Lee Evans went to Central Union high school. I was a freshman when Lee was a sophomore. I remember, we were on the bus coming from a divisional track meet, maybe it had been in Selma. Lee who was small and made to run C class at the time, had taken his leg of the race easily. He had come from behind in the field, during his anchor leg of the relay, just wiping out the whole field. Lee was the only African-American on the team, as I remember. When he ran it looked unworldly to me, he was so fast, even as a small sophomore, probably not more than 5'7" and 120 lb. On the bus, a couple of us were complemented Lee on what a fabulous finishing kick he had displayed. Lee, who always seemed so quiet and reserved, smiled, speaking up, and was talking happily about how he knew that he had him when he came into the final straight away, and he had this guy in his sight. He was telling us how he had just thrown it into high gear and that guy had had no chance. Coach Thorpe, who was also my English teacher, had been a boot camp drill instructor when he was younger, so he had told us. I had a lot of respect for this coach like a lot of kids have for their coaches. While Lee was talking about how he had taken the relay back over, coach Thorpe slowly, got up, walked from the front of the bus, and when he had gotten a little more than half way down the bus aisle, where we were sitting, he forcefully slammed Lee with his open palm on top of the head, roaring with his deep drill sergeant voice, "Shut up (N!!!ger! He had slammed Lee so hard I couldn't help but think that it must have physically hurt Lee. I even wondered if it could have someway damaged his neck. Looking across the aisle at Lee I could see that he was really incensed, but he didn't say one word. Nobody said a word on that bus after that. I was really taken aback. I had never seen a display of such racism like this before, maybe on TV news but never first hand. At the time, I couldn't figure out if it had been just a reaction to how Lee had been proudly talking about his event, or something greater. I wanted to sympathize with him and say something quietly to him, but it had been a rather traumatic event, for everybody perhaps. But, especially for Lee, and frankly I was scared of this coach Thorpe, who was keeping an eye on us. I remember feeling shame for what this coach had done. I had to sort out what had taken place in my mind. But one thing was sure, I began to lose all respect for this coach, beginning right there. I never did see Lee again. I don't even remember anyone talking about what had taken place. I didn't even bring it up to my parents. It's hard to explain how I exactly felt about the incident. But, it sort of placed a seed deep in my psyche that has resurfaced from time to time. Someone said that Lee had moved to his grandparents home in San Jose. My family soon moved into Fresno, as my parents were going to buy a new house. I didn't have to deal with that evil coach again. I guess the coach completely got away with what he had done. I, and others, had been cowardly in not outing the son-of-a-bitch. I saw coach Thorpe at a large track meet a couple of years later. I pretended that I didn't know him. Looking back, I probably should have done something, and now wish I had done something, but I didn't know what to do at the time. I'm sure this act of racism, and, no doubt, others, was instrumental in radicalizing Lee Evans. That coach didn't like the way Lee talked about how he had taken that relay back, to the point that he flew completely off the handle! If it had been any one of us white athletes expressing the same feelings it would have been no big deal, that I'm sure of. Only because he felt that he owned this black athlete did he feel the need to rise up and overpower him, take him down to size, belittle him in front of the whole track team. It was a sick and evil thing that he had done.
I wonder if that pig of a coach ever saw lee again and he must have been aware of his accomplishment there is a special place in hell for racist like thorpe.
The system worked great, so the Russians and East Germans adopted it, improved upon it, Charlie Francis of Canada perfected it. Now we take for granted what Bud Winter started.
Any bibliography with that? No doubt people did things independently that worked but to say a whole system was based off his back? Russian/German programs were state sponsored systems whose coaches went through rigorous general and specialised training/sport specific methodologies that encompassed various facets such as psychology, recovery to a very high level. Props to Buddy and all coaches who are open enough engage and really develop athletes.
@Sandy Combs Nothing special? Winter was very innovative in his training theory, he knew sprinting and how to make a high school 10 flat man into a 9.5 or faster sprinter, his drills and emphasis on relaxation were new, and when Ray Norton ran 9.3 everyone wanted to know what the SJSU program was all about, that wasn't lucky, the results speak for themselves, look it up.
Lee Evans went to Central Union high school. I was a freshman when Lee was a sophomore. I remember, we were on the bus coming from a divisional track meet, maybe it had been in Selma. Lee who was small and made to run C class at the time, had taken his leg of the race easily. He had come from behind in the field, during his anchor leg of the relay, just wiping out the whole field. Lee was the only African-American on the team, as I remember. When he ran it looked unworldly to me, he was so fast, even as a small sophomore, probably not more than 5'7" and 120 lb. On the bus, a couple of us were complemented Lee on what a fabulous finishing kick he had displayed. Lee, who always seemed so quiet and reserved, smiled, speaking up, and was talking happily about how he knew that he had him when he came into the final straight away, and he had this guy in his sight. He was telling us how he had just thrown it into high gear and that guy had had no chance.
