When it comes to high school athletics the Mehock Relays are important to Mansfield and the residents of the city should embrace them.
The relays were started by Harry Mehock in 1927. That year, there were only four schools participating.
Now, they have grown into one of the biggest meets in the Midwest attracting schools from Ohio, Michigan, Indiana and parts of Canada.
They make a return this Saturday to Mansfield, at Mehock Field, after a three year stay at Ashland University while Mehock Field underwent needed repairs.
Upgrades have been made to the surface of the track, which was becoming very suspect and to the drainage system that was robbing the track of its foundation. The runway of long jump and its pit have been given a boost and the shot put and discuss have been moved inside of the track and the pole vault to a new location outside of the track.
With electronic entering, that’s registering by e-mail, many schools wait until the last minute to enter, so I can’t tell you much in terms of what teams will be here and which might skip the event. Although, I hear it is a pretty good bet that defending boys’ champion Lakewood St. Edward and girls’ winner Akron St. Vincent/St. Mary will be back this year.
What I can tell you is that if you choose to come to the relays and see it in person, you will be glad that you did. I love the athleticism of basketball. The player that can come across half court take one dribble and rise and bury a jumper. The football halfback that can take it the distance, making a dozen moves along the way. The baseball player who runs down the fly ball in the gap. But, the just pure athleticism of the sprinter, long jumper or miler is something to behold.
I can still remember the late Bill Rogers, who severed as a the media liaison for the relays for many years, telling me, you have got to see this Ted Ginn Jr. from Cleveland Glenville, he is one of the top five hurdlers his age in the world. I didn’t see the four guys that were supposed to be better than him, but Ginn was pretty good. He has done alright for himself as a football player, but if he would have concentrated on track he might well have been a gold medalist.
Todd Bell of Middletown was a an All-American defensive back for Ohio State in the late 70’s. He still holds the long jump record at the Mehocks.
Some say Jesse Owens might have been the greatest athlete of the 20th century. If he wasn’t, he was certainly in the top ten. He competed here in the very early years of the meet.
The Mehock Relays give us the rare opportunity to see elite athletes. Sometimes, we take things for granted and after they happen we wish we hadn’t missed them. Don’t let that be you.
After years of toil and sweat behind radio station microphones, longtime broadcaster, Jeff Swank joined the new generation of sports followers on the web.
Swank launched his internet radio station with nothing more than some wire, a box with some knobs and switches, and an itch to do much more than just scratch the surface of everything sports.
Richland Source is proud to introduce Jeff as a writer focused on high school sports. He will contribute a weekly column and analysis of a featured game of the week from one of our area high schools.
In addition to his work at Richland Source, Jeff provides complete high school sports coverage for over 70 Ohio schools at his web site, http://www.swankonsports.net76.net/.
