Long Jumping Tracksters

[Guest]

Under the title Jackie Robinson and Wilt Chamberlin ttiller recently wrote:
"How many other outstanding long jumpers frittered away their best years playing baseball just for the love of money? Didn't Willie Davis of the Dodgers jump at or near 25 feet in high school? And I recall seeing Bobby (not Barry) Bonds jumping very impressively at a couple of high school meets about 40 years ago."

Double RR Bar replied: Bobby Bonds was the California state H.S. long jump champion in 1964. I think he jumped around 25'3"

Comments: Doulbe RR Bar is right about Bobby Bonds. Willie Davis made All City in Baseball, Basketball and Track at Los Angeles, Roosevelt H.S. and also jumped over 25 ft. in the early 60's. Around the same time a former Dodger team mate of Davis's, Willie Crawford of L.A. Fremont H.S., duplicated Davis's All City feets and as I recall aalso jumped close to if not over 25 ft. This was a golden age of California H.S. long jumping which included a great hurdler/long jumper from John Muir H.S. in Pasadena who set a national H.S. record in 1967.

[oldvaulter]

I remember all these guys -- Bobby Bonds, Willie Davis, and Willie Crawford. Fabulous athletes. Whatever happened to another great talent from the same era -- Mel Renfro? Football?

[Guest]

Mel Renfro, a great H.S. hurdler, played football for the University of Oregon and was an All Pro with the Dallas Cowboys.

[Guest]

A few years after Bonds, Davis, Renfro, et al, came the best (or at least the most consistently high quality)prep long jumper before Lewis... Jerry Proctor. That little guy was an amazing athlete. My admittedly faulty memory says that he was about half the size of Bobby Bonds and I dunno if he ever played baseball but I bet if he had decided to do so he could have played in the majors.

[huh?]

Long Jumping Tracksters? Well, let's see. Carl Lewis was pretty good on the track. And then there was . . . .

[gh]

>I remember all these guys -- Bobby Bonds, Willie
>Davis, and Willie Crawford. Fabulous athletes.
>Whatever happened to another great talent from
>the same era -- Mel Renfro? Football?>>

check out the thread on this forum titled "GH's All-Time Favorite Trivia Question"

[Guest]

Here's another baseball player with a good HS LJ: Jim Fregosi. Saw his name on an ols HS list, believe je was in the 24's.

[gh]

Fregosi, eh? OK, let me see if I can tie a bunch of disparate thoughts into one cohesive bit here:

In 1959 Jim Fregosi (Serra, San Mateo) jumps 23-8, is among the dozen farthest preps in the country. By 1961 he's in the major leagues, plays 18 seasons (twice hits over .290, never over .300), then manages four different teams.

In 1964, Bobby Bonds (Poly, Riverside), is the national HS leader at 25-3 (to win the Cal State title), a mark which at the time made him =No.3 on the all-time list. And sister Rosie finishes 8th in the Olympics in the 80mH. Bobby goes on to be baseball all star.

In 1970, Lynn Swann (Serra, San Mateo) breaks Fregosi's school record with a 24-10 (No. 6 on the yearly list) and is also Cal State champ. He goes on to become all-pro wide receiver.

But neither Fregosi nor Swann is remotely regarded as Serra's No. 1 alum. Why?

Becuase in 1964, while Bobby B is a HS senior, Fregosi is in his fourth year in the majors and Swann is in the 6th grade, becuase on July 24, 1964, who is born? Future Serra alum Barry Bonds.

[Guest]

Garry Hill wrote:

"In 1970, Lynn Swann (Serra, San Mateo) breaks Fregosi's school record with a 24-10 (No. 6 on the yearly list) and is also Cal State champ. He goes on to become all-pro wide receiver."

Reply: Garry wasn't Swann a pretty good sprinter and hurdler also? I seem to remember him running an 18.9 over the now infamous 180yd LH.