David Mack (the cop who may have killed a Notorious B.I.G) Ran 1:43.35 for 800

What a guy:

http://www.streetgangs.com/topics/rampart/120999lapdbiggie.html

I thought that this was an old story that everyone knew about, but; yes, David Mack was a top 800m man at Locke High in inner city L.A., then ran for U of Oregon, then ran for the SMTC as an outstanding 800m man for a handfull of years and was on a record setting 2 mile realy with Johnny Gray while at SMTC in the early 80s. He was a nice, quiet guy in those years. He used to drive a Volksvagen Rabbit convertible in the early 80s, as I would see him park by the Santa Monica pier in the fall, to run his distance work in Palisades Park in Santa Monica. Clearly he became a 'different person' once he retired and got away from the runninng community; got in with some bad people, became a bad person himself and was involved in that botched bank heist and is now in prison. The connection to Biggie Smalls death is a bit murky and hard to prove; but, who knows, could be.

You have to wonder if he's trying to pose as a gang member in prison, just so he doesn't get killed because he's a cop. Very strange.

Yo don't snitch

former SMTC guy wrote:

I thought that this was an old story that everyone knew about, but; yes, David Mack was a top 800m man at Locke High in inner city L.A., then ran for U of Oregon.... He was a nice, quiet guy in those years. ... Clearly he became a 'different person' once he retired and got away from the runninng community.

I came out of CIF So. Section the same time that David came out of the LA City Section. His races with some of the HS phenoms of that time were memorable.

I ended up during the same time at U of Oregon and we met at Track Town Pizza one night. We got to talking about track. He was a nice guy and fun to talk to. I ended up driving him and two other Duck teammates home to Southern California over Christmas break. That was one of my more memorable college experiences. Traveling through Southern Oregon and Northern California (even in the late 70s) with a mix of white and black college kids was a real eye opener. A snowball fight at a gas station in Northern California almost got us hauled in, and I will never forget my introduction to Sugar Hill Gang and Parliament (13 hours worth). Hearing David tell stories about a young UCLA sprinter that he was dating (Florence Griffith) was hilarious.

I was saddened when I heard about his involvement in the LAPD police scandal and alleged involvement in the Biggie Smalls murder.

Mack was an amazing runner to watch. He was small with a huge powerful stride. Back when he was still in college, one of my buddies used to joke that Mack was so cool, he was like Prince running track.

There was an recent thread Malmo started about a buddy of Mack's from UCLA. Can't put my finger on the name, but he was defending Mack's innocence. That was the first I heard of his involvement.

if you go to youtube to watch some of cram and coe's 800m races hes in a few. The USA in 80-84 had more than a few guys in the 1:43's that no one ever talks about.

Oldwise wrote:

There was an recent thread Malmo started about a buddy of Mack's from UCLA. Can't put my finger on the name, but he was defending Mack's innocence. That was the first I heard of his involvement.

Brian Theriot had a short but brilliant run posting on T&FN. It was some sublime, ridiculous stuff.

KevinM wrote:

Brian Theriot had a short but brilliant run posting on T&FN. It was some sublime, ridiculous stuff.

Brian Theriot is what a mid distance runner is supposed be

mack = pussy.

and that goes for anyone who glamorizes gangs, gangsters et al...

scarface wannabes, soprano fans, italians with an attitude... all fags.

people like this and people who like people like this live in a tiny mindset.

god i hate gang glorification.

KevinM wrote:

Oldwise wrote:

There was an recent thread Malmo started about a buddy of Mack's from UCLA. Can't put my finger on the name, but he was defending Mack's innocence. That was the first I heard of his involvement.

Brian Theriot had a short but brilliant run posting on T&FN. It was some sublime, ridiculous stuff.

http://mb.trackandfieldnews.com/discussion/search.php?search_author=BTHERIOTNL

wow, BTHERIOTNL sounds like his head rattles quite a bit. typical jock.

Ha I edited that in on wikipedia, and yeah the whole thing kills me. If the truth ever came out, it could be a sweet movie or book.

