Senior Sports International Meet and Los Angeles Senior Games (Senior Olympics)
A 1971 USMITT Newsletter refers to the 1971 version as the Senior Olympics, Los Angeles Coliseum.
In 1969 the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum Commission approved the 1970 meet (the first ever “Senior Olympics”) (External Link to LA84)
Original and primary contact was Warren Blaney (whom is credited for starting the Senior Games).
Senior Sports International Meet (held at the Los Angeles Coliseum: 1970 to 1971):
1970: 1st Annual. June 18-21, 1970 meet. Events included 60 M Hurdles, 200 M, 800 M, 1500 M, Walk, Marathon, DT, HJ, LJ, SP, and other events.
1970 – continued: Meet includes athletes from the Corona Del Mar TC, No Calf Striders, Santa Monica TC, San Diego TC, and other clubs.
1970 – continued: Included: Art Barnard, Chandler, Shirley Davisson (40-49) 20′-9″ in LJ, Bill Fitzgerald, Fortune Gordien (40-49) 155′-3″ DT, Mike Kish (age 64) in several events, Boo Morcom, Mundle, Joe Page (40-49) 5′-6″ HJ, George Rhoden, Rev. Bob Richards, Lew Roberts 2nd in 5000 M, and Richard Stolpe.
1970 – continued: Reference: (June 21 & 23, 1970 The San Bernardino County Sun) (June 19-21, 1970 LA Times) (USMITT brief notes on meet: PDF: Pg 5 of 5) and (Aug 13, 1970 The Odessa America newspaper)
1971: June 18/19-21, 1971: (partial results: LA84 # 21, July 1971 Nor Cal Running Review, PDF: pg. 5 of 11)
1971 – continued: June 18/19-21, 1971: results: Found on pages 235-245 in Olson’s “Masters Track and Field A History” book
1972: June 17-18, 1972 “Senior Sports International” also “World Senior Games” held at Cal State LA.
1972 Senior World Championships: 1972 Results and Results: Senior World Championships 1972
1972 – continued: (partial results: LA84 # 32, June 1972 Nor Cal Running Review, PDF: pg. 10-11 of 17)
1973: June 23-24, 1973: (partial results: LA84 # 42, July 1973 Nor Cal Running Review, PDF: pg. 20 of 28)
1973 – continued: Harold Chapson won the M70 400, 800 and 1500 meter (Napa Valley Register Jan 5, 1974)|
1973 -continued: June 1973 Senior Olympics in LA: Harold Chapson (70) won the 1500 m in 5:30.8, Hal Higdon (42) won the 3000 m steeple in 9:38, and Al Guidet (55) won the 220 in 23.6 (San Bernardino County Sun, CA, June 23, 1974)
1974: June 1974 Senior Olympics in LA includes pictures of Ted Mumby (75) 1st TJ and Edith Mendyka (60-64) 1st javelin. (San Bernardino County Sun, CA, June 23, 1974)
1974: Scheduled June 22-23, 1974. Missing 1974 results
1975: (partial results: Aug 1975 SFVTC, PDF, pg. 7-10 of 16)
1975 – continued: Hal Connolly (M40) 189′-9″ HT & Buell Crane (M75) 4′-1.25″ HJ (Independent Long Beach newspaper June 30, 1975) (San Francisco Examiner June 30, 1975)
California Senior Olympics / Los Angeles Senior Games (Senior Olympics) held at USC and other locations:
1979: scheduled for Aug 18-19, 1979 at USC
1980: 11th Annual. July 12-13, 1980 at USC (LA84 # 79a Spring 1980 Nor Cal Running Review, PDF: pg. 38 of 64)
1980 – continued: (Sept 1980 NMN, PDF: pg 5 & 21 of 28)
1981: June 27-28, 1981 at USC (Advertisement: LA84 # 82 Spring 1981 Nor Cal Running Review, PDF: pg. 20 of 48)
1982: 13th Annual. Scheduled for July 24-25, 1982 at Cal State LA
1983: 14th Annual Senior Olympics: Scheduled Sept 10-11, 1983 at Cal State Univ at Los Angeles.
Senior Sports International Meet, Los Angeles area (1970 to 1975):
Book “Masters Track and Field A History”; Leonard T. Olson: mentions the Senior Sports International Meet,
Los Angeles Coliseum, held June 18-21, 1970 and June 19-21, 1971.
The Meet being held at the Los Angeles Coliseum ended 1975. (Contact was Warren Blaney).
Track & Field News:
T&FN Aug 1971: On page 21 is Alphonse Juilland’s “Seniors, 30 & Up.” Brief story is on the June 19-21, 1971 Senior Sports
International Meet (2nd Annual) held at the Los Angeles Coliseum. The story refers to the meet as “the World Senior’s
Championship.” Meet included Ron Morris (36), Parry O’Brien (39), Dean Smith (39), Shirley Davisson, Ralph Higgins,
John Whittemore, Virgil McInyre, Ed Lowell, and Boo Morcom.
Other:
1974: A “Los Angeles Sports International Meet” was scheduled for June 22-23, 1974 at UC Irvine. See http://mastershistory.org/uc-irvine-senior-olympics/