Date Fri, 1 May 1998 100705 -0400

From "Edward J. Grant" <[email protected]>

Subject t-and-f Plainfield, Montclair, etc

Netters

        The Plainfield (NJ) boys' sprint team that captured the No. 1 U.S.

position at Penn had a fast double last night at the 55th Union County

relays in Elizabeth.

        After losing a close one to Elizabeth in the 400R (with one sub in

the lineup), the Cardinals came back to win the 800R in 126.5, tie-third

fastest on the all-time NJ list, and then won the closing 1600R in 317.1.

        Word is that today, at Paul Robeson Stadium in East Orange, the

Montclair girls who finished 2nd in the 400R and 3rd in the 1600R at Penn

will make an all-out effort in the 800R, where they have the potential of

running close to 135. Unfortunately, as in the case of the Union meet, it

will be hand-timing, but I will try to see that three watches cover that

race. (They could run in an AT race at the East Coast relays on May 18 at

Morristown.)

        It is interesting to note that the three NJ teams that did so well

at Penn---Montclair, Plainfield and Columbia---are also among the oldest

track and field powers in our state. Montclair was winning "state" meets

back at the turn ot the century, long before out state asociation was

established. It ruled the roost in Gr. IV (our largest schools) until the

1950s when Plainfield moved up from gr. III and acquired a young man named

Milt Campbell. Columbia has been Montclair's main rival in Essex County for

as long as I have been connected with the sport and for years before that.

        Tradition is a big part of all three scholl's success, as well as

longevity in coaching. As far as we can figure, Montclair has has just four

boys' coaches in the last 80 years or so. The current coach, Ray Spivey,

was a national (Eastern) indoor hurdle champ in 1956, went to Indiana

University with two classmates who also won at the Garden that day, and

came back to be assistant coach to his mentor, Mike Oriel. Plainfield has

had some turmoil in its program the last few years (mostly associated with

the school district's problems), but before that had three coaches in about

60 years, Harold Bruguiere (who coached Campbell), Marshall Brown and Ron

Upperman, who still teaches at the school and serves as a sort of

consultant to the program. Columbia had the still-living Phil Seitzer (90+)

for many years, then, after a few short terms, along came Len Klepack who

has guided both the boys and girls programs for almost 30 years now.

        The current assistant coach at Plainfield is Dorrell Hilliman, who

ran with John Marshall on a Penn 1600 winner in the early 80's and was also

part of our state record 41.0 team which, unfortunately, dropped the stick

at penn. On the Tuesday before this year's Carnival, Dorell and his three

teammates went out to dinner with the present team just to give them a feel

of the Cardinal tradition. All four members of that '81 team, by the way,

are doing very well in life, just as are the members of our two Penn

winners of that era (Westfield in 1978 and Montclair in 1984). There is a

life after track in our state.

        Though the professional news photographers evidently missed the

opportunity, a rather unique photo was taken on the infield at penn late on

Saturday afternoon. Reggie Pearman and Mal Whitfield had just made a

presentation on the victory stand, but also in the area was Herb McKenley.

Marty Denman, brother is US Track and Field Writers Association prexy

Elliott Denman of the Asbury Park Press---and an NYU grad like Pearman--got

the three legends together. While Herb and Reggie are regulars at the

relays every year, the perpatetic Whitfield is only an occasional visitor.