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Home > Blogs > High School Huddle > Archives > 2011 > May > 22 > Entry
KO of Dunbar’s Blanks recalls similar fate of Earl ‘The Whirl’ Richardson
If Dunbar is to make a run at the Division II boys state track and field title, it’ll be without its best threat: Antonio Blanks.
The senior aggravated a pulled hamstring in this week’s D-II district prelims at Welcome Stadium and is done for the season. He was the defending state champ in the 300 hurdles.
Blanks placed in three other events in last year’s state meet and was a key reason why the Wolverines tied for third in the team race.
He initially injured his right trail leg hamstring at the Wayne Inv. several weeks ago, stopping after seven hurdles in the 110 highs. In the district prelims, he was done after three hurdles.
“He was rolling at Wayne like I’ve never seen him run before,” Dunbar coach Sidney Booker said.
“He was running ridiculous. … I always told him, if you’re not in a big meet like the postseason to just stop and not finish the race.”
Blanks had all but shut down until the district, rehabbing the hammy and easing into practice.
Ironically, Blanks’ blowup isn’t the first to take down a great Dunbar sprinter.
Forty years ago in 1971, Earl “The Whirl” Richardson was knocked out of the district with a similar injury. He had been magnificent in the sprints at state the previous year, winning the 440-yard dash (48.0) when the Wolverines were edged 37-35 by Cleveland Glenville for the Class AA (big school) boys team title.
Dunbar teammate Bobby Reed also won the 880 (1:54.3).
After pulling up lame and realizing his high school career was over, Richardson climbed to the middle of the highest level of Welcome Stadium - opposite the packed home side - and watched the remainder of the meet by himself.
“I remember when Earl pulled up and couldn’t make it out of the district,” recalled Booker, who ran at rival Roosevelt. “Everybody was real sad about that.”
Richardson had been nearly unbeatable - at least locally - for most of three seasons in the 100, 220 and 440. However, that spring John Rudd of Roosevelt pulled off the impossible: he snapped Richardson’s long 440 win streak.
Richardson had been counted on to lead Dunbar to another state-title run in 1971. Instead, it was Roosevelt, led by hurdler and long jumper Jeff Parks and Rudd, that won the Class AAA crown, 42-31 over Toledo Libbey.
In 1972, Roosevelt, still paced by Rudd, couldn’t overtake Libbey sprinter Bob Lawson, and reversed positions with the Cowboys, 28-24 in the Class AAA team race.
Running for powerful USC that spring, Richardson made the NCAA finals in the 440, placing eighth as a freshman.
Tragically, both Richardson and Reed committed suicide just a few years later.
Blanks is headed to Ohio State University on a combination academic and athletic scholarship to run track and field for the Buckeyes.
Permalink | Comments (1) | Post your comment | Categories: Track & Field
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By Old Coach
May 22, 2011 10:31 AM | Link to this
Damn,Pendleton. You’re really goin’ back in the day.