Ben Vaughan is the center of attention whether he is warming up with his teammates (left) or waiting for the start.
May-June 1969
finishers qualified for America's Olympic squad. Larry Quested ran no measurable time faster than Vaughau, but placed tenth and eventually made, the Olympic team. Spurred by the memory of those thrills and disappointments, Vaughan returned to Atlanta determined to run faster. He stepped in a hole in the Tech track last December preparing for the indoor season, pulled another hamstring and missed the entire campaign. He again demonstrated his recuperative powers with a repeat performance in the NewsPiedmont games in March. He ran a 9.4 (without wind) and anchored the Jacket mile relay unit to a school record 3:14.9. His running mates there were Jack Ransbotham, Ken Nash and Bruce Rutherford. The other peak so far this season, of course, was his showing against South Carolina. Just how does a guy lop off nearly a full second from his best sprint time of four years ago? There are three reasons behind the improvement according to Vaughan. Number 1—"I didn't have the necessary high school track background." Number 2 —"I was only 16 when I graduated from high school. I was still very immature." And number 3 he expresses in two key words—"Coach Fowlkes." "Coach Fowlkes is the greatest sprint coach I've ever worked with, or seen or heard about. I owe what success I've had to him. He's worked with me very closely. He put me on a hard program, got me to believe in it. I saw the improvement and kept at it. Tech's always had great relay teams under him. He could improve anyone." Ben, the only son of Mr. and Mrs. Eugene Vaughan of Atlanta, is a quiet 20-year-old who doesn't verbally psych out his opponents as such standouts as Charlie Greene and Willie Davenport have been known to do. "I don't say anything to them," says the Tech team captain. "It may come back to haunt me someday. I stay with my teammates or even by myself before a race. You think of a race, especially a big one, for the whole week leading up to it. It just builds and builds so that you're ready by Saturday." Sprinters, often hurt because of their explosiveness, just as often collapse at the climax of a tight race. Why does anyone push himself through such seeming torture? "I run because I believe I'm a better person for it," Vaughan says. "I'm doing
something. It's self-gratifying. I get a certain satisfaction out of accomplishing something." Vaughan, reaching his top speed in six or seven strides rather than the usual two or three, shifts into faster gears twice during each race, once about the midway point and once near the finish. His starts are his weakness. "His starts are mechanically sound, but not particularly fast," Fowlkes said. "But once out of the blocks he's equal to anyone. He can finish with any sprinter in the world." Ben agrees with his coach that his troubles lie in his beginnings. "I guess my starts aren't the best, but I hope they're getting better. My reactions aren't as quick as they should be. But if my starts get better, my times should improve." Vaughan speaks frankly when discussing his future. He's aiming high, or low, if you please. "I set my goals high. Then if I make them, I will get a great sense of accomplishment out of them. If I don't make them, it won't be the end of the world. "I'd like to win the NCAA 100 and 200 this year." That would be a remarkable feat considering the Knoxville Field June 19-21 likely will include San Jose State's John Carlos (who just ran a wind-aided nine flat) and Ronnie Ray Smith, Southern Cal's Lennox Miller (Olympians all) and Indiana sophomore Mike Goodrich, (who recently ran a 9.2 in the Drake Relays). It. probably will take that time or even a 9.1 to capture the NCAA 100yard championship.. "I'd like to run in the neighborhood of 9.2," Vaughan says. "I think I'm capable of it under the right conditions. And if a 9.2, well, the world record of 9.1 (held by Bob Hayes, Jim Hines and Charlie Greene) is only a tenth of a second away. Who knows?" Vaughan and Fowlkes, thinking alike on many subjects, agree on a few m o r e p o i n t s . T h e y b e l i e v e Vaughan's finest races could be the longer sprints, the 220 and 440, and that he has yet to run up to his capabilities. "Ben's still very young," says Fowlkes. "He's nowhere near reaching his true potential. He'll just be maturing when he graduates (after one more indoor season this coming winter quarter)." Vaughan, an Industrial Management major with a B average, hasn't decided on a job, but obviously wants one that will enable him to keep running. Let's see now. 1972. Munich. Could be a nice trip. 17