Everett’s 44.1 Relay Leg Isn’t Enough : TCU Team Wins Race in Record 3:02.74; UCLA Takes the Meet

The 1,600-meter relay is always the concluding event of a dual track and field meet. In many instances, the best is saved for last.

Such was the case Saturday at UCLA’s Drake Stadium, where Texas Christian’s Tony Allen was able to hold off a charging Danny Everett of UCLA on the anchor leg as the Horned Frogs won in 3:02.74.

The winning time was a national dual-meet record, breaking the old mark of 3:04.57, established by the Bruins in 1980. Although finishing second, UCLA set a school record of 3:03.04.

Everett, a freshman from Fairfax High School, has developed into a an exciting performer with world- class potential. He got the baton about six or seven meters behind Allen, let the TCU runner get away to a 15-meter lead and then closed ever so fast down the stretch to cut the deficit to about four or five meters at the finish.

Everett, a lean (6-1 1/2, 150-pound) sprinter, was timed in a blazing 44.1 seconds. It was Everett’s third race of the day, while Allen was fresh.

Earlier, Everett’s late surge enabled him to win the 200 in a personal best time of 20.65. He also ran an anchor leg in the 400-meter relay.

Although UCLA competed without star sprinter Henry Thomas and shotputter Jim Banich, who are inactive with injuries, and weightman John Frazier, whose eligibility is in question, Coach Bob Larsen has conceivably the best dual-meet team in the country.

The Bruins beat Houston, 96-49, in dual scoring and won the triangular meet by scoring 90 points, while Houston had 55 and TCU 32. TCU, with a token team, didn’t figure in the dual scoring.

It was a combined men’s and women’s meet. Houston beat UCLA’s women, 80-56, and in triangular scoring the Cougars had 85 points to UCLA’s 65 and TCU’s 18.

“Danny let Allen get too far in front of him after the exchange,” said John Smith, UCLA’s sprint coach. “It was just a misjudgment, but Danny will learn.”

Everett is learning fast and he says that when Thomas, who has a foot injury, returns the Bruins could run close to 3 minutes flat in the 1,600 relay.

UCLA extended its string of dual-meet victories to 19, dating back to 1984. Larsen, in his second season as UCLA’s coach after succeeding Jim Bush, has yet to lose a dual meet and has a 17-0 record.

There were some creditable performances on a warm day, namely:

--Houston’s Larry Burrell won the long jump at 26-9, and his teammate, Frank Rutherford, was the triple jump winner at 55-3. Both efforts were the best outdoor marks in the U.S. this year.

--UCLA’s Gayle Kellon came through in a tough double. She won the women’s 400 in 53.98 and came back to take the 400 intermediate hurdles in 57.83.

--Houston’s Jackie Washington was another double winner, taking the 100 in 11.28 and the 200 in 23.05.

Track Notes In addition to Danny Everett’s time in the 200, other personal bests established by Bruins were Kevin Young’s 51.09 in winning the 400 hurdles, Troy Haines clearing 7-3 in the high jump (Houston’s Mike Reed won at 7-4 1/2) and Mike Marsh being timed in 10.40 in the 100 and 20.69 in the 200 while finishing second in each race. . . . Gail Devers, UCLA’s multi-event performer, didn’t compete Saturday. “She is just sore after our meet with LSU and we didn’t want to test her so close to the USC meet,” UCLA women’s Coach Bob Kersee said. “But she’s worth about 30 points.” . . . John Frazier’s eligibility is in question because he competed unattached in meets while redshirting in 1984. An NCAA ruling on his case is expected next week. Larsen has held him out of meets pending a ruling, but he competed unattached in the hammer throw that was held Saturday morning at West LA College. He also competed unattached in the shotput. So did John Brenner, the former UCLA NCAA champion. He had marks of 68-6 1/2 in the shotput and 209 in the discus.