The Flying Four Morgan State Track Relay Team 1951-1955, also known as "Flying Foursome" or the "Speed Merchants", was a track team of Morgan State University that was inducted into the CIAA Hall of Fame. The four members were James Rogers, Otis Johnson, Herman Wade and Joshua Culbreath.
Video The Flying Four
Coach
Edward "Eddie" P. Hurt became the head track coach at Morgan State College in 1929. When the CIAA conference still stood for "Colored Intercollegiate Athletic Association", Coach Hurt reportedly said, "We had a heck of a problem getting started; there is no question about that." At that time, the small black colleges competed with one another and received little national attention. Hurt said, "It was hard to get recognition, especially in track & field, and we just never had a chance to compete against the better schools. When we first started trying to improve our program, nobody knew we were alive."
Coach Hurt started developing a premier program and by 1950 Morgan State's Track Team was drawing national and international attention due to the impressive showing at the Penn Relays. In 1950, The Historic Four (Sam LaBeach, Bob Tyler, Bill Brown and George Rhoden) broke a record at the Penn Relays that stood for 56 years. Many elite track athletes came to the school because of the popularity of its track team and coach Hurt. In 1975, he was the first African American coach to be inducted into the USA Track and Field Hall of Fame.
Maps The Flying Four
Flying Four Track Team
In 1951, Coach Hurt recruited James Rogers, Otis "Jet" Johnson, Herman Wade and Joshua Culbreath. Sam Lacy dubbed the team "The Flying Four" and "The Speed Merchants". In 1953, the Flying Four went on to break the Central Intracollegiate Athletic Association (CIAA) Mile Relay mark set by their 1950 predecessors, Morgan's Historic Four, with a new time 3:11:3. During their 4 seasons, this foursome won 13 national championships, 26 major titles and 3 records. The Flying Four is the only team that ever won the national AAU Championship three years in a row with the same team members. This team set a new record each year in New York and won five relay titles at Penn Relays Championship of America. They won meets at Boston Garden, Madison Square Garden, Boston Athletic Association, Knights of Columbus, Melrose Games, New York Athletic Club Championship, the Baltimore Amateur Athletic games, the Philadelphia Inquirer Games and the Washington Evening Star Games.
Many believed that the Flying Four was one of the best track team ever assembled in the history of the NCAA. They were inducted into the Morgan State University Athletic Hall of Fame in 1985 and the CIAA Athletic Hall of Fame in 2013.
The teammates remain friends for over 60 years and get together every April for the Penn Relays Weekend in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
Achievements
- Won 13 National Championships
- Credited with 26 Major Titles
- Three-time 4 x 440 (Mile Relay) CIAA Relay Champions 1952, 1953 and 1955
- Two-time 440 yard CIAA Champions 1953 - 1955
- National 4 x 440 AAU Relay Champions 1955
- National AAU Indoor Mile Relay in 1954
- Two-time Mid-Atlantic 4 x 440 AAU Champions 1954 and 1955
- USA Team - European Tour 1953
- Dominated AAU National Indoor Championships for three consecutive years 1952, 1953 and 1955
- Dominated the Indoor One Mile Relay
- Went undefeated in winning seven (7) indoor meets a year for three years
- Averaged 3:18.0-2 for the mile relay - one of the fastest running times and ranked as one of the top five in the country
- Broke CIAA Indoor Record at 3:18.0 of the Morgan team who previously held the record at 3:19.0
Hall of Fame Honors
- Morgan State University Athletic Hall of Fame in 1985
- CIAA Athletic Hall of Fame in 2013
Team
James 'Jimmy' Rogers
James 'Jimmy' Rogers was born in Blankenburg, west Demerara, Guyana. He attended high school in Georgetown, where he excelled running on a grass track. In 1949, Rogers won the 100, 200, 400 and 880 yards in the National Championship of Guyana. He broke the 400 record with 49 seconds. Rogers competed against the Americans at the Relay Carnival in Guyana. In the 400, Rogers was leading 200 yards he was disqualified, but he was told to onsider running in the States. Rogers later became the second Guyanese to be recruited to run in the US.
Rogers ran varsity track for Morgan State for 4 years (1951-1955) as the third leg. Rogers was the CIAA 440 yard Champion (1953-1955). Rogers was a member of the American team that traveled to Norway, Denmark, Sweden, and Finland in 1953. Rogers was a member of winning relay teams in the 440 and 880 (1952-1955). Rodgers ran third leg on the National Mile Relay Indoor Team in 1954 and 1955 helping his team win national prominence. While at Morgan, Rogers became a member of the Alpha Phi Alpha fraternity and the Beta Kappa Chi honorary science fraternity. During his undergraduate years, he was the President of the Chemistry Club in 1955 and the International Club in 1954 and 1955. Rogers graduated with a BS degree in Chemistry and then went to Meharry Medical College
He is now a retired physician of urology. Dr. Rogers is an active member of the Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity Philly Alumni Association and is a lifetime member of Morgan's "M" Club. Dr. Rogers is married to Dr. Brenda Rogers and they reside in the Philadelphia area. They are the parents of James Rogers, II, Mary Rogers, Dr. Marissa Rogers, Marc W. Rogers, the late Jackie Rogers, and 6 grandchildren.
Otis "Jet" Johnson
Otis "Jet" Johnson was born and raised in Philadelphia, PA. In 1951, he graduated from Benjamin Franklin High School, where he was 1951 Philadelphia City Champion in the 100 yard dash and the 220 yard dash. Johnson was Captain of both the Football and Track Teams and earned a full scholarship to Morgan State for both sports.
