Indiana High School Athletic Association

9150 North Meridian Street, Box 40650, Indianapolis, Indiana 46240-0650

Phone: 317-846-6601    Fax: 317-575-4244    Website: www.ihsaa.org

Blake Ress, Commissioner

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MEDIA ADVISORY                                                                       January 16, 2004

Contact: Jerry Baker, Sports Information Director                                                                              

E-Mail: jbaker@ihsaa.org

 

2004 IHSAA TRACK & FIELD COMPETITION MOVES TO INDIANA UNIVERSITY

As part of its Centennial Celebration, The Indiana High School Athletic Association has announced that the 2004 Boys and Girls Track & Field State Championship meets will be conducted at the Robert C. Haugh Track & Field Complex on the campus of Indiana University in Bloomington June 4-5. 

 

That move was approved by unanimous vote by the IHSAA Executive Committee in its regular monthly meeting at the IHSAA offices on January 15, 2004.

 

"Indiana University is proud and excited to host the 2004 Indiana High School State Championships," IU Athletics Director Terry Clapacs said. "Our staff will work closely with (IHSAA Commissioner) Blake Ress' staff to make sure that the IHSAA Centennial Celebration is one to remember."

 

Commissioner Ress added, “The IHSAA is looking forward to joining forces with Indiana University in returning to the site of the first-ever IHSAA sanctioned championship event.  We are certain the athletes and fans will enjoy the experience.”

 

The first state championship in any sport conducted under the IHSAA auspices was the 1904 Track and Field Championship, which was held at Jordan Field on the I.U. campus on May 14th of that year.  With 118 athletes, representing 18 schools, on hand to vie for state titles in 13 events, the team championship was captured by Bloomington High School.  The State Finals were also conducted at Jordan Field in the fifth year of the event, in 1908.

The outdoor facility received a facelift throughout the winter of 1996-97 as Indiana University hosted the 1997 NCAA Division I Men's & Women's Outdoor Track & Field Championships.  Billy Hayes Track features nine running lanes all around with a 110-foot radius on curves to encourage fast times. The track now has two long jump parallel approaches with four pits; two primary pole vault areas with eight pole vault plant boxes and two shot put areas.

The venue features a Daktronics scoreboard/message center.  Additionally, the facility has three four-color cameras in a FinishLynx timing system and all new field events equipment and hurdles standards.  Seating is being significantly upgraded, with added space to accommodate 6,500 fans, up from 3,100.  Finally, the university is installing a state of the art Musco lighting system for night meets.

 

Parking for spectators and schools will be free.  Shuttles will be provided for those who wish to use them.

 

The 31st Annual IHSAA Girls Track & Field State Championships will be held on Friday, June 4, 2004.  The 101st Annual IHSAA Boys Track & Field State Championships will be conducted on Saturday, June 5, 2004. 

 

DIRECTIONS
E.C. (Billy) Hayes Track at the Robert C. Haugh Track and Field Complex is located east of North Fee Lane across from Assembly Hall and Gladstein Fieldhouse (I.U. Campus Map).

 

 

HISTORY---NOTES

 

As documented in the 1904 I.H.S.A.A. Handbook:

 

The first annual Interscholastic Track and Field Meet of the Indiana High School Athletic Association was held on Jordan Field, at Bloomington, May 14.  The day was cold and raw for a track meet and the weather conditions affected the records made.  In no case was a new interscholastic record established. Eighteen schools were represented in the meet, and there were 118 different contestants. The Bloomington High School was the winner of the meet with 35 points to her credit.  The Manual Training High School, of Indianapolis, received second place, with 20 points, while Sheridan defeated Shortridge, of Indianapolis by a score of 16 to 15.  The other schools, which scored, made points as follows:  Salem and Lafayette, 6 each; Goshen, 5; Frankfort, 4; Linton, 4; Hammond, 3; Huntington, 1; Marion, 1; Richmond, 1.

 

The Bloomington Telephone makes the following comments on the meet:

 

Russell Joseph, the Shortridge sprinter, was the star of the meet, and it was largely through his efforts that his team won fourth place.  He won both dashes, making excellent time considering the heavy condition of the track.  Two timers got his efforts in the 100-yard dash at 10 seconds flat.  The time of the event was declared to be 10 1/5 seconds.

 

It was in the 220-yard dash that Joseph did his best.  Blair, of Hammond, the clever sprinter who has lately made such a name for himself in Chicago by defeating the best high school sprinters in that city, passed the Shortridge boy at 100 yards from the finish and apparently had the race won.  Joseph proved his nerve, gaining inch by inch in the run through the stretch, and won the race by diving for the tape, falling exhausted at the finish.

