GH's all-time favorite trivia question

[gh]

This is a multi-part doozy. It's about two guys who were high school teammates and went on to be part of a fierce in-state rivalry as collegians

One of them is the last Heisman Trophy winner ever to play in the NCAA basketball Final Four.

The other guy is in the pro football Hall of Fame, but it's becuase of his track credentials I'm posting the question here. As a high schooler he set a national record. As a collegian he earned an IAAF World Record plaque in a totally different event, and his only score in the NCAA Championships came in yet a third different event!

IDing the two guys is good, but to win you have to name the high school!

(No spoilers from those to whom I've posed the question at a meet in the past)

[Guest]

Re: GH's all-time favorite trivia question

Jefferson High School
Portland Oregon

[Guest]

Re: GH's all-time favorite trivia question

Terry Baker, Oregon State
Jerry Tarr, University of Oregon

Jefferson High School
Portland Oregon

[bkotch]

Re: GH's all-time favorite trivia question

As best I can tell, Jerry Tarr isn't in the pro football hall of fame. Mel Renfro, maybe? He was a couple of years behind Baker, though.

[Guest]

Re: GH's all-time favorite trivia question

Defintely Renfro!

Terry Baker
Oregon State

Mel Renfro
University of Oregon

Jefferson High School
Portland Oregon

[gh]

Re: GH's all-time favorite trivia question

Well dang! That didn't take long at all. You guys were supposed to fret over that one for days. Yes, Baker and Renfro of Jefferson High (and I'm told that neither of them was the best athlete in the school; that honor went to Renfro's brother, who for some reason or another never fulfilled that promise).

So now I want more detail on Renfro. In what event did he set a HSR; in which did he score in the NCAA; in which did he earn a WR plaque from the IAAF?

[MDC]

Re: GH's all-time favorite trivia question

World record was set in the 4x1 (40.0) while at the U of Oregon. Placed 2nd to teammate Jerry Tarr in the HH at NCAA (13.8). Was Renfro's 24' 1 1/4 long jump a high school record at the time?

Great trivia question!

[gh]

Re: GH's all-time favorite trivia question

Relay WR (4x110y that is) is correct, and while the NCAA hurdle data is correct, that's the wrong answer (figure that one out!). HS answer is wrong: the 25-foot barrier had been broached as far back as 1949. (Naming who that was is another good piece of trivia)

[BisonHurdler]

Re: GH's all-time favorite trivia question

HS answer is
>wrong: the 25-foot barrier had been broached as
>far back as 1949. (Naming who that was is another
>good piece of trivia)




George Brown of Jordan HS, Los Angeles.

[BisonHurdler]

Re: GH's all-time favorite trivia question

P.S. It was 25' 2 1/2".

[MDC]

Re: GH's all-time favorite trivia question

Since Renfro also placed 3rd in the LJ at the NCAA, that makes two events in which he placed. At this point, I figure I've been suckered by the phrasing "his only score in the NCAA Championships." Given that Renfro was recognized as HS AOY as hurdler and long jumper, and you've eliminated the LJ, then perhaps his sub 19 second clocking in the 180 LH established (or tied) the national record; if not, it was close (18.9 at state meet, faster clocking elsewhere?)

[gh]

Re: GH's all-time favorite trivia question

You werent' intentionally suckered by the phrasing; in cutting and pasting my original question from my word processor (easier than writing in these small windows) I somehow lost a chunk of it becuase I also had to rewrite it.

So, for those of you who cared, this is the way thing is supposed to go (sorry for the delay: this got lost while we finished the latest issue of the magazine):

Yes, it was Terry Baker and Mel Renfro of Jefferson of Portland. Renfro's incredible track bio was supposed to read this way:

He set a High School Record in one event (18.9 for the 180LH around a turn), scored in the NCAA in a totally different event (3rd in the long jump), and earned a World Record plaque for another totally different event (the first ratified 4x110 relay record around two turns). Additionally, his only World Ranking came in a different (but not "totally different") event, the 110H, where he was NCAA runner-up.

His football versatility (which I didn't get into) included his coming out of college as a running back then being a 10-time all pro at two different defensive positions (6 at free safety 4 at cornerback). To say the least... wow!

[Mellow Johnny]

So how did Renfro score points in the LJ where he was third (but was the only event he scored points in) and got 2nd in the 110HH?

[Bauchwalzer]

GH's All time favorite trivia question

This one won't be as easy. Name the hurdler who won his 120 yard HH race in a time that was over 2 1/2 seconds faster than the winner of the following race - run immediately afterwards in identical conditions - that included the defending NCAA champion in the event and a future two-time NCAA champion in the event. Identical conditions - the hurdles in the first race were not set lower and the distance in both races was the same, and correct. And I do mean seconds, not tenths.