Slender sophomore Leonard Chance practices with his baton around the North Texas track.

Eagles Rate Second in NT Relays

Seventeen records fell and one was tied in the running of the North Texas relays last spring. Defending champion Abilene Christian college won the relays crown, but North Texas won the honors. NT grabbed national prominence in both the two-mile and the distance medley relay events.

In addition to ACC's holding the national record of 10:00:2 in the distance medley, the field offered direct competition between four of the state's best distance men - Richard Menchaca and John Cooper for the Eagles, and ACC's Jarrell Edwards and Thomas O'Neal.

Eagle anchor man Cooper was paced by O'Neal for three and a half laps. Then Cooper made a fast kick on the back stretch and broke the tape at 9:59.3 to win the meet and set a national record. Abilene Christian's time was 10:00.2 which equaled their previous record.

Jim Blassingame, John Spencer, Cooper, and Menchaca brought the Eagles a meet, a state record, and the fastest national time of the year in the two-mile relay. The Eagles trimmed this mark, previously held by ACC, to 7:31.0. Menchaca and Cooper both turned in laps of 1:51.5.

Team captain David Clark shattered the old pole vault record when he cleared 14 feet and ½ inch. Clark placed third in the javelin throw.

Abilene Christian won six first places, breaking three records and tying another, all in the distance events. ACC, leading other teams by 11 points, walked off with the meet trophy; the individual trophy also went to ACC's Dennis Richardson.

Highland Park won the high school division.

The Yucca, 1960
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