by G. Gaven
The careers of two of the greatest Jayhawks ever dovetailed in 1964 at the Tokyo Olympics. 17 year old Jim Ryun, still in high school, competed in the mile, the youngest male track Olympian ever. He didn't win, but he got a glimpse of what could be when Jayhawk Billy Mills shocked the track world, winning gold in the 10,000 meter run. Mills' feat astounded NBC announcer, Dick Bank, so much that he was fired for over exuberantly exclaiming "Look at Mills, Look at Mills!" Mills celebrated his victory by running the marathon, finishing a respectable 14th. By the time Ryun hit Lawrence, Mills had graduated and become a Marine.
Ryun was probably the purest miler ever, while Mills ran distance so there are no records of them running head to head. Both posted times at 5000 meters, Ryun's best being 3 seconds better than Mills' best of 13:41. In 1968, Ryun would win Silver in Mexico City, but with Mills in the military, it seemed that any showdown to determine the baddest Jayhawk runner ever was unlikely.
Built in 1968, Alvamar Country Club was the site of the first ever Kansas Relays golf outing in 1969. Glenn "Kansas Flyer" Cunningham was the host and was still a KU icon even as he used a cart to navigate the brand new 7000 meter golf course. Mills and Ryun had also returned to campus for the festivities. Both were terrible golfers and finished early. They mingled with Gale Sayers and other duffers at the 18th as the better players rolled in. Cunningham and his team of ringers was poised to win, but Cunningham was in the bunker on 18. He searched for a sand wedge but realized he had left it on the second hole because of some 90 degree cart path fistfull-of-clubs bullshit we all hate. The Flyer was a legend so both Mills and Ryun offered to fetch the club. Ryun bumped Mills as he started to run back down the 18th fairway in his bell bottomed, plaid pants and golf shoes. Mills gave chase and caught Ryun quickly using his famous "surge" technique. The two battled it out, dodging golf balls and eliciting a few "Rock Chalks" from other golfers. Ryun got a small lead and turned to see Mills surging. Quickly, he removed his golf shoes and threw them at Mills, who dodged the first and caught the second shoe. Without breaking stride, Mills used the golf spikes to cut his slacks into shorts and caught Ryun and surged to the lead. The two ran neck and neck through golfers, creeks and sand until they got to the early holes where they dueled alone on the holes everyone had finished.
It is unclear who won as there were no witnesses to the finish, and each player returned with a wedge in hand, neither of which belonged to Cunningham who had already finished using a pitching wedge. Mills and Ryun both said the other had won and Cunningham, since he was the host, declared himself the winner.
The careers of two of the greatest Jayhawks ever dovetailed in 1964 at the Tokyo Olympics. 17 year old Jim Ryun, still in high school, competed in the mile, the youngest male track Olympian ever. He didn't win, but he got a glimpse of what could be when Jayhawk Billy Mills shocked the track world, winning gold in the 10,000 meter run. Mills' feat astounded NBC announcer, Dick Bank, so much that he was fired for over exuberantly exclaiming "Look at Mills, Look at Mills!" Mills celebrated his victory by running the marathon, finishing a respectable 14th. By the time Ryun hit Lawrence, Mills had graduated and become a Marine.
Built in 1968, Alvamar Country Club was the site of the first ever Kansas Relays golf outing in 1969. Glenn "Kansas Flyer" Cunningham was the host and was still a KU icon even as he used a cart to navigate the brand new 7000 meter golf course. Mills and Ryun had also returned to campus for the festivities. Both were terrible golfers and finished early. They mingled with Gale Sayers and other duffers at the 18th as the better players rolled in. Cunningham and his team of ringers was poised to win, but Cunningham was in the bunker on 18. He searched for a sand wedge but realized he had left it on the second hole because of some 90 degree cart path fistfull-of-clubs bullshit we all hate. The Flyer was a legend so both Mills and Ryun offered to fetch the club. Ryun bumped Mills as he started to run back down the 18th fairway in his bell bottomed, plaid pants and golf shoes. Mills gave chase and caught Ryun quickly using his famous "surge" technique. The two battled it out, dodging golf balls and eliciting a few "Rock Chalks" from other golfers. Ryun got a small lead and turned to see Mills surging. Quickly, he removed his golf shoes and threw them at Mills, who dodged the first and caught the second shoe. Without breaking stride, Mills used the golf spikes to cut his slacks into shorts and caught Ryun and surged to the lead. The two ran neck and neck through golfers, creeks and sand until they got to the early holes where they dueled alone on the holes everyone had finished.
It is unclear who won as there were no witnesses to the finish, and each player returned with a wedge in hand, neither of which belonged to Cunningham who had already finished using a pitching wedge. Mills and Ryun both said the other had won and Cunningham, since he was the host, declared himself the winner.
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