KIRKWOOD CROSS COUNTRY RUNNERS- LEGENDS IN THEIR OWN TIME

Our wonderful KHS65 Alumni Sports Hall of Famer Jim Olson was recently interviewed for an upcoming article, and maybe a book, recently.  He sent me this GREAT rundown which I must share with everyone.  Our Kirkwood Track & Field and Cross Country teams have been legendary for years and you'll see why.  As a bragging right I will add that my brother Kert, KHS69, was Co-Captain of the 1969 Track and Field team, placing third in Pole Vault at the State Outdoor Meet in 1969.  I'm very proud of him, and he reminds me that even though he was not a cross country runner, the Track and Field guys DID have to work out with the cross country team in the winter...not one of his favorite KHS memories!  He knew the members of the 1969 Cross Country team well though, and sends congrats to them again all these years later!

From Jim Olson: 

"Leslie - These are results of the 1964 cross country state meet. This guy [the fellow who interviewed him] went wayyyyyyyy, wayyyyyyyyy deeper than one would think, so here are the highlights: (First five runners count in score.)

1.1964  Kirkwood cross country team won with 52 points under coach Fred Lyon. State record for lowest score.

1st - Jim Olson KHS65 - state record time of 9:39.9 (As Gary Schmidt said, "Olson was putting on his sweats before the second guy even crossed the finished line." (He won by 29 1/2 seconds.)

6th - Rod Bruckdorfer KHS65 - 10:13

10th - Gary Schmidt KHS65 (12th overall) - 10:26

12th - Bill Barrow (Jr.) (15th overall) - 10:31

31th - Phil Mills (Jr.)  (23rd overall) - 10:46

41th - Bill Pape KHS65  (31st overall) - 10:53.5

69th - Bob Leonard KHS65  (55th overall) - 11:08.8

2. Missouri State Cross County Meet held at Columbia's A.L. Gustin Golf Course. All Time 2 Mile Individual Honor Roll (1963-1974.) During this 11 year period, over 1900 runners ran at the State meet.  Kirkwood runners listed below. (Note: they changed the distance to 2 1/2 miles in 1975, the only way they could erase Olson's record.)

Rank 1 - Jim Olson - 9:39.9 - 1st - 1964 (KHS65)

10th - Kerry Hogan 9:49.9 - 1st  - 1967 (KHS68)

12th - Kirk Hogan - 9:51 - 2nd - 1967   (KHS68)

19th - Wolfgang Kaschner - 2nd - 9:57.2 -1971

35th - Bob Nellums - 10:05 - 2nd - 1970 (KHS70)

3. Missouri State Cross County All Time Team Rankings (1963-1974)

Rank 5th - 1969 Kirkwood Pioneers

Jim Benkert - 2nd - 10:12

Lennie Harrison - 4th - 10:17

Bob Nellums - 5th - 10:18

Don Axt - 7th - 10:22

Cecil Jones - 10th - 10:28

Doug Ashcraft - 27th - 10:47

Rich Nellums - 40th - 10:57

Rank 7th - 1964 Kirkwood Pioneers

See above

Assume some people will enjoy seeing this and will probably know some of the other kids from other classes that did well, too.

THANKS JIM for sharing this with us!