Dan Cusack/Assistant Sports Editor
1969 cross country runner Larry Mayse steps up his pace to come on strong in the final leg.(Photo Courtesy 1970 Warbler Yearbook) |
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Marty McIntire signals his first place finish.(Photo Courtesy 1970 Warbler Yearbook)
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Row 1: Bill Creer, Dike Stirrett, Jim Fehrenbacher, Larry Mayse, Marty McIntire, Ken Klipp, Joe Taylor. Row 2: Tom Woodall, Jeff Murdy, Bruce Hunt, Gary Warren, Mike Dority, Jim Skinner, Bob McGee, Pat O'Brien, Keith Kowalczyk.(Photo Courtesy 1970 Warbler Yearbook) |
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It was a cold day in Wheaton at Chicago Country Club in November 1969, the day the Eastern men's cross country team ran its way into history.
Three to four inches of snow had fallen the night before, there was a strong wind and temperatures dabbled in the low 30s.
Dike Stirrett, who was a senior on that team, remembers running in gloves for the race, and once he was through running he sat in the snow unable to tie his cleats.
Tom Woodall, former Eastern assistant coach, said he remembered the course was laid out where it was easy to see the runners and figures he ran about two or three miles back and forth in galoshes just coaching his team.
That day, the Eastern cross country team won the 1969 NCAA Cross Country Championship.
The Panthers had four runners out of 357 finish in the top 15, including Stirrett (who finished sixth), senior Larry Mayse (who finished 11th), Jim Skinner and senior Marty McIntire (who finished fourth).
All four were named All-Americans.
This weekend for the 40th anniversary of the championship the team will return to Charleston for the Alumni Meet and be honored during the second quarter of the football game between the Panthers and Eastern Kentucky, scheduled for a 1:30 p.m. kickoff at O'Brien Field.
"We have had the Alumni Meet forever, and with this being the 40th anniversary it will add some significance and pizzazz," current Eastern head coach Geoff Masanet said.
Woodall said the team was confident entering the national championship meet about its chances to win.
The year before, the team placed second in the meet, but was rewarded first place months later because the first-place team, Nevada, ran with students who were not eligible.
Stirrett said the turning point of the season came weeks before the 1969 national title. Eastern had lost to Illinois State at a meet near Lake Michigan hosted by Loyola of Chicago.
"We lost up there, and we looked around and evaluated how much we wanted it," Stirrett said. "That made us want it even more and focus."
He said after that, Eastern blew away teams in the Illinois Intercollegiate Athletic Conference.
Although the team had a confidence it could repeat the title, Stirrett said a main concern coming into the race was the number of runners.
Back in 1969, any team could compete as long as it thought it had a chance to win.
"I remember that we had focused on coming out and getting good position," he said. "After the first turn, I looked around and we had four guys up near the front. I knew I really had not exhausted too much energy, so I knew we were in great shape."
That season's Eastern team finished 10-2, with its only two losses coming against Illinois and Illinois State.
Woodall said the thing that separated this team was how hard the runners worked and how much they cared about one other.
"When these guys came in, they were all good cross country runners, but none of them were outstanding or heroes," Woodall said. "Sometimes, when guys come in and they have accomplished a lot, the success gets to them. These guys came in and just kept improving."
Woodall said sooner than later the Eastern runners started catching up and passed guys who used to beat them in high school.
Stirrett said a couple things contributed to the team's success.
"These guys were like great friends. I consider them brothers," he said. "We all had common goals and we all worked together to achieve a national championship. Even today thinking back it was wonderful."
Stirrett said not a day goes by when he doesn't think about his old teammates.
"I am really looking forward to seeing everyone again," he said.
The returning alumni will also join the team in the annual Walt Crawford Alumni Open at 4:30 p.m. Saturday on the Panther Trail.
Dan Cusack can be reached at 581-7944 or dscusack@eiu.edu.
