Bill McChesney Jr.

Apparently I have a great deal more respect for Matt 's career. He was a great teammate and actually helped make Bill and Salazar better. Did you get to see Matt at his best. He could rock and roll with his kick and may have had the best range 800 - Cross Country of any duck ever.

I hope my earlier posting did not come across as me not admiring Pre. He actually gave my brother Bill and I some wonderful support as we were coming up through the high school ranks. Our brother Tom was on his team.

It was said around Eugene that if it was raining on race day the sun would shine when Pre stepped to the line. He had a focus that was magic. His times don't indicate just how large he seemed on race day. There was no one tougher. I got to witness Pre at his toughest twice. Once on the track against Shorter and another time in Spokane in the NCAA cross country championships (our high school coach took us to that meet) against Nick Rose. But times Pre seemed too far down to come back. Both times he dug deep and pulled off an amazing victory. I have never seen anything like those two colletive races and they burn very bright in my memory of Pre.

But I think Pre should also be remembered for what he did for athletes. At the risk of his own career he wrestled the control of races and pay from the tight hands of the AAU and put them into the hands of the athletes. He showed as much courage for the benefit of all US athletes as he did on the track. That does not get mentioned near enough when talking about Pre's greatness. He was indeed bigger than life.

Ore/Ma. wrote:

Apparently I have a great deal more respect for Matt 's career. He was a great teammate and actually helped make Bill and Salazar better. Did you get to see Matt at his best. He could rock and roll with his kick and may have had the best range 800 - Cross Country of any duck ever.

.

Dub Myers had the best range of any Duck. Centrowitz was shit in cross country, while Myers kicked ass.

I think Martin Smith did some things that were positive for Oregon. I am not sure he was the right man long term, but he put together some pretty good teams. I hope he is happy and successful at OK.

There things that went on behind the scenes that most do not know about. No more comment than that. But I am happy where Oregon has ended up. This current situation could be good for both Oregon and track and field in general. Bidding for the Olympic trials again is huge for Eugene and the reputation for Oregon track.

Yes, Tyson could be a Division I coach. There are plenty of coaches in high schools that do just as fine a job as the "big name" college coaches. In my experience some of the big names in college are just great recruiters. Billy and I learned a lot more from our high school coach than we did running at Oregon. Bill D. was great at getting the best in the country together and blending us into a tight unit. But he did not really take on the role as teacher as the great high school coaches do. Pat Tyson is a very smart, hard working coach that is loved by all that meet him. He would make a great college coach. But he may be doing the most for the sport developing budding high school stars.

I sense a lot of anger Alder Street. Too bad as Matt is a very likable guy and is doing well as a coach at American.

Yes I forgot about Dub. He was a very gifted athlete, but not really as accomplished as Matt.

We all kind of forgot about a guy by the name of Cruz.

He was only a duck for a short time, but we all know what he did. Add him to the lists of greats and other will surface as well.

I am done for now.

watch out lets run, Stevarino knows his s&*t when it comes to all things old oregon. He's just the man to set the record straight and I would take him 100% at his word.

getting the hang of this posting thing now aren't ya bolt?

Steven,

I made the US vs USSR junior dual to Donyetsk with your brother Bill in July 1978. We raced 2 duals in the Ukraine and one meet with England and W. Germany on the return. We were the only U.S. team to beat the Soviet juniors on their soil.... Michael Carter, Andre Phillips, Todd Harbour, Chuck Aragon, John Gregorek, lots of talent. Bill was of course the smallest one on the team but a real leader by example for his ballsy, never-back-down attitude. He ran a 5000 and a 1500 in the USSR meets. I don't remember the results but I remember a shove sending him into the third lane with 300 to go in the 15. After the last night in Germany we were 3 to a room and I went with Billy and Jeff Hess. Quite a contrast! We had a great celebration in a little resort town near Hamburg, the end to a thrilling 10 days or so. I will always remeber Bill's courage, enthusiasm and friendship.

Ray Sharp

I would like to add Dyrol Burelson as one of the Univ. of ORegon greats. He never lost a mile race in college, winning 3 NCAA titles. He might have won 4 titles but the NCAA didn't allow freshman to compete at nationals. Burly was feared around the world as a miler, and even famed coach Arthur Lydiard commented to his runners to look out for Burly. Lydiard thought Burly was the man to beat at the Olympic Games. I believe Burly would have been a medalist in the 1968 Mexico City Olympic Games had he not become injured right before the trials.