 

Although the Manual Training High School team won second place, Murr was the only member of the team to take a first place.

 

Miller, of Lafayette, won first place on a fluke, with a jump of 5 feet 4 inches, while Johnson, of M.T.H.S., received second honors with a jump of 5 feet 5 inches.  This result was reached because Johnson failed to go over 5 feet 4 inches on a third trial, and in jumping off the tie for second place with Buckley, of Bloomington, he cleared the bar at 5:5.  The relay race was declared off.

 

The summary of events was as follows:

 

100-Yard Dash – Joseph, of Shortridge; Heaton, Frankfort; Rader, Huntington. Time, 0:10 1/5.

 

220-Yard Dash – Joseph, of Shortridge; Blair, Hammond; Heaton, Frankfort. Time, 0:23 2/5.

 

120-Yard Hurdle – Seward, Bloomington; Martin, Salem; Anderson, Marion. Time, 0:17.

 

One-mile Run – Steep, Bloomington; White, Bloomington; Cauble, Salem. Time, 5:04.

 

440-Yard Run – Zimmer, Bloomington; Duggan, M.T.H.S.; Davis, Sheridan. Time, 0:54 2/5.

 

220-Yard Hurdle – Seward, Bloomington; Duggan, M.T.H.S., Martin, Salem. Time, 0:27 4/5

 

880-Yard Run – Davis, Sheridan; White, Bloomington; Wilson, Salem. Time, 2:14 3/5

 

Discus – Buckley, Bloomington; Fritz, Sheridan; Miller, Lafayette. 100 feet 8 inches

 

Running High Jump – Miller, Lafayette; Johnston, M.T.H.S.; Buckley, Bloomington.  5 feet 4 inches.

 

Shot Put – Murr, M.T.H.S.; Buckley, Bloomington; Humphrey, Linton. 40 feet 3 inches.

 

Pole Vault – Buckley, Bloomington; Humphrey, Linton; Scott, Sheridan. 9 feet 6 inches.

 

Hammer Throw – Weatherhead, Goshen; Murr, M.T.H.S.; Manford, Richmond. 131 feet 1 inch.

 

Running Broad Jump – Kercheval, Sheridan; Johnston, M.T.H.S.; Higby, Sheridan. 19 feet 8 inches.

 

 

From the meet story in the Bloomington World:

 

One of the greatest crowds Jordan Field has known was in attendance at the first annual meet of the Indiana High School Athletic Association, which was held here Saturday.  The sturdy athletes of the Bloomington High School far outdistanced their competitors by piling up a grand total of 35 points.  The Manual Training team, of Indianapolis, took second place, with 20 points, and Sheridan third, with 16.  The Shortridge lads, of whom only six were present, made a wonderful showing, considering the fact that the Manual Training was represented by its entire squad of twenty track and field men.  Shortridge took fourth place, with 15 points.  The other teams scored as follows:  Lafayette, 6; Salem, 6; Goshen, 5; Frankfort, 4; Linton, 4; Hammond, 3; Huntington, 1; Marion, 1; Richmond, 1.  The following teams were entered, but failed to win a point:  East Chicago, Monticello, Noblesville, North Manchester, and Weedersburg.

 

Buckley, of the local high school, won the all-around championship.  He added 14 points to Bloomington’s score and Captain Seward added 10 more.  Joseph, of Shortridge, tied with Seward for second individual honors, the speedy Indianapolis sprinter also making 10 points.

 

The great crowd rose to its feet at the finish of the 220-yard dash.  Joseph, of Shortridge, and Blair, of Hammond, ran abreast for the last fifty yards of the race.  When within two feet of the tape, Joseph fairly threw himself forward and won by a hair’s breadth.  He fell exhausted within a few feet of the tape and was carried to his dressing room.  He recovered in time to take part in the broad jump, but failed to land a place.

 

A drizzling rain fell all morning and until almost time for the starting of the first event.  The track and field was consequently in poor condition.  The rain, however, did not dampen the enthusiasm of the supporters of the contestants, and the grand stand and bleachers were gay with the colors waved by the friends of the contesting teams.

 

Owing to the heavy track and slippery field no State records were broken.  The records were all creditable, however, and the meet as a whole was a great success.  Coach Horne, who had the arrangements in charge, is to be congratulated on his efficient management.  Although beginning a trifle late, the events were run off exactly as provided for in the program, and the entire meet was finished on schedule time.

 

The contestants were royally entertained by the university and citizens of Bloomington.  Whether winners or not, all expressed themselves as well pleased with the meet and with the hospitality so generously given.