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Went running the other day with a gentleman who mentioned running against Forrest Beaty in high school. I also saw Forrest mentioned in one of the posts on the message board. Got me curious since I remembered the name from my youth although I never saw him run. What would you project Forrest would have run had he not been injured? On one hand his times are remarkable, 20.2W for the 220 (as a 16 year old junior), multiple 9.4, 9.5 and 9.6 times in the 100, for someone so young. On the other hand from photos he looks like a very mature high schooler and he prepped at Glendale Hoover which was known for track & field so he was probably fundamentally sound already. Curious what people who may have seen Beaty run in high school think his top end potential topped out at.
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Re: Forrest Beaty - what if?
Many years ago, he borrowed my spikes to run 100y in an all comers meet in Reno, and I think he ran about 9.7--- much faster than I'd ever done (I was a mile slogger).
If I remember correctly, we were both in medical school at that point. I've wondered what became of him. Anyone know? -
Re: Forrest Beaty - what if?
Last I heard Forrest was a pediatric surgeon in of all places Forestville, California.Comment
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Re: Forrest Beaty - what if?
That's him on the leftOriginally posted by lagster
http://www.bigcsociety.org/halloffame20 ... 006153.jpgComment
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Re: Forrest Beaty - what if?
Also this: http://www.glendalehigh.com/big-game-records-hoover.pdf
Go to bottom and there is a nice piece on him. Also read page 8 (1960). Then go to page 9 for another famous name.Comment
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Re: Forrest Beaty - what if?
One of the real .."what happened"...in sprintdom. Best high schooler in the nation, could run everything from the 100 to the 400. Yet he never really made the impact he should have. Can't recall how/when I first came across him, I do remember thinking..."what happened to this guy?"Comment
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Re: Forrest Beaty - what if?
I think you are being a bit too hard on him. Maybe he was not quite the super, super HS runner that you are remembering/perceiving. That 9.4 and 20.2 were handtimed, at HS meets. They could have really been 9.6 and close to 21.0. Straightaway 220's had a ton of variables in them.Originally posted by Avante
He had a very solid career at Cal as a 1/4 miler. Plus some guys "peak " earlier than others.... he was an earlier peaker than some others.Comment
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Re: Forrest Beaty - what if?
And if he were in pre-med at a school like Cal (which would be a logical assumption), track might rapidly become a secondary (or tertiary) concern.Comment
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Re: Forrest Beaty - what if?
Thought the reason Beaty might have underperformed in college had to do with the hamstring injury from the 1962 State Championships? Thought he was no longer able to go all out and switched to the 440y to baby the hammy. If that is not the case please enlighten.
By the way, Beaty is credited with a 47.3 440y dash in high school which I believe is the same as Tommie Smith's best 440y in high school.Comment
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Re: Forrest Beaty - what if?
Wasn't everyone hand timed back in the early 60's?Originally posted by dukehjsteve
Beatty was the High School Athlete of the year in 1962. His 9.4 was tied for 5th, Hayes had a 9.2. In 1961 he ran a 21.0 on the turn, he also ran a 10.5 100m. So I don't think I'm being hard on him. He could have been one of the great ones based on his early accomplishments. In 1965 he ran a 46.0. Yep...what could have been.Comment
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Re: Forrest Beaty - what if?
re the above, yes of course everyone was handtimed.... but also, reliability/accuracy was more of a factor back then. I for one always thought his 20.2 was a bit too good to be true. And this is particularly so with 1) hs timers
2) wind gauge reliability ( particularly for a straightaway 220 ).
Comparing high school e times to e times in 2010 for evaluative purposes( 10.25 vs. 10.45 as an example) is a LOT more accurate than comparing some 1962 handtimes of 9.4 and 9.6.Comment
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Re: Forrest Beaty - what if?
The wind during Beaty's 20.2 was +1.7, although there were questions about the accuracy of the reading at the time. The timers at Chaffey HS were, of course, a long way from the gun, and it was an afternoon meet. A year later, the timers for his 20.4 at Mt SAC were SPAAAU officials (for what that was worth), the wind was negligible, and the meet was at night. His marks were certainly as "valid" as most others of his era, whether HS or not. And his severe hamstring pull at Modesto a week after the 20.4 no doubt contributed to his subsequent caution and/or lack of incentive in the short sprints.
Beaty's 21.0 on a turn in 1961 (2nd to another HS sprinter, Ralph Turner) was at 200 meters at the SoCal AAU meet.Comment
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Re: Forrest Beaty - what if?
Winds can be strong in the SGV (Chaffey). Most high school tracks in the area do have wind protection. More often than not the wind dies in the evening. Unless it is a Santa Ana (which would be equivalent to normal wind in Texas)The wind during Beaty's 20.2 was +1.7, although there were questions about the accuracy of the reading at the time.Comment
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Re: Forrest Beaty - what if?
The old stadium at Chaffey HS in Ontario is in the San Bernardino (not the San Gabriel) Valley. Santa Ana winds in Southern California always trend north-to-south, and when they are blowing through the SBV, travelers unfortunate to be ticketed through Ontario Airport may feel like they are riding the space shuttle.
The 220 was run west-to-east, past a large, high grandstand made of ancient cement. There were high buildings at the east end, bracketing the straight. Winds from the west were benign that day, or Ulis Williams' 46.1 440 -- the first 120 yards of which were run on an east-to west straight on the north side of the stadium -- would have been a lot slower.Comment
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Re: Forrest Beaty - what if?
Link below to a great article on Forrest.
http://articles.glendalenewspress.com/2 ... boys-track
Article mentions that Forrest's uncle Fulton ran with some great athletes at Glendale High. Bit of an understatement as Fulton was part of a Glendale foursome that set the state 440y relay record. And oh yeah, one of the other runners was Frank Wykoff.Comment
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