The Truman Men's Track and Field team had nothing short of a dynasty in the late 1950's and 1960's as they dominated the MIAA--winning ten straight conference titles between 1959 and 1968--both in indoor and outdoor. Coach Ken Gardner took over the team in 1959 and led the team for 31 years between 59-81.
Truman began competing in Track and Field in 1924, and had won conference titles in 1930 and 1931. But in 1959, some of the best runners in program history started leaving their mark.
Records that still stand to this day include:
1500m run (outdoor) - Ed Schneider - 3:47.04 (1964)
Mile run (indoor) - Schneider - 4:10.44 (1964)
4x100 relay (outdoor) - Berry/Weigland/Taylor/Taylor - 40:84 (1963)
4x200 relay (outdoor) - Jackson/Kurmeich/Davis/Banks - 1:24.44 (1967)
4x400 relay (indoor) - Banks/Krumich/Walker/Davis - 3:14.34 (1967)
4x800 relay (indoor) - Pemberton/Allen/Young/Denney - 7:37.54 (1969)
In addition, ten different Bulldogs were named All-Americans:
Ed Schneider - 880 yards and mile - 1964
David Taylor - High Jump - 1964-66
Ron Werling - Steeplechase - 1966
Jerry Krumich - 100 and 200 yards - 1966
Fred Banks - 440 yards - 1967
Wayne Denney - 800 meters, 880 yards and 1600 meters - 1968-69
Ron Davis - 1600 meters and 440 yards - 1969
Larry Gardner - 1600 meters - 1969
Nick Francis - 1600 meters - 1969
Don Allbritton - Pole Vault, Decathlon and High Jump - 1969
Here are the outdoor National Qualifiers:
Year Name.....................................Event.................................... Place
1963 Dale Collier............................Shot Put.............................4th (All-American)
1964 Ed Schneider.........................Mile...................................2nd (AA)
David Taylor...........................High Jump.......................................
1965 David Taylor...........................High Jump..........................4th (AA)
1966 Jerry Krumeich.......................100Y Dash.........................6th (AA)
Jerry Krumeich.......................200Y Dash.........................4th (AA)
David Taylor...........................High Jump..........................4th (AA)
Ron Werling...........................3000M Steeplechase........2nd (AA)
1967 Fred Banks............................440Y Dash.........................1st (AA)
Fred Banks............................220Y Dash........................2nd (AA)
1968 Wayne Denney......................800M Run......................... 3rd (AA)
The two National Champions were Banks in the 440 in 1967 and Don Allbritton in the 1969 Pole Vault.
