Modesto Relays
Encyclopedia
The Modesto Relays, now known as the California Invitational Relays is an annual elite track and field
meet. It is held about the second weekend in May. For 67 years, the meet was held at Modesto Junior College
in Modesto, California
, a track notable for tight turns and long straightaways, ending in 2008. During its run in Modesto, it was the site of over 30 world records
. After taking the 2009 season off, the meet moved to Hughes Stadium at Sacramento City College
in Sacramento, California
.
The meet director for most of that time was National Track and Field Hall of Fame
member Tom Moore
, a former elite hurdler from the University of California
. As an athlete, Moore had tied the world record in the 120 yard high hurdles in 1935. Moore's name would become synonymous with the Modesto Relays. Moore served as the starter for the first meet for all but one race . . . the high hurdles, which he won. He had his running shorts on under his uniform and hastily changed to run. But Moore did almost everything else to make the meet what it became, from adjusting the lights toward the track (rather than just the football field) to obtaining sponsorship from S&W Foods
that brought notoriety to the otherwise sleepy Central Valley town. When S&W dropped its sponsorship, Moore found a new sponsor in Coca Cola.
There are many quirky stories to the long history of the meet. "Dutch" Warmerdam
set a world record in the pole vault
, but only after the standards were repaired at the college welding shop. After the record, an excited official knocked over the standard again. When the bar was remeasured, Warmerdam lost 1/4 of an inch and a brawl ensued. The world record stood for 15 years. 58 years later, Stacy Dragila
also set a world record in the pole vault at the meet. Double Olympic Gold medalist, Bob Richards
negotiated a $75 cash bonus if he broke the meet record. When he arrived, he discovered the meet record was the world record, which Richards never achieved in his career.
In 1961, when reigning Olympic Champion Herb Elliott
dropped out of a heavily promoted Mile race with Dyrol Burleson
(promoted as the cover story in Sports Illustrated
), the packed stadium was silenced in disappointment. They became ecstatic when a then unknown Jim Beatty
improved his personal best by seven seconds to set the American record at 3:58.0. That same meet saw Ralph Boston
become the first man to jump 27 feet in the long jump
.
And the strong winds at Modesto made the discus throw
a record setting event. Jay Silvester
set the world record in 1968. Ben Plucknett
did the same in 1981, but his record was removed after he tested positive for steroids.
After his death, in 2004, the meet was renamed the "Tom Moore Modesto Relays."
Track and field
Track and field is a sport comprising various competitive athletic contests based around the activities of running, jumping and throwing. The name of the sport derives from the venue for the competitions: a stadium which features an oval running track surrounding a grassy area...
meet. It is held about the second weekend in May. For 67 years, the meet was held at Modesto Junior College
Modesto Junior College
The Modesto Junior College is a community college located in Central Valley's Modesto, California.-Accreditation:Modesto Junior College is accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges. In January 2008, the Western Association Colleges and Schools notified the college that it had...
in Modesto, California
Modesto, California
Modesto is a city in, and is the county seat of, Stanislaus County, California. With a population of approximately 201,165 at the 2010 census, Modesto ranks as the 18th largest city in the state of California....
, a track notable for tight turns and long straightaways, ending in 2008. During its run in Modesto, it was the site of over 30 world records
World records in athletics
World records in the sport of athletics are ratified by the International Association of Athletics Federations. Athletics records comprise the best performances in the sports of track and field, road running and racewalking....
. After taking the 2009 season off, the meet moved to Hughes Stadium at Sacramento City College
Sacramento City College
Sacramento City College is a two-year community college located in Sacramento, California. SCC is part of the Los Rios Community College District and had an enrollment of 25,307 in 2009. Sacramento City College is officially accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges , offering...
in Sacramento, California
Sacramento, California
Sacramento is the capital city of the U.S. state of California and the county seat of Sacramento County. It is located at the confluence of the Sacramento River and the American River in the northern portion of California's expansive Central Valley. With a population of 466,488 at the 2010 census,...
.
The meet director for most of that time was National Track and Field Hall of Fame
National Track and Field Hall of Fame
The National Track and Field Hall of Fame located within the Armory Foundation at 216 Fort Washington Avenue, between 168th and 169th Streets, in Washington Heights, in the New York City borough of Manhattan, is a museum operated by The Armory Foundation in conjunction with USA Track & Field...
member Tom Moore
Tom Moore (track)
Tom Moore was a National Track and Field Hall of Fame track and field promoter, known for his decades of service as meet director of the Modesto Relays....
, a former elite hurdler from the University of California
University of California
The University of California is a public university system in the U.S. state of California. Under the California Master Plan for Higher Education, the University of California is a part of the state's three-tier public higher education system, which also includes the California State University...
