Some records tough to top
More than 30 years later, it's understandable that the memories have faded some.
Ottawa's Julie Wilson does recall that while her father had to work that May day in 1977, her mother, brother and sister-in-law were in the Cessna Stadium stands when she set the Class 4A record in the long jump at the state track meet.
"I know it was a beautiful day," said Wilson, an ultrasound technician at a Veterans Administration hospital in St. Petersburg, Fla. "Other than that, it's been a long 33 years."
Her record leap of 18 feet, 7 1/4 inches still stands — it was tied in 1984 — and it's the longest-standing mark on the girls side of the Kansas track and field championships.
But it's not the only long-held record.
In fact, 59 of the 196 records in events that haven't changed in decades are at least 25 years old.
It's hard to pin down why so many records have lasted so long. Some, such as the Class 6A boys shot put record owned by Shawnee Mission South's Clint Johnson in 1980 (69 feet, 1 1/4 inches), are a matter of a gifted athlete setting the mark so far past anyone that it will take another amazing effort to top it.
Most other records seem within reach, though, and are just waiting for the right athlete having the right day.
One longtime meet observer wonders if enough right athletes are getting their chance.
"With the additions of baseball, softball, girls soccer and swimming at a lot of schools, that has made a real difference," said Carol Swenson, the meet's historian and one of its public-address announcers.
"Track was the main sport in the spring 30 years ago. It's not as much now. There was also such a good group of coaches at that time. Very veteran but very progressive in the sport, too."
Dean Herzog was among the athletes who benefited in the 1970s. A high jumper from Lansing, he set the Class 4A meet record in the 1974 high jump at 7 feet, 1 3/4 inches.
Like Wilson, he doesn't remember a lot about the day. He does know it was a national record that stood for three years, and that it was around 100 degrees and he continually kept looking for shady spots.
"The only other thing I remember is that as they were raising the bar higher and higher, you could see the crowd moving down (the stands) toward that end," Herzog said.
Herzog, who later jumped for Nebraska, missed twice at 6-6 and was a miss from being eliminated. But he didn't miss again until three attempts at 7-3 1/4.