Willie Deckard
{{Short description|American track and field athlete}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=May 2023}}
{{Infobox sportsperson
| name = Willie Deckard
| birth_date = {{birth date|1951|01|03}}
| death_date = {{death date and age|2023|05|06|1951|01|03}}
| sport = Running
| event = 100 yards, 100 metres, 200 metres
| show-medals = yes
| medaltemplates =
{{MedalCountry | the {{Flagu|United States}} }}
{{MedalCompetition|Pan American Games}}
{{MedalBronze| 1971 Cali | 4×100 m relay}}
}}
Willie Deckard (January 3, 1951 – May 6, 2023) was a track and field athlete that competed as a sprinter at Dorsey High School, LA City College, and USC.Trojan Force, May 7, 2023.[https://usctrojanforce.com/meet-results-news//] Retrieved May 11, 2023
High school
June 1968, Deckard (Dorsey High School) won the 220-yard dash at the California State Track and Field Championship.{{Cite web |title=Madera Tribune 3 June 1968 — California Digital Newspaper Collection |url=https://cdnc.ucr.edu/?a=d&d=MT19680603.2.58&e=-------en--20--1--txt-txIN-------- |access-date=2023-08-16 |website=cdnc.ucr.edu}}Calif High School State Championship History, 1968.[https://lynbrooksports.prepcaltrack.com/ATHLETICS/TRACK/1968/stateres.htm//] Retrieved May 7, 2023 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.Helms Annual 1968.[https://lynbrooksports.prepcaltrack.com/ATHLETICS/TRACK/1968/helms.pdf] Retrieved May 7, 2023{{Cite web |title=The Los Angeles Times 16 Jun 1968, page 51 |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/382572076/ |access-date=2023-08-16 |website=Newspapers.com |language=en}}
College
May 1969, Deckard (LA City College) was second in the 100-yard dash in the Junior College division at the West Coast Relays{{Cite web |title=Oakland Tribune 11 May 1969, page Page 29 |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/38917052/ |access-date=2023-08-16 |website=Newspapers.com |language=en}}
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.{{Cite news |date=1971-05-09 |title=U.S.C. DOWNS U.C.L.A., SETS 5 MEET MARKS |language=en-US |work=The New York Times |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1971/05/09/archives/usc-downs-ucla-sets-5-meet-marks.html |access-date=2023-08-16 |issn=0362-4331}}{{Cite web |title=The Los Angeles Times 28 Apr 1976, page 51 |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/383125058/ |access-date=2023-08-16 |website=Newspapers.com |language=en}} The 9.2 was tied for the top World mark in 1971, and the 20.2 was the top American mark in 1971.International Athletics Annual, 1972, ATFS, World Sports Publication, England, pages 33 and 39. Retrieved May 9, 2023
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.Pacific-12 Meet Results.[https://static.pac-12.com/sports/trackfield/Pac-12_Championships_All-Time_Results/1971.pdf] Retrieved May 7, 2023
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.Nole Fan, Meet Results.[https://www.nolefan.org/ref/mtf1971_06_19_sid.pdf] Retrieved May 7, 2023
July 1971, Deckard placed 2nd in the 200 meter in the USA vs USSR vs The World Track Meet.{{Cite web |title=The Manhattan Mercury 04 Jul 1971, page 7 |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/424395847/ |access-date=2023-08-16 |website=Newspapers.com |language=en}}{{Cite web |title=Albuquerque Journal 04 Jul 1971, page Page 30 |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/156296702/ |access-date=2023-08-16 |website=Newspapers.com |language=en}} 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.{{Cite web |title=Tucson Citizen 02 Jun 1972, page 66 |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/582947433/ |access-date=2023-08-16 |website=Newspapers.com |language=en}} USC's 4 × 100 metres relay team (Williams, Brown, Garrison, and Deckard) won at the Championship.NCAA Championship Meet History.[http://fs.ncaa.org/Docs/stats/track_outdoor_champs_records/2012-13/2012_d1_motf.pdf] Retrieved May 7, 2023
Post college
July 1972, Deckard joined the California International Track Club.{{Cite web |title=The Times Standard 09 Jul 1972, page Page 17 |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/47181460/ |access-date=2023-08-16 |website=Newspapers.com |language=en}}
July 1, 1972, Deckard ran a 9.9 wind aided 100-meter dash at the 1972 Olympic Trials.{{Cite web |title=The Times Standard 02 Jul 1972, page Page 14 |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/47179258/ |access-date=2023-08-16 |website=Newspapers.com |language=en}} 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).{{Cite web |title=The Courier-Journal 05 Feb 1973, page Page 32 |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/108031379/ |access-date=2023-08-16 |website=Newspapers.com |language=en}}
May 1973, Deckard won the 220-yard dash in the Invitational Division at the Mt. SAC Relays.Meet History.[https://mastershistory.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/MtSACRelaysChampions.pdf] Retrieved May 7, 2023{{Cite web |title=La Verne Leader 03 May 1973, page Page 13 |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/64746975/ |access-date=2023-08-16 |website=Newspapers.com |language=en}}
May 1976, Deckard ran a 20.6 for the 200-meter dash at an All-Comers Meet at UC Irvine.{{Cite web |title=Press-Telegram 16 May 1976, page 66 |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/706763348/ |access-date=2023-08-16 |website=Newspapers.com |language=en}}
Coached track and field at several high schools.
Honors
April 2009, Deckard was inducted into the USC Dual Meet Hall of Fame.USC Trojan website, April 28, 2009.[https://usctrojans.com/news/2009/4/28/nine_inducted_into_usc_ucla_dual_meet_hall_of_fame.aspx//] Retrieved May 7, 2023
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- {{World Athletics|united-states/willie-deckard-14355355}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Deckard, Willie}}
Category:Track and field athletes from Los Angeles
Category:American male sprinters
Category:Pan American Games bronze medalists for the United States in athletics (track and field)
Category:Athletes (track and field) at the 1971 Pan American Games
Category:Medalists at the 1971 Pan American Games
Category:Susan Miller Dorsey High School alumni
Category:NCAA Division I Outdoor Track and Field Championships winners
Category:Los Angeles City College alumni