Atlanta Daily World

Florida A&M's Robert Hayes Wins AAU 100 Yard Dash In 9.3

WALNUT, Calif. Florida A&M's Robert Hayes won the National AAU 100 Yard Dash in a meet record tying time of 9.3 here Friday night.

The 19-year old Jacksonville lad was picked for a track and field team to represent the United States against a team of Polish stars in Chicago this weekend.

Harry Jerome of Vancouver was clocked at 9.4 for second place and Roger Sayer of Omaha won third at 9.5.

Jerome defeated Hayes in a controversial finish in the California relays several weeks ago. Sayer edged the FAMU sprinter in the N.A.I.A. championship, one three weeks ago.

Hayes did not compete in the National NCAA meet in Eugene (Oregon) last week because of a lack of funds.

The report of Hayes' not being able to compete in the National NCAA meet spurred Florida's Gov. Farris Bryant to donate a reported $550 of his personal funds to sponsor the trip to the National AAU.

"I feel fine and am proud to be the National AAU champion," said the Jacksonville lad after collapsing at the finish line. He crumpled face forward onto the track as he gave a final burst of power to finish second in the photo finish with Weisiger.

The race was the highlight of the closing and second-day of the annual AAU track and field competition.

Hayes is expecting to represent the United States in a dual meet against a team from Russia at Stanford University in July.

"This could open an opportunity," added Griffin, "for a European tour for Hayes as a member of a United States team later in the summer." Griffin feels that the tour will be financed by the AAU.

Other outstanding performances were: Slender Ron Morris of the Southern California Striders became the fourth man in history to clear the 16-foot height in the pole vault as he went 16 feet 1-4 inch. He barely missed a world mark of 16-2 on his final vault of the evening.

Jerry Tarr, the powerful Oregon finisher, was the meet's only double winner with a :13.4 high hurdle victory Friday night and a 22.6 victory in the 220-lows Saturday night.

Paul Drayton, pinch-hitting for his injured teammate Frank Budd, tied the world record in the 220-yard dash around a curve in 20.5 seconds. His Villanova companion, shaking hands with Jerome, Sayer, and Budd, pulled a muscle as Hayes was pulling ahead of him after 60 yards.

Budd set the world record mark of 9.2 in the hundred last summer. Hayes tied it last February in an AAU meet in Miami.

The FAMU sprinter was held out of the 220-yard dash. "He has had only four days of practice," reported his coach, Pete Griffin.

Budd came up lame in the finals of the 100 yard dash last night and was scratched from competition Saturday.

Husky Al Oerter, the two time Olympic champion, tossed the discus 202 feet 2 inches to exceed the recognized world discus mark but missed the pending record by one-half inch. Russia's Vladimir Truseny tossed the platter 209-2 1/2 earlier this month.

Ulis Williams of the Southern California Striders, a 19-year-old Arizona State University freshman, won the 440-yard finals in 48.8 equaling the four-year-old meet record set by Texas' Eddie Southern. His time was only 1-10 of a second off the world record.

Al Hall of the New York Athletic Club upset favorite Hal Connolly in the hammer throw with a winning toss of 219 feet 3 inches. Connolly was seeking his eighth consecutive AAU title but ran into a series of fouls and got off only three fair throws. His best came on his final toss, 215-3 1/2.