Houston Mctear

[maccky]

Does anybody remember the sprinter Houston Mctear ? I know he was a sensation in High School. I dont think he did much after that.

[tafnut]

Making the USA Olympic 100m team is pretty good.

[Guest]

He also ran a hand-timed 9.0 100 yard dash. Legend has that he ran a 19.9 split in the 4X220 relay as a junior.

[JRM]

He's in the "unofficial record books" for a 6.38s 60m (Long Beach, 1980). The timing was questionable.

[tafnut]

perhaps the greatest natural 40-60m talent ever!

[pickle47]

Muhammed Ali sponsored him for awhile. I mean literally, actively, financially sponsored him in some way. I remember seeing their picture together.

[The King]

>He's in the "unofficial record books" for a
>6.38s 60m (Long Beach, 1980). The timing was
>questionable.


Yep your right,
Link to Non-Legal All-Time list for Men's 60m:

http://www.algonet.se/~pela2/athletics/m60mno.htm

[Guest]

Last I heard he was living in Sweden.

[Guest]

I think he was in trouble with drugs, and I remember reading an article about 10-15 years ago that he was living with Russ Francis' mother (Patriot/49er TE, former prep javelin record holder). I did hear that he had moved to Sweden also.

[gh]

See T&FN, June 1996, "Stranger Than Fiction" in which we reprinted a story from the Atlanta Journal-Constitution about McTear, who at the time was living in Stockholm, married to Swedish Olympic sprinter Linda Haglund. No idea what has since happened to him.

[gh]

The best Houston McTear story came from his coach, Will Willoughby (about whom much could be written, but not here). At a press conference for one of the LA Indoor meets he's rambling on about how McTear could be not only an Olympic medal threat in the 100 but also in the 200. And he mentions that the kid has already run 20-flat.

Some astute writer says, "Coach, I've never seen that mark on the Track & Field News lists."

Willoughby's response is (and, of course, I paraphrase), "Well, he's never run that in a meet. You gotta remember that we don't even have a track where we come from, just a football field. I line him up under one goalpost and then fire the gun. He runs the length of the field, grabs the other goalpost and swings around it and comes back. 20-flat!"

[Guest]

He may be speaking of the unnoficial 19.9 split he ran in the Division V section of the Florida State meet in 1975.
In my opinion, he should haveeasily broken the world record in the 100 meter final of the 76 Olympic Trials. But he pulled up lame 10 meters from the finish line, then Harvey Glance edged past him right at the line.

[Guest]

McTear pulled the hamstring in his deceleration AFTER the finish. No WR in sight.

[Guest]

McTear pulled the hamstring in his deceleration AFTER the finish. No WR in sight. ...

Ive heard from realiable sources who were also there that informed me that McTear pulled up approx. 10 to 15 meters from the tape, and if my memory serves me correctly, the race was shown on television a few weeks later and McTear definetly pulled up before crossing the line. He was ahead of Harvey Glance by nearly two meters, then started hobblin' . Im' thoroughly convinced that he was on his way to destroying the 9.95 WR of that time.

[Guest]

>heard from realiable sources who were also there
>that informed me that McTear pulled up approx. 10
>to 15 meters from the tape, and if my memory
>serves me correctly, the race was shown on
>television a few weeks later and McTear definetly
>pulled up before crossing the line. He was ahead
>of Harvey Glance by nearly two meters, then
>started hobblin' . Im' thoroughly convinced that
>he was on his way to destroying the 9.95 WR of
>that time.

I have a friend whose friend's sister works as an EMT at Cedar Sinai Medical Center. One night a limo comes in bringing Richard Gere. This is a true story. You'll never believe what happened........

[6 5.5hjsteve]

and, and... ????!!!

[Guest]

If you guys hear anything about or could locate houston would you let me know. I use to run track with this guy and his brother in high school.I have been looking for him for nearly twenty years.It would be nice to talk with him again and think back.

[Guest]

Thanks to Malmo for pointing out--albeit in a very oblique way--that tales of McTear being en route to a WR are every bit as big an urban myth as me and gerbils. Now hamsters on the other hand....

[Guest]

Thanks to Malmo for pointing out--albeit in a very oblique way--that tales of McTear being en route to a WR are every bit as big an urban myth as me and gerbils. Now hamsters on the other hand....

If you or anyone can dig up the finals of the mens 100 meter dash in the 1976 Olympic Trials. Then yu'll see how obvious it was that McTear was on his way to a 100 WR.

[Guest]

HE IS INB SWEDAN,,, CALL JOHN CAPRIOTTI @NIKE 503-671-6453 HE WILL PUT U IN TOUCH WITH HOUSTON MCTEAR.

8.8 8.9 WIND AIDED-HAND TIMED TRULY ONE OF OUR GREAT TALENTS........

JUST LIKE WHAT EVER HAPPENED TO KENNY LOWERY STILL HOLDS 500M INDOOM MARK

[Guest]

That is strange, because I was just wondering
what his 500m indoor WR is.
I remember he was said to be really unbeatable
through the mid-eighties at indoors 500m or 600y.
And reading his stats at the end of every
indoor seasons, I was always sure he would be
among the top World quarter milers...
Like Antonio Mc KAY, very brilliant on Winter but
seemingly under his real potential during Summer
seasons.
Anyway, Ken LOWERY is an indoor legend.

[tafnut]

Martin McGrady was the all-time 'what happened to him outdoors?' story.

[Guest]

Thanks (mjm) for the info. I am hoping that I am finally on the right track in catching up with an old friend. When I left high school I got into engineering and left track behind ,but never forgot my track rival friend Houston. Thanks again