Willie Deckard
Personal information
Born(1951-01-03)January 3, 1951
DiedMay 6, 2023(2023-05-06) (aged 72)
Sport
SportRunning
Event(s)100 yards, 100 metres, 200 metres
Medal record
Representing the  United States
Pan American Games
Bronze medal – third place 1971 Cali 4×100 m relay

Willie Deckard was a track and field athlete that competed as a sprinter at Dorsey High School, LA City College, and USC. Deckard was born January 3, 1951. Passed May 6, 2023.[1]

High school

June 1968, Deckard (Dorsey High School) won the 220-yard dash at the California State Track and Field Championship.[2][3] Earlier in the season Deckard was the leading L.A. City high school sprinter 9.6 (100) and 21.2 (220), and won the Helms Athletic Foundation L.A. City Athlete of the Year.[4][5]

College

May 1969, Deckard (LA City College) was second in the 100-yard dash in the Junior College division at the West Coast Relays[6]

May 1971, Willie Deckard (of USC) assisted USC in defeating UCLA with his 9.2 (100-yard), 20.2 (220-yard), and 4x110 relay performance. The 9.2 and 20.2 were Meet Records.[7][8] The 9.2 was tied for the top World mark in 1971, and the 20.2 was the top American mark in 1971.[9]

May 1971, Deckard set a UW stadium record of 9.4 in the 100-yard dash at the Pacific-8 Track and Field Championship. Deckard won the 100-yard and 220-yard finals.[10]

June 1971, at the NCAA Track and Field Championship, Deckard (USC) set a stadium record (20.5) in a 220-yard heat and was part of the winning 4x110 Relay. Relay team included Lance Babb.[11]

July 1971, Deckard placed 2nd in the 200 meter in the USA vs USSR vs The World Track Meet.[12][13] The meet was part of the USA–USSR Track and Field Dual Meet Series.

Deckard was the leading 1st round qualifier in the 200-meter dash at the 1971 Pan American Games in Cali, Colombia, however he did not finish the final. Later he ran on the bronze medal-winning 4x100 relay that was nipped in a photo finish for the silver by Cuba.

June 1, 1972, Deckard (USC) ran 10.0 (100-meter) and a 20.2 wind aided (200-meter) during the qualification rounds at the NCAA Track and Field Championship in Eugene.[14] USC's 4 × 100 metres relay team (Williams, Brown, Garrison, and Deckard) won at the Championship.[15]

Post college

July 1972, Deckard joined the California International Track Club.[16]

July 1, 1972, Deckard ran a 9.9 wind aided 100-meter dash at the 1972 Olympic Trials.[17] Deckard placed 5th in the 200-meter final.

Feb 1973, Deckard won the 60-yard dash at the Seattle Indoor T&F Meet in 6.0 (a new meet record).[18]

May 1973, Deckard won the 220-yard dash in the Invitational Division at the Mt. SAC Relays.[19][20]

May 1976, Deckard ran a 20.6 for the 200-meter dash at an All-Comers Meet at UC Irvine.[21]

Coached track and field at several high schools.

Honors

April 2009, Deckard was inducted into the USC Dual Meet Hall of Fame.[22]

References

  1. Trojan Force, May 7, 2023. Retrieved May 11, 2023
  2. "Madera Tribune 3 June 1968 — California Digital Newspaper Collection". cdnc.ucr.edu. Retrieved August 16, 2023.
  3. Calif High School State Championship History, 1968. Retrieved May 7, 2023
  4. Helms Annual 1968. Retrieved May 7, 2023
  5. "The Los Angeles Times 16 Jun 1968, page 51". Newspapers.com. Retrieved August 16, 2023.
  6. "Oakland Tribune 11 May 1969, page Page 29". Newspapers.com. Retrieved August 16, 2023.
  7. "U.S.C. DOWNS U.C.L.A., SETS 5 MEET MARKS". The New York Times. May 9, 1971. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved August 16, 2023.
  8. "The Los Angeles Times 28 Apr 1976, page 51". Newspapers.com. Retrieved August 16, 2023.
  9. International Athletics Annual, 1972, ATFS, World Sports Publication, England, pages 33 and 39. Retrieved May 9, 2023
  10. Pacific-12 Meet Results. Retrieved May 7, 2023
  11. Nole Fan, Meet Results. Retrieved May 7, 2023
  12. "The Manhattan Mercury 04 Jul 1971, page 7". Newspapers.com. Retrieved August 16, 2023.
  13. "Albuquerque Journal 04 Jul 1971, page Page 30". Newspapers.com. Retrieved August 16, 2023.
  14. "Tucson Citizen 02 Jun 1972, page 66". Newspapers.com. Retrieved August 16, 2023.
  15. NCAA Championship Meet History. Retrieved May 7, 2023
  16. "The Times Standard 09 Jul 1972, page Page 17". Newspapers.com. Retrieved August 16, 2023.
  17. "The Times Standard 02 Jul 1972, page Page 14". Newspapers.com. Retrieved August 16, 2023.
  18. "The Courier-Journal 05 Feb 1973, page Page 32". Newspapers.com. Retrieved August 16, 2023.
  19. Meet History. Retrieved May 7, 2023
  20. "La Verne Leader 03 May 1973, page Page 13". Newspapers.com. Retrieved August 16, 2023.
  21. "Press-Telegram 16 May 1976, page 66". Newspapers.com. Retrieved August 16, 2023.
  22. USC Trojan website, April 28, 2009. Retrieved May 7, 2023
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