Men's Track & Field 08.26 By John Parrish

OBU Athletics Heritage Series: Riley Williamson

OBU Athletics Heritage Series

Riley Williamson: Anchor Man

From 1927 through 1930, Riley Williamson was the anchor man for Oklahoma Baptist University's highly-successful relay teams of that period. He also gained individual recognition at the national level as a quarter-miler.

Williamson, who was known by the nickname "Ickey," was from Wanette, Oklahoma, and was a versatile sprinter—running the 100, 220, and 440 dashes as well as being the anchor for the 440, 880, and mile relay teams. During his four years at OBU, the 880-relay team won 12 first-place finishes, two seconds, and one third at major track meets. The mile-relay team won 11 first-place finishes and two seconds.

In 1927 the 880-relay team of Waldo Buchanan, Clement Hannum, Brutus Beall, and Williamson won the Kansas and Texas Relays and finished second at Drake. The mile-relay team of Hannum, Beall, Eddie Hurt, and Williamson won the Kansas, Drake, and Texas Relays.

In 1928 the 880-relay team of Buchanan, Beall, Ted Fisher, and Williamson was undefeated—winning the Kansas, Drake, Texas, Rice, and Oklahoma Relays. The mile-relay team, which included Buchanan, Hurt, Beall, Fisher, and Williamson, finished first at Drake and second at Kansas and Texas.

In 1929 the 880-relay team of Buchanan, Carl Fulton, Fisher, Beall, and Williamson won first at Southern Methodist University, second at Drake, and third at Texas. The mile-relay team of Buchanan, Fulton, Fisher, and Williamson won first at Kansas, Drake, Texas, and SMU.

In 1930 the 880-relay team of Buchanan, Fulton, Fisher, Beall, and Williamson won first at Kansas, Drake, Texas, and SMU. The mile-relay team of Buchanan, Fulton, Fisher, and Williamson was first at Kansas, Texas, and SMU.

He was a member of relay teams which won six firsts at Kansas, five firsts at Drake, six firsts at Texas, four firsts at SMU, one first each at Rice and OU.

On the national stage, Williamson finished second in 1929 in the 440 dash at the National Collegiate Track and Field Championships (forerunner of the NCAA) at Stagg Field at the University of Chicago. He finished behind Rut Walter of Northwestern University whose time was 47.9. Williamson's second-place finish earned OBU eight points in the meet, enabling OBU to finish in a tie for sixteenth in the competition.

In 1930 Williamson was unable to participate in the National Collegiate meet because of the NCAA's three-year participation rule. (Williamson had competed in major meets for four years.) However, he won first place in the 440 in the junior division of the 1930 National AAU competition in Pittsburgh, Penn.

The Aug. 23, 1930, edition of The Daily Oklahoman carried an Associated Press story on the AAU meet under the eight-column headline, "Riley Williamson Streaks to National Title in A.A.U. 440-Yard Run." The AP reported, "Riley 'Ickey' Williamson, a Cherokee Indian from Oklahoma Baptist University, sprinted to victory in a close finish in the 440-yard run, closely followed by Nate Long of the Denver A.C. and H. Huffman of the Greenwood Track Club, New York, who were second and third, respectively. Williamson was clocked in 49.8 seconds."

Williamson then traveled to Chicago for a meet on Aug. 27 between a select USA team and a team from the British Empire (England, Scotland, Canada, Australia, British Guiana, South Africa, and New Zealand). Performing before a crowd of 40,000 at Soldier Field, the USA won the meet by a score of 9-5 (events), but Williamson's mile-relay team lost to Great Britain which clocked 3:16.8. Williamson ran the first leg of the relay and his teammates were Nate Long, John Lewis, and Victor Williams.

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After completing his OBU eligibility, Williamson ran with the Los Angeles Athletic Club, training for the 1932 Olympics. At the Olympic trials, he ran fifth in his heat with a time of 48.9. He did not qualify as one of the seven who ran in the finals. A time of 46.9 won the trials.

In addition to his track achievements, Williamson was a three-year letterman in football, playing halfback on teams which were 16-5-4 during those years.

Williamson finished his B.A. degree at OBU in 1932. He was one of the owners of B&W Men's Wear in Shawnee for many years and he also worked for an oil company. He married Gladys Ingram and they had three sons. Williamson died in 1975.

He was inducted into OBU's Athletic Hall of Fame in 1973.

For four years Riley 'Ickey' Williamson was the anchor of Coach Victor C. Hurt's great sprint relay teams, but he also emerged as the first Bison runner to succeed at the highest level in national competition bringing honor to OBU and important recognition to the Bison track program.

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