Track and Field

In my jewelry box I have a small silver medal.
Engraved on its back:
1958
2nd Place
High
Jump

It's Wayne's from the East Los Angeles track relays of 1958. That was the year before he left on his mission to Uruguay, which means he was on the track team from Santa Monica City College. He had spent a year at BYU and had come home to go to school. I'm not sure why.

I polished up the medal several months ago and wore it on a chain around my neck to church. It's not classy, not real jewelry, but I like it. If you're trying to picture the medal, don't think round.

Wayne had other medals, but this is the one I have. He gave it to me, which was a big deal. You know?

In high school Wayne ran cross-country one season and was on the track team the next. He ran the high hurdles and pole vaulted and did the high jump. He was a good hurdler with his long legs and good form. I don't know if he pole vaulted at the ELA relays, but he was pretty good at it in high school. I have a newspaper clipping with a picture of him sailing over the pole. I always thought it a complicated event: run at just the right speed carrying that long pole in front, plant the pole at just the right instant, then use your muscles and the spring of the pole to get yourself over that bar way up there. And these were the days before the modern fiber glass poles or whatever they're made of now. The pole he used was wood. I think his highest vault was 14 feet.

I used to sit on the brick wall at our school and wait for him. He'd come up after practice, and we would walk home together.

Addendum.
A conversation with Andrew has caused me to say it was likely not 14 feet. Not that high.