Transplant Survivor is a WTC First

How many track clubs can boast a liver-transplant overcomer? We can. He's Alexander Hopkins Whiteaker, and he's recovering his weight, strength and taste for track and field. Other new members of the WTC are Texas prep cross country coach Rick Easley, Southern radio personality Liz Johnson, Arkansas office manager Peggy Medlock, New Hampshire architect William A. Foucher, Berkeley physicist Jeremy Lys and Ohio engineer Chris Pore.

Webmaster TC is Open to All

Live too far from a track club? Hate how TCs are being overrun by roadies? Love to save money? This club's for you! To join the Webmaster TC, just submit a bio (listing all the elements that follow), and I'll add you to the roster. This is for masters and soon-to-be masters, generally 35 and older, women and men. (I promise to upload bios before you turn 90.) Me go first.

Ken Stone, founder and CEO

Born: June 18, 1954, in Detroit, Michigan, USA

Occupation: newspaper copy editor

Home: La Mesa, California, USA

All-time T&F bests: Ran 14.4 in 120y highs to take 5th in the Nebraska State HS Championships in 1972. Took 4th in the 180-yard low hurdles, and had a best time around a turn of 19.9. As a nonscholarship walk-on at the University of Kansas, ran 120y highs in 14.8 and the 440 intermediate hurdles in 56.1 (twice). Recorded a best split of 22.1 in the 880-yard relay. Lasted two years on the team and then got kicked off for mediocrity. Two years later, ran a 4:56 mile indoors in PE. In 1984, at the age of 30, high jumped 6-0. Then reinjured non-takeoff knee, had arthro and didn't compete for 11 years. Ran a marathon in 1978. Time is secret. Executive privilege claimed.

Masters achievements: In 1995, first year of masters competition, high jumped 5-6 three times and took 4th in M40 age group at the USATF National Masters Outdoor meet at Michigan State University. Masters PRs in 1997 include 12.51 (auto) in 100m and 25.37 in 200m, 58.74 in 400 (with a 57.0 relay leg). Best 400m hurdles so far is 65.55 at Occidental College in June 1997. Also ran 300 intermediate hurdles in 44.2 in April 1997. Took seventh at 1997 USATF National Masters Outdoor Championships in 400m hurdles. Ran second leg on national champion 4x100 and 4x400 relays at San Jose nationals. Broke left ankle in finals of 400-meter hurdles at Orono masters nationals. Recovered but still slow.

Trivia: "I am not related to Dwight Stones, but I jumped against him in high school once (for Valencia HS in Placentia, Calif., before my family moved to Omaha in 1971) and at a UC Irvine masters meet in 1995 (although Big D showed up after I left). In high school, I helped prepare the 2nd edition of Fred Wilt's "How They Train," and I free-lanced for Track & Field News in the late 1970s and early '80s. My 1978 interview with Al Oerter is the only piece in the "Talking Track" anthology not produced by a T&FN staffer. I've been doing Transcendental Meditation twice a day since 1972, but while it helps me recover mental focus after a tiring day I doubt my hurdling has benefited much.

Also please check out the Webmaster TC Charter, which is open to amendments.

Other esteemed club members

Sprints/Hurdles

Thierry Boucquey, vice president for accent on starts

Jess Brewer, deputy CEO for technical and moral support

Timothy Coombs, vice president for Illinois submasters

Steve Cummings, senior vice president for smog-busting sprinters

Roger Drummond, senior vice president for Tulare County tracksters

John Emanuel Jr., vice president for hurdles

William A. Foucher, vice president of soon to be ex-soccer players

Andrew Gamble, vice president for sprinters who can cook

Jim Gillis, vice president, Burbank long dashmen

George Hall, senior vice president for Oklahoma Territory

Joe Hehn, vice president for AT&T sprinters

Don Kane, vice president for Juantorena wannabes

Joanne Jacovides, vice president for South African sprinters

Liz Johnson, vice president for hurdling radio personalities

Gerry Krainik, deputy CEO for long dashes

Chuck Lampert, vice president for Brooklyn-born sprinters

David Ortman, senior vice president for track reincarnations

Mike Pannell, deputy CEO for world-class hurdlers

Chris Pore, vice president for sprinters engineering comebacks

Jim Schlewitz, vice president for newsletter editors

Scott D. Sommers, senior vice president for leg injuries

John Stone, deputy CEO for Western Australia

Larry Mark Weisenthal, vice president for reformed swimmers

Middle Distances

Joe Corderman, vice president for Maryland milers

David Jansen, vice president for converted Arizona roadies

Annette Koop, deputy CEO for German veterans

Eugene van Kruchten, senior vice president for Dutch runners

Jeremy Lys, vice president for high-energy runners

D. Jesse May, vice president for the Illinois injured

Mike Scofield, vice president for middle distances

Marty Sonnenfeldt, vice president for Volunteers

Kevin Weitz, senior vice president for South Africa

Long Distances

Tom Holland, vice president for leaps of faith

Jumping Events

Ken Bacon, vice president for high jump development

Joe Faust, senior vice president for near-legends

Jeff Helton, vice president for jumps, submasters

Roger Ruth, deputy CEO for pole vault emeritus

Weight Events

Robert Paul Adams, deputy CEO for Cajun Country

Norm Banks, vice president, Central California weightmen

Bob Beck, vice president for Arizona throwers

Jerry Bowersox, vice president, online weight coaches

Ken Counts, vice president for Arkansas throwers

Carla Greene, vice president for submaster women's throws

Charley Greene, vice president for Ohio spearchuckers

Wayne A. Guglielmo, vice president for Orange County throwers

Kevin McDonald, senior vice president for throws Down Under

Peggy Medlock, vice president for newcomer Arkansas throwers

William A. Patrick, senior vice president for throws

Henny van Kruchten, senior vice president for Dutch throwers

John White, vice president for throw comebacks

Multi-Events

Woody Disharoon, co-vice president for decathlon dreams

Rick Easley, vice president for Texas all-around talents

Rich Grzeszkowiak, vice president for Atlanta decathletes

David Moore, vice president for decathlon ambitions

Larry Steinrauf, vice president for China/Taiwan, American Expatriates Division

Frank Taylor, senior vice president, Europe

Alexander Hopkins Whiteaker, senior vice president, liver transplant heroes

T&F Administrators

Jeff Brower, vice president for Texas meet directors

Doug Fry, senior vice president for Oceania

Michael McCann, vice president for the Yukon

Now it's your turn. Send your bio (with all of the above elements, including date of birth, where you were born, all-time bests, where you live, masters PRs and trivia, etc.) to TrackCEO@aol.com (I'll assume it's OK to run your e-mail address unless you specify otherwise).

WTC member Steve Cummings breezes past the webmaster off the second barrier of the 400m hurdles at the Sri Chinmoy Masters Games on Oct. 13, 1996, at Long Beach, Calif. Steve has a 1997 best of 54.4 in the flat 400 and took sixth in the long hurdles at the San Jose nationals. --Photo by Christine Stone

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