Theriot was a great 800 runner at UCLA but he was a few years ahead of Mack. Also, Theriot's career took off post college.

The 800 guy at UCLA that you might be thinking of was the tall lanky Jeff West. He was probably about 6-4. Jeff and Dave were the same age and were arch-rivals while in HS. Jeff was at Crenshaw while Mack was at the cross-town Locke HS. The 2 of them battled it out all year long from the indoor Sunkist invitational, Arcadia, to the state meet. THey were great to watch and it always came down to the wire. They swaped wins even though Mack probably had the edge. The two of them ran an incredible indoor 1500 their senior year. That year it was one of the top HS times in the country. I could be mistaken but I believe Jeff Nelson barely beat them in that race (Pre841, I am sure you have the stats on that) I also vaguely recall that West got the 800 junior record.

Unfortunetely, I heard a few years ago that Jeff West died in a car accident. Not sure how long ago it was but think it was at least 10 years ago.

....

Poker wrote:

Ha I edited that in on wikipedia, and yeah the whole thing kills me. If the truth ever came out, it could be a sweet movie or book.

"A remarkable athlete,..." no opinions please, but good job updating on wiki

I like section titled 'Prison Sentence':

'While in prison, Mack has severed his ties with police and become an avowed member of the Bloods street gang. Mack's jailers report he uses a red toothbrush, wears red socks, and as much red as can be attained in a federal prison. According to former LA Police Chief Bernard Parks, "It appears he has completely divested himself of all relationships of his life as a police officer"'.

Who in the hell gets sentenced to 14 years in prison and then steadfastly claims their sworn duty to protect and to serve? You pretty much have to disavow all law enforcement affiliations or else you sure to get an instant butt-plug and a couple on shanks to the kidneys.

I gather he is a bit different from most cops in prison. I'm sure he gets street (or prison) cred because he is a black dude from the mean streets of LA, was a world-class athlete, was a dirty cop (if he didn't screw the wrong criminals) and most importantly, he phucked the LAPD by causing the largest lawsuit against a police force in the history of law enforcement.

first you get the sugar, then you get the money, then you get the women...quote of Homer Simpson quoting Scarface

MTD... monkey til i die. what! wrote:

mack = pussy.

and that goes for anyone who glamorizes gangs, gangsters et al...

scarface wannabes, soprano fans, italians with an attitude... all fags.

people like this and people who like people like this live in a tiny mindset.

god i hate gang glorification.

since when do inmates get the OPTION of wearing what color prison clothing they want? and since when do inmates get to CHOSE the color of their toothbrush?

i could just see it, inmate goes to a jail which gives inmates a grey shirt and a green jumpsuit, then an inmate says i prefer red, does the prison guard say, yes sir, i will get you one, or does the guard say you have to take what is given? same with a toothbrush if the inmate is given a purple tooth brush and he says i only use red toothbrushes does the guard get him a red one, or does the guard give him the purple one and say to himself, i dont care what color the inmates toothbrush is, if he does not want to use it, that is his and the prison dentist problem?

Such as : James Robinson, Don Paige, James Mays, Earl Jones, Stanley Redwine.

Was Mack the US 3rd string 800 metre guy behind Jones and Gray in the LA Olympics?

just read the wikipedia on david mack, it said he has told people that he has the 350k he got from the bank robbery invested in a way that he will have 700k upon his prison release, excuse my ignorance, but how doest that happen?

1. if a person obtains money illegally, i would doubt they would be allowed to keep it.

2. if he gets out and claims to have 700k of illegal money waiting for him, and him being involved in a case, wouldnt he be hounded, so that if he started to live like someone who has a lot of money, so any slip up would most likely get him rearrested and interrogated on how he got the money to do whatever? examples buy a house, a car, take a cruise, whatever?

3. also with seemingly the overwhelming amount of people losing money in their investments, even if he did not get caught with the illegal money, he claims to have, why would his investments double? and if it did double in this economy, wouldnt it be better for him to be a great financial advisor and make money honestly?