Johnson ran varsity track for Morgan State for 4 years (1951-1955) and was a member of the varsity football team for 2 years (1951-1953). A member of the "Flying Four," Johson ran second leg all four years. Johnson was a record holder of the 60-yard dash at the Indoor Baltimore Olympic Club Meet 3 years in a row and the 60-yard dash Champion of South Atlantic Indoors. Track Coach George Eastman of Manhattan University of New York once said that Johnson is "the best second leg man in the history of the Mile Relay Team."
Johnson graduated Morgan State with a BS in Health, Physical Education and Recreation. After college, Johnson was a member of the All-Army Track Team that toured the country. Johnson had a 39-year career with the Federal Government. Johnson is a lifetime member of Morgan's "M" Club. In retirement, Johnson had bit parts in Boycott, The Wire, The Sentinel, and Homicide Life on the Streets. Johnson was a life-long member of the Summer Aid Program. Johnson served as Coordinator working with high school students to encourage them to stay in school. Johnson is a Consultant for Willingboro, NJ's Recreation Department and on staff at the school district for Handicapped Students. Johnson is an avid tennis player and instructor and also introduces tennis to children as young as 3 years old. He lives in Willingboro, New Jersey with his wife, Lucille, and he is the father of two daughters, Lisa Johnson Dean and Lynn Johnson Johnson.
Herman "Bitsy" Wade
Herman "Bitsy" Wade, born and raised in Pittsburgh, PA, graduated from South Hills High School where he was a four sport letterman. He won the City of Pittsburgh Basketball Championship as the starting guard. In track, Wade won the 400 yard run in 1949; and the high jump and the 120 high hurdles in 1950 and 1951. He was All-City elected in football. In baseball, he pitched on the high school team and prior to college he was talented enough to pitch on the old Negro Leagues' Homestead Grays team, just as the league folded from the impact of Jackie Robinson breaking the color barrier in the majors. In 2007, Wade was inducted into the South Hills High School Hall of Fame. Wade entered college and ran varsity track for Morgan State for 4 years (1951-1955). He was a member of the "Flying Four" Mile Relay Team for 4 years (1951-1955) where he ran leadoff leg all 4 years. Wade was CIAA Champion and won awards from the Philadelphia Inquirer and the Washington Star. Wade also competed in the 220, the hurdles, and the high jump. Wade lost only one race in 3 years of national competition and earned many individual awards. He qualified for Olympic Training in 1956 but elected not to compete. While at Morgan, Wade was on the Dean's List and became a member of the Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity. Wade is a lifetime member of Morgan's "M" Club. After Morgan, Wade completed his graduate work at both North Carolina State, and at Fayetteville State University. Wade retired from the United States Army with the rank of Lieutenant Colonel, after serving 20 years. During his tour of duty, Wade received 3 bronze stars, the Army commendation medal, and the Vietnamese Ranger citation. He was a Special Forces trained Airborne Ranger Instructor. In 2004, Wade authored the biography of Coach Hurt "Run from There" in tribute to the influence of the national rise of the black athlete in the 1940s and 1950s. Wade lives in Denton, Texas. He is the father of Air Force officer and commercial pilot Kevin (1957), Musician and music instructor Anthony (1960), physical therapist Rhonda (1967-2001) and the grandfather of 9 grandchildren.
Joshua Culbreath
Joshua Culbreath, born and raised in Norristown, Pennsylvania, graduated from Eisenhower Senior High School (now known as Norristown High School) where he began running the hurdles. By 1951 he was ranked second in the US in the 200 yard low hurdles and was the Pennsylvania's state high school champion in that event. Culbreath ran varsity track for Morgan State for 4 years (1951-1955). He was a member of the "Flying Four" Mile Relay Team for 4 years (1951-1955) where he ran anchor leg all four years. He was the USA Outdoor champion in the 400m hurdles for three consecutive years 1953, 1954, and 1955. He was a three-time winner of the event in the Penn Relays during the same years. After his graduation from Morgan, Culbreath served in the United States Marine Corps from 1956 - 1958 and he competed in the 1956 Summer Olympics in Melbourne, Australia in the 400m hurdles where he won the bronze medal. He won several military and NATO track and field medals and he set the world records in the hurdles in 1956 and 1957. Culbreath later earned a Master of Arts degree in Education from Temple University. He later became the track coach at Central State University and the athletic director at Morehouse College. Culbreath made two guest appearances on The Cosby Show, playing the character Colonel Sanford B. "Tailwind" Turner, Cliff Huxtable's college track rival. Culbreath, served on the boards of many organizations, has been the recipient of many awards, such as Letter of Citation from the late President Eisenhower, and the mayor of his hometown proclaimed 'Joshua Culbreath Day' in his honor for defeating the Russians in the USA vs. USR first track meet, which was held in Philadelphia in 1959. Culbreath is a lifetime member of Morgan's "M" Club and the Kappa Alpha Psi fraternity. Culbreath lives in Gwyedd, Pennsylvania.
References
External links
- "Edward Hurt." USA Track and Field. Retrieved 2013-10-16. http://www.usatf.org/HallOfFame/TF/showBio.asp?HOFIDs=78
- Wade, Herman L. (2004-06-01). Run From There. United States: Word Association. p. 211.ISBN 978-1-932205-78-7. http://wordassociation.com/runfromthere/index.htm
- http://www.theciaa.com/information/hall_of_fame/130124_hall_of_fame_class
- http://www.morganstatebears.com/hof.aspx
Source of article : Wikipedia
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