Robert Thomas

USATF field referee checks out shot put ring at American River College.

General July 17, 2024

Update: Olympic Trials starter is at Sacto nationals, with sloping shot put sector fixed just in time

I’m back! Not only blogging (for the first time in a year), but also competing at USATF masters nationals. We’re in Sacramento — at American River College, not Sac State like 2010 nationals and 2011 worlds. I couldn’t resist entering my umpteenth nationals at age 70. Today was arrival day for many. After 2 p.m., bib numbers (with names on one of a pair!) were handed out. Declarations were made for Thursday events. Sign-ups began for massage and chiro sessions ($60 for 20 minutes.) Weather was nice — mid-80s. (But no such luck the rest of the meet.) Shuttle hurdles…

M60 hurdler Jeff Brower , shown at 2005 masters nationals in Hawaii, has cleared most bureaucratic barriers as well.

General January 2, 2021

Jeff Brower steps down as masters records czar; modernized process for 6 years

For six years, Jeff Brower of Texas has been chair of the USATF Masters T&F records committee. He cleaned up a holy mess left by Sandy Pashkin, whose failures I noted over the years (including a 2006 post headlined “Sandy Pashkin, as roadblock to records, has to go.”) Sandy inherited an index-card system from Pete Mundle, a booger beyond belief. Jeff also helped update the MTF website, finally adopting a WordPress design. (Easier to use.) And in 2020, according to his annual report, Jeff didn’t take a dime from his $3,000 budget. Now Jeff is stepping down. Our fourth records…

Charlie Allie anchors America's gold-medal M65 4x100 relay team at Malaga.

General October 9, 2018

Special Report: Were rules broken for sake of Yanks’ record shot in Malaga 4×100?

I love records and record attempts. But should a chance at a WR trump rules at worlds? That’s a question being raised after Charles Allie dropped down from M70 to M65 at Malaga, causing a domino effect of anger and disappointment that reached into the M80 age group. On Friday, M70 sprinter Roger Pierce contacted me via Facebook to describe what he considered a debacle involving the 4×100 relays. Later I spoke with him on the phone, as well as Charlie. I also wrote George Haywood, another M65 relay member and teammate of Charlie’s. Phil Greenwald, longtime U.S. masters team…