Thank you for your replies..

Steven,

Thanks for the replies...great stuff. I have run in the Memorial Mile for your brother on a number of occasions. Its is one of my favorite races in the US. I am a huge fan of your brother and grew up in Milwaukie with a photo of him on my wall. On a side note, I got to me your father as well after a race at Hayward, awesome man! I enjoyed it very much. Take care,

Mike Miller

I heard when Billy ran 13:14, he was elbowed into the infield of the track and took a couple of rolls before getting back up. Not sure if that's an urban myth or not, but he was big time.

I was walking down a residential south Eugene neighborhood once, it was pouring rain and this guy is coming up real fast, I mean he was flying. Within 20 feet I knew it was Bill McChesney.

I just shook my head how fast he was going ... there's a reason why he was so good. Talent plus hard work equals success. The 1980 boycott was unfair to him and others.

Thanks Steve for the great posts.

* The rude reply on Tom in this thread was uncalled for.

Bill McChesney was the American Record Holder in the 5000 meters!

Steve,

I hung with your brother Bill and Seth Brown quite often while I lived in Eugene in the mid 80s. Bill was so darn funny and was a spark plug when we ran, though I was just a hack trying to stay with him. I moved in 87 to get married and teach and coach in AZ. Ran into your bro Kenny when he was teaching up in Kingman a number of years ago. Was shocked when I heard about Billy. See your still coaching in Mass, not sure what town. Not sure you remember me, sure enjoyed your family when I lived in OR. Thanks for the post.

Dave Montgomery ( Monty)

monty5@netscape.com

The best runner to run for Oregon was Joaquim Cruz (Olympic gold, and 2 silvers). The second best was Lisa Ondieki (Olympic silver).

Scratch one of his silvers. However, still the best.

Thanks Northwestrun. To "Just the lack of facts", at this time if we meet is will not be pleasant for you. I make a point of not saying anything negative in public about anyone. But you make keeping this rule difficult. Tom was not public property, he was a living and loving person who would not have died if a bomb threat nearby had not delayed the response time by several minutes. I toured the his death scene along with my mom and you have part of the story, but you still have it wrong. Tom was not at fault for his death as he rode his bike to teach science and coach.

Sorry about that last message, but some things should be out of bounds.

My earlier point is not to put a pecking order to the legends of Oregon, but to grasp the greatness over the years. Honor them all. The opinions that we hold on who the best are just that, opinions. Diffrent eras had different challenges.

I grew up on the legends of Grelle and Burelson before I got to actually go to an Oregon meet. Dyrol was the most celebrated "men of Oregon" that made US milers famous. Bowerman was famous for the world class milers that he produced year after year. Dyrol was world class in the same vain as Steve Scott or John Walker years later. On a side note near our home we actually had a street named Snell street. Bill and I always thought of Peter Snell when we got there and raced the 500 meters up hill home. I am proud to say that I could at least outkick Bill.

Cruz may be the most accplished Duck this side of Mac Wilcons (Gold medal and world record), Mel Renfro or Harry Jerome. His impact may have been lessened on the Oregon community by two facts. 1. He was in an Oregon uniform for such a short time. 2. His training was controlled by a brilliant coach outside of the program (watching his workouts, a combination of circuit drills and intervals is beyond belief). He most likely did more for Oregon than Oregon did for him. All Ducks are so honored by his willingness to be among us. He was as humble as he was great.

Lisa Ondieki entered Oregon from down under as a 300 hurdler. To go from that to being one of the greatest marathoners of all time is an amazing story. Her ability to put the hammer down when she wanted to is legend. I do believe that she should get the honor of having the greastest range of all Ducks. I still wonder what she would have done if the steeplechase was a women's event in the Olympics during her prime. I don't think anyone could have beaten her.

Thank you for sharing , may I ask if Kenny Moore interviewed you for the upcoming book..??

I appreciate your comments about Tyson, seems like a great guy

Be well

Great posting Steve. Thanks so much for your great first person accounts. I remember chatting with your mom and dad a few years back at the Indoor Masters Nationals in Boston-both were very inspiring, encouraging and postive people to me, as is everyone named McChesney.

Long live the pink panther...and long live the Flying McChesney's.