Staff Writer It was late in the spring, when school was winding down. The Regional Track Meet was over, and no one from Forney had qualified for “State.” We assistant coaches were sitting around the dressing room after an “off-season workout.” Unexpectedly, Athletic Director/Head Football Coach and Track Coach, Ronnie Urbantke, came smiling and whistling into the coaches’ office area. For some reason he started grinning like he had just kissed his girlfriend for the 1st time. Then, he casually announced, “I have a STATE ENTRY in the HIGH JUMP and will be making the trip to Austin. I don’t care if it is a late notice; I am thrilled, and so is Forney’s entry, MICHAEL EVANS! Bye, guys, I have to hurry and get ready for the big event!”
Before I continue, I want to thank Arlena Jackson (one of my favorite students from the past) for contacting her cousin, Jeff Dewberry (another favorite past student), who gave us the number for Michael’s brother, Gregory Evans (one of my “old running buddies), who put me in touch with Michael (another former favorite student). One of the best things about living here in my home-town is being able to call upon past students, who “come to my aide” when I need help!
Michael filled in quite a few details, which I am gobacking ing to try to relate the best I can from what I jotted down and remember from our nice phone visit. 1st of all, he remembers as a younger student and future athlete watching sports teams practice on the field areas behind the old high school (now Administration Building) and specifically the track boys who ran around the football field (We had no track then!) and practiced “field events” up the hill to the southwest near Shands Street and across from the Homer Eudy home place. And he remembers watching the guys high jump and being interested in trying to do it.
He also remembers seeing a new method of high jumping on Wide World Of Sports and thinking it looked weird—“The Fosbury Flop” (discussed previous issue). And, he later noticed Steve Collier when he threw the discus and also high jumped, using the “flop,” which then brought to his memory other influential names, such as Eddy Taylor, Ronnie Pitt-man, Tony Jackson, Robert and Larry Runnels, and too many others to list. He described many of the tracksters during his time complimentarily as “beasts,” and I will have to admit he was right!
Moving back a little, Mike remembered his 1st track meet in 7th grade at old P. C. Cobb Stadium in Dallas when he was given the choice of “any event.” He watched the other guys and decided he would enter “pole vault.” He picked up the pole, ran as fast as he could down the “runway,” reached the pit area, stuck the pole into the “vaulting box, and up he went…..but, before he could get up high and far enough to go over the bar, he came to a stop and with the pole between his legs, slid back down to the ground! That was the beginning and end of “Michael, the pole vaulter!”
SENIOR YEAR: 4 Track Meets leading up to District; Mike never lost in the high jump competition, and he was also good in the mile and sprint relays, long jump, and the 440 yard dash.
REGIONAL MEET: Competition was keen, and an athlete with the nickname of “Snake” stopped Mike’s “trip to State” run; Mike was called out as 3rd in the high jump, and Snake (from Rockwall) was given the 2nd place medal! Both of the two contestants had clearly and officially jumped 6’ 3” and gone out at 6’ 4”. *Only 1st and 2nd qualified for STATE!
RECONSIDERATION after review of records: After the meet was over when all participants were back home, someone(s) looked back over the “made” jumps and the “missed” jumps and how they had occurred, and it became apparent that Forney’s EVANS had cleared 6’ 3” on his 2nd jump and Rockwall’s “Snake” had cleared it on his 3rd jump! Short notice that he was now officially 2nd and thus qualified for STATE left Mike not as prepared as he would have liked—but he was thrilled to be going to “Austin.”
NO TIME TO SPARE: No rooms in area hotels were available to rent. (For those who do not know, the State Meet is and was one of the biggest events of the year in high school sports in Texas!) Luckily, Forpassed, ney’s Basketball Coach, Joe Jones, Jr., “had” a room and Michael was able to stay with him. Mike’s preparation time was little, and he remembers he had forgotten his “lucky lotion” he always applied before the meets.
The State Champion from the previous year had again qualified and did not seem nervous as Mike, who admitted to being nervous, talked to him. In fact, Mike was nervous enough he was having trouble getting his contestant number to stay clipped to his jersey. The “previous state champ” (good sportsmanship) helped him to secure it!
SUCCESS: Using the “Fosbury Flop,” as he had all year, MICHAEL EVANS cleared 6’ 4”, outjumped all other contestants, and wore the 1st PLACE MEDAL, which he proudly (and justifiably so) had won at the 1975 Texas State High School Track and Field Meet. When something is meant to be, “it is meant to be!”
*Note: Michael Evans retired in 2020 after working in the field of “transit” as a contractor, coordinator, and dispatcher and many times helping folks (who often still contact him) much less blessed than he.*
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