Coach Thorpe, who was also my English teacher, had been a boot camp drill instructor when he was younger, so he had told us. I had a lot of respect for this coach like a lot of kids have for their coaches. While Lee was talking about how he had taken the relay back over, coach Thorpe slowly, got up, walked from the front of the bus, and when he had gotten a little more than half way down the bus aisle, where we were sitting, he forcefully slammed Lee with his open palm on top of the head, roaring with his deep drill sergeant voice, "Shut up (N!!!ger! He had slammed Lee so hard I couldn't help but think that it must have physically hurt Lee. I even wondered if it could have someway damaged his neck. Looking across the aisle at Lee I could see that he was really incensed, but he didn't say one word. Nobody said a word on that bus after that. I was really taken aback. I had never seen a display of such racism like this before, maybe on TV news but never first hand. At the time, I couldn't figure out if it had been just a reaction to how Lee had been proudly talking about his event, or something greater. I wanted to sympathize with him and say something quietly to him, but it had been a rather traumatic event, for everybody perhaps. But, especially for Lee, and frankly I was scared of this coach Thorpe, who was keeping an eye on us. I remember feeling shame for what this coach had done. I had to sort out what had taken place in my mind. But one thing was sure, I began to lose all respect for this coach, beginning right there. I never did see Lee again. I don't even remember anyone talking about what had taken place. I didn't even bring it up to my parents. It's hard to explain how I exactly felt about the incident. But, it sort of placed a seed deep in my psyche that has resurfaced from time to time.
Someone said that Lee had moved to his grandparents home in San Jose. My family soon moved into Fresno, as my parents were going to buy a new house. I didn't have to deal with that evil coach again. I guess the coach completely got away with what he had done. I, and others, had been cowardly in not outing the son-of-a-bitch. I saw coach Thorpe at a large track meet a couple of years later. I pretended that I didn't know him. Looking back, I probably should have done something, and now wish I had done something, but I didn't know what to do at the time. I'm sure this act of racism, and, no doubt, others, was instrumental in radicalizing Lee Evans. That coach didn't like the way Lee talked about how he had taken that relay back, to the point that he flew completely off the handle! If it had been any one of us white athletes expressing the same feelings it would have been no big deal, that I'm sure of. Only because he felt that he owned this black athlete did he feel the need to rise up and overpower him, take him down to size, belittle him in front of the whole track team. It was a sick and evil thing that he had done.
I wonder if that pig of a coach ever saw lee again and he must have been aware of his accomplishment there is a special place in hell for racist like thorpe.
Such fascinating history lies hidden in the heart of Silicon Valley. Go, SJSU!
Janet Twokay czcams.com/video/yW83qVsDfOE/video.html
i was sent this by a friend who was there in the middle of it all and knew most if not all of these guys. USA History 101
Sunkisstube czcams.com/video/yW83qVsDfOE/video.html
Oh heroes! You'll always mean a lot to this SJS grad (& my dad, Walt McPherson)
Sandra McPherson czcams.com/video/yW83qVsDfOE/video.html
Winters program should be taught in the public education system to millions of people no matter what colour their skin is.
“There were giants in the earth in those days…”
GREATNESS ✊🏿
Andre Clark czcams.com/video/yW83qVsDfOE/video.html
What about Dave Long at Speed City ?
Fantastic video, long and lean sprinters.
youtu.be/yW83qVsDf
czcams.com/video/yW83qVsDfOE/video.html
I searched "Roblox Speed City" and found this noice.
The system worked great, so the Russians and East Germans adopted it, improved upon it, Charlie Francis of Canada perfected it. Now we take for granted what Bud Winter started.
Randy Smythe czcams.com/video/yW83qVsDfOE/video.html
Any bibliography with that? No doubt people did things independently that worked but to say a whole system was based off his back? Russian/German programs were state sponsored systems whose coaches went through rigorous general and specialised training/sport specific methodologies that encompassed various facets such as psychology, recovery to a very high level.
Props to Buddy and all coaches who are open enough engage and really develop athletes.
Wow
SJSU .....should try and remember peter Norman ..
What about Larry questad ....also speed city ......
Glenn mill coached bolt. I think your information is incorrect. He was the head coach at camperdown
he said he coached the coach of Bolt
Carlos best out SJSU ....
I wonder if armin hary. Had , had the benefit of a bud winter .........how good he could have been ....
@rosebel Well he was pretty good for an Olympic 100 meter Gold medalist and the first to run 10 flat for 100 meters wouldn't you say?
Wrong ..Glenn mills is the king in Jamaica ...
I don't believe San Jose State did anything special other than get very lucky recruiting talent.
@Sandy Combs Nothing special? Winter was very innovative in his training theory, he knew sprinting and how to make a high school 10 flat man into a 9.5 or faster sprinter, his drills and emphasis on relaxation were new, and when Ray Norton ran 9.3 everyone wanted to know what the SJSU program was all about, that wasn't lucky, the results speak for themselves, look it up.
So why didn't the black colleges offer scholarships and programs to those same black students. That way you don't suffer 'raxixxm' etc etc..