Track and Field Hall of Fame

Front Row: (from left) Clarence Herschberger, Fennimore Bodman, Godfrey Luthy

Middle Row: (from left) Ralph Field, Herb Jamison, captain Robert Hotchkiss and Jesse Gable.

Back Row: (from left) Robert Bourland, Roland Woodward, Ralph Dougherty, Coach W. Geiger, Augustin Rousseau, and Albert Jamison.

The first state track meet of the Illinois High School Association was held in Champaign on May 20, 1893, and Peoria Central, winning eight of the 16 events, was the winner.

Nineteen schools took part, twelve scoring points, with Lakeview High of Decatur second. Central's 42 points would be the most scored at a state meet until U. High of Chicago managed 42 1/2 in 1914.

A number of events no longer contested were on the program including the football kick, baseball throw, high kick and mile bicycle ride.

For Central, Herb Jamison, who would be the silver medal winner in the 1896 Olympics in Athens, won the 50 yard dash in 5.75 seconds, the 100 yard dash in 10.40 seconds and the 220 yard dash in 23.25 seconds.

Other Central winners were Ralph Field with a running broad jump leap of 20 feet, one-half inch; Clarence Herschberger in the pole vault at 8 feet, 8 inches; Albert Jamison in the mile bicycle ride in 2:49.5; Augustin Rousseau in the standing broad jump at 9 feet, 10 inches; and Robert Bourland in the shot put with a toss of 36 feet, 9 inches.

In addition, Field was second in the high jump, Robert Hotchkiss second in the baseball throw and high kick, and Godfrey Luthy third in the mile run.

Hotchkiss was captain of the team and W. Geiger was coach. The first state meet was held at the University of Illinois Athletic Field before an estimated crowd of 700.