Remembering Dr. Delano Meriwether

Back in the good old days, I followed track and field very closely. One of the more interesting stories from that era was that of Dr. Delano Meriwether. He was born in 1943, and only began competitive running in 1970, while working at the Baltimore Cancer Research Center. In other words, he was a rank novice who exploded on the United States track and field scene. He won the 100 yard dash at the 1971 AAU Championships in Eugene, Oregon, while wearing a hospital shirt, gold and white suspenders, and swimming trunks - since he was unattached to any educational institution. He recorded a 9.0 time, the second ever run after John Carlos, although it did not count as a record because it was wind-aided.