. As an athlete, Moore had tied the world record in the 120 yard high hurdles in 1935. Moore's name would become synonymous with the Modesto Relays. Moore served as the starter for the first meet for all but one race . . . the high hurdles, which he won. He had his running shorts on under his uniform and hastily changed to run. But Moore did almost everything else to make the meet what it became, from adjusting the lights toward the track (rather than just the football field) to obtaining sponsorship from S&W Foods
Del Monte Foods
Del Monte Foods is an American food production and distribution company headquartered in San Francisco, California. Del Monte Foods is one of the country's largest producers, distributors and marketers of branded food and pet products for the U.S. retail market, generating approximately $3.6...
that brought notoriety to the otherwise sleepy Central Valley town. When S&W dropped its sponsorship, Moore found a new sponsor in Coca Cola.
There are many quirky stories to the long history of the meet. "Dutch" Warmerdam
Cornelius Warmerdam
Cornelius Warmerdam was a long time pole vault world record holder and is considered to be among the all time greatest vaulters....
set a world record in the pole vault
Pole vault
Pole vaulting is a track and field event in which a person uses a long, flexible pole as an aid to leap over a bar. Pole jumping competitions were known to the ancient Greeks, as well as the Cretans and Celts...
, but only after the standards were repaired at the college welding shop. After the record, an excited official knocked over the standard again. When the bar was remeasured, Warmerdam lost 1/4 of an inch and a brawl ensued. The world record stood for 15 years. 58 years later, Stacy Dragila
Stacy Dragila
Stacy Renée Mikaelsen is an American former pole vaulter.She won the first gold medal in women's pole vaulting at the 2000 Summer Olympics coached by Dave Nielsen...
also set a world record in the pole vault at the meet. Double Olympic Gold medalist, Bob Richards
Bob Richards
The Reverend Robert Eugene Richards, known as Bob Richards , known as the "Vaulting Vicar" or the "Pole Vaulting Parson" in his competitive days, was a versatile athlete who made three Olympic teams in two events...
negotiated a $75 cash bonus if he broke the meet record. When he arrived, he discovered the meet record was the world record, which Richards never achieved in his career.
In 1961, when reigning Olympic Champion Herb Elliott
Herb Elliott
Herbert James "Herb" Elliott AC MBE is a former Australian athlete, one of the world's greatest middle distance runners...
dropped out of a heavily promoted Mile race with Dyrol Burleson
Dyrol Burleson
Dyrol Jay Burleson is a retired middle-distance runner from the United States, who grew up in Cottage Grove, Oregon, United States.He now spends most of his time caring for his goats, llamas, and single alpaca....
(promoted as the cover story in Sports Illustrated
Sports Illustrated
Sports Illustrated is an American sports media company owned by media conglomerate Time Warner. Its self titled magazine has over 3.5 million subscribers and is read by 23 million adults each week, including over 18 million men. It was the first magazine with circulation over one million to win the...
), the packed stadium was silenced in disappointment. They became ecstatic when a then unknown Jim Beatty
Jim Beatty
James Tully Beatty is a former American track and field athlete who is best remembered as the first person to break the four-minute mile barrier on an indoor track when he ran 3:58.9 on February 10, 1962 in Los Angeles, California.Beatty graduated from the University of North Carolina at Chapel...
improved his personal best by seven seconds to set the American record at 3:58.0. That same meet saw Ralph Boston
Ralph Boston
Ralph Harold Boston is an American athlete. He was an all around athletic star, but he is best remembered for his successes in the long jump during the 1960s....
become the first man to jump 27 feet in the long jump
Long jump
The long jump is a track and field event in which athletes combine speed, strength, and agility in an attempt to leap as far as possible from a take off point...
.
And the strong winds at Modesto made the discus throw
Discus throw
The discus throw is an event in track and field athletics competition, in which an athlete throws a heavy disc—called a discus—in an attempt to mark a farther distance than his or her competitors. It is an ancient sport, as evidenced by the 5th century BC Myron statue, Discobolus...
a record setting event. Jay Silvester
Jay Silvester
Jay Silvester was an American athlete who mainly competed in the discus throw. He competed for the United States in the men's discus throw at the 1972 Summer Olympics held in Munich, Germany, where he won the silver medal.Silvester was one of the U.S.'s most consistent discus throwers through the...
set the world record in 1968. Ben Plucknett
Ben Plucknett
Walter Harrison Plucknett was an American track and field athlete, known primarily for the discus throw. In 1981, he broke the existing world record with a throw of 233'7", and broke the record again with a throw of 72.34 m on July 7, 1981...
did the same in 1981, but his record was removed after he tested positive for steroids.
After his death, in 2004, the meet was renamed the "Tom Moore Modesto Relays."