Reynaldo Brown

Reynaldo Brown (born December 6, 1950 in Los Angeles, California) is an American track and field athlete, known for the high jump. He competed in the 1968 Summer Olympics at the beginning of his senior year in high school, finishing fifth.^[1] His participation in that transitional event had him witnessing teammate Dick Fosbury winning the gold medal using the Fosbury Flop, leaving Brown as one of the last successful jumpers to use the straddle technique.

While at Compton High School, Brown won the CIF California State Meet three straight times, after being overshadowed by teammate Bill Morris as a freshman.^[2] He was the first high school athlete to jump seven feet.^[3] He was invited to that year's Semifinal Olympic Trials, an elimination event. Finishing fourth he qualified to the Olympic Trials at Echo Summit. Brown had to defeat another high school phenom, John Hartfield to make the team, ultimately finishing second behind another Californian Ed Caruthers, the future silver medalist and ahead of Fosbury. Brown returned to school late in the term after his Olympic adventure. 2 months behind, he had to study hard to catch up. By February, he led his Compton team to the CIF State basketball championship.^[4]

Brown continued his education at Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo. While at Cal Poly, he won two NCAA Division II National Championships, which qualified him to compete and also win the Division I National Championship each of those years. In the process he set the NCAA Small School, Cal Poly school and National Collegiate record at 7'4" in 1973. In 1993, he was inducted into the Cal Poly Athletics Hall of Fame.^[5]

Brown was one of the most consistent 7 foot jumpers of the 1970s. He won the USA Outdoor Track and Field Championships in 1970 and 1971.^[6] In between those, he won the 1971 USA Indoor Track and Field Championships.^[7]

References

1968 USA Olympic Track & Field Team Qualification 1968 United States Olympic Trials (track and field) Men's track & road athletes Jack Bacheler Wade Bell John Carlos Leon Coleman Willie Davenport Ronald Daws Bob Day Tom Dooley Lee Evans Tom Farrell Ron Freeman Boyd Gittins Charles Greene Ervin Hall Rudy Haluza Jim Hines Larry James Goetz Klopfer Ronald Kutchinski Ron Laird Tom Laris Marty Liquori Vincent Matthews Kenny Moore Van Nelson Conrad Nightingale Mel Pender Larry Questad William Reilly David Romansky Jim Ryun Lou Scott Ronnie Ray Smith Tommie Smith Tracy Smith Geoff Vanderstock Tom Von Ruden Ron Whitney George Young Larry Young Men's field athletes Bob Beamon Ralph Boston Reynaldo Brown Edward Burke Gary Carlsen Casey Carrigan Ed Caruthers Hal Connolly Frank Covelli Dick Fosbury Albert Hall Dave Maggard Randy Matson Charles Mays Mark Murro Al Oerter John Pennel Bob Seagren Jay Silvester Rick Sloan David Smith George Stenlund Norman Tate Bill Toomey Tom Waddell Arthur Walker George Woods Women's track & road athletes Margaret Bailes Doris Brown Lois Ann Drinkwater Julie Mae Dyer Barbara Ferrell Francie Kraker Madeline Manning Mildred Netter Mamie Rallins Jarvis Scott Esther Stroy Patty Jean Van Wolvekaere Women's field athletes RaNae Bair Estelle Baskerville Sharon Callahan Olga Connolly Barbara Friedrich Cathy Hamblin Eleanor Montgomery Carol Moseke Maren Seidler Martha Watson Willye White Pat Winslow Coaches —