Willie Deckard

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]

Willie Deckard
Personal information
BornJanuary 3, 1951 (1951-01-03) (age 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

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]

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.[12] USC's 4 × 100 metres relay team (Williams, Brown, Garrison, and Deckard) won at the Championship.[13]

Post college

July 1972, Deckard joined the California International Track Club.[14]

July 1, 1972, Deckard ran a 9.9 wind aided 100-meter dash at the 1972 Olympic Trials.[15] 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).[16]

May 1973, Deckard won the 220-yard dash in the Invitational Division at the Mt. SAC Relays.[17][18]

May 1976, Deckard ran a 20.6 for the 200-meter dash at an All-Comers Meet at UC Irvine.[19]

Honors

April 2009, Deckard was inducted into the USC Dual Meet Hall of Fame.[20]

References
  1. Trojan Force, May 7, 2023. Retrieved May 11, 2023
  2. Madera Tribune, June 3, 1968.[ https://cdnc.ucr.edu/?a=d&d=MT19680603.2.58&e=-------en--20--1--txt-txIN--------] Retrieved May 7, 2023
  3. Calif High School State Championship History, 1968.[ https://lynbrooksports.prepcaltrack.com/ATHLETICS/TRACK/1968/stateres.htm//] Retrieved May 7, 2023
  4. Helms Annual 1968.[ https://lynbrooksports.prepcaltrack.com/ATHLETICS/TRACK/1968/helms.pdf] Retrieved May 7, 2023
  5. LA Times, June 16, 1968.[ https://www.newspapers.com/image/382572076/?terms=%22Willie%20Deckard%22&match=1//] Retrieved May 7, 2023
  6. Oakland Tribune, May 11, 1969.[ https://www.newspapers.com/image/38917052/] Retrieved May 7, 2023
  7. NY Times, May 9, 1971.[ https://www.nytimes.com/1971/05/09/archives/usc-downs-ucla-sets-5-meet-marks.html//] Retrieved May 7, 2023
  8. LA Times, April 28, 1976.[ https://www.newspapers.com/image/383125058/?terms=%22Willie%20Deckard%22&match=1//] Retrieved May 7, 2023
  9. International Athletics Annual, 1972, ATFS, World Sports Publication, England, pages 33 and 39. Retrieved May 9, 2023
  10. Pacific-12 Meet Results.[ https://static.pac-12.com/sports/trackfield/Pac-12_Championships_All-Time_Results/1971.pdf] Retrieved May 7, 2023
  11. Nole Fan, Meet Results.[ https://www.nolefan.org/ref/mtf1971_06_19_sid.pdf] Retrieved May 7, 2023
  12. Tucson Citizen, June 2, 1971. Retrieved May 7, 2023
  13. NCAA Championship Meet History. Retrieved May 7, 2023
  14. The Times Stanford, July 9, 1972.[ https://www.newspapers.com/image/47181460/?terms=%22Willie%20Deckard%22&match=1//] Retrieved May 7, 2023
  15. The Times Standard, July 2, 1971.[ https://www.newspapers.com/image/47179258/?terms=%22Willie%20Deckard%22&match=1//] Retrieved May 7, 2023
  16. The Courier-Journal, February 5, 1973.[ https://www.newspapers.com/image/108031379/?terms=%22Willie%20Deckard%22&match=1//] Retrieved May 7, 2023
  17. Meet History.[ https://mastershistory.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/MtSACRelaysChampions.pdf] Retrieved May 7, 2023
  18. LA Verne Leader, May 3, 1973.[ https://www.newspapers.com/image/64746975/?terms=Mt%20Sac%20Relay%20Willie%20Deckard&match=1//] Retrieved May 7, 2023
  19. Press-Telegram, May 16, 1976.[ https://www.newspapers.com/image/706763348/?terms=%22Willie%20Deckard%22&match=1//] Retrieved May 7, 2023
  20. 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
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