 5th-place NCAA 4x1 in '69) he went to Washington State to get his graduate degree and was an assistant coach awhile as I recall.

[Texas]

Ernie was a standout hurdler and the younger brother of the great Tommie Smith.

1965 Cal State

1-T Dick Miller Monrovia 13.8
1-T Bill Persons San Fernando 13.8
3 Ernie Smith Lemoore 14.1
4 Garland Burrell Washington 14.1
5 Larry Guinn Redwood 14.2
6 Larry Dumas Castlemont 14.3

He'd end up at Oregon State. I know of a 9.4 100yd then..? The fact that Tommie had another track star in the family gets lost in his story. Now you know :lol:

There was also another great trackster out of Lemoore name Larance Jones, he was a 400m man.

That area of the valley, or west of hwy 99 has given the track world... Jerry White from Corcoran, he was the nations top 400 man in his HS days. After HS..? Otis Haley the high jump star was from Wasco another little town out there.

Just yesterday I was in Delano. I always think of Leamon King when there. Someday I'm going to go to his old high school and see if his accomplishments are acknowledged. When he was there Delano must have been tiny, because it's small today. I drive by Tulare "Bob Mathias" Union every day on my way to work. In a few days I'll be heading to Fresno, which means I'll be heading right thru Kingsburg. Gotta think...Rafer Johnson. Then when I get to Fresno how do you not think....Darel Newman, Phil Reeves, Maxie Parks, Alvin Mann, Sam Davis, Jerry Wilson and Randy Williams?

I keep up with the local scene and it seems things are regressing instead of progressing. It's been a long time since we've seen someone from central Cali fit in with those I mentioned........hmm?

What's sad is just having memories when it comes to the once mighty West Coast Relays, those teams from Taft JC hanging with the big boys. Once saw Don Quarrie run in a storm at the Bakersfield Classic, he said.."I came to run!" Then there were the great San Jose State Spartans and all that speed. All of that just a memory :cry: