[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 147 (2001), Part 7]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages 9932-9933]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]



                    TRIBUTE TO THE LATE LEAMON KING

                                 ______
                                 

                             HON. JOE BACA

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                         Tuesday, June 5, 2001

  Mr. BACA. Mr. Speaker, It is with great sadness that I note the 
passing of Leamon King, of California.
  A lifelong educator in the Richgrove and Delano Elementary School 
Districts, Olympic Gold Medalist, World Record Holder in the 100 yard 
dash and Delano High School graduate, Leamon provided a positive role 
model for the local youth. He made significant contributions to the 
improvement of education opportunities for Latino Children in 
California.
  Leamon was born on February 13, 1936 in Tulare, California. His 
parents were Loyd King and Beatrice Wallace King. They owned a farm in 
Earlimart, and Leamon lived there the first year of his life. His 
father, Loyd King, sold their farm in 1937, and the King family moved 
to Delano, California where Leamon completed his elementary and 
secondary education.
  Leamon began his education at Ellington School and later transferred 
to Fremont School. His mother wanted him to learn music and to play the 
saxophone. The only elementary school in Delano with a band at that 
time was Cecil Avenue Elementary School, so he transferred to this 
school. While attending Cecil Avenue and learning music, Leamon began 
to excel in track as a sprinter, and was ultimately elected student 
body president.
  Upon graduation from Cecil Avenue, Leamon transferred to Delano High 
School. He attended and won his first state meet at the age of fifteen 
during his freshman year in high school. During the next four years, 
Leamon King continued to excel as both a student and as a runner. This 
outstanding athlete provided a positive image for Delano High School 
and the City of Delano, as well as being a positive role model for 
students to emulate.
  Following graduation from Delano High School in June 1954, Leamon 
began to pursue higher education at University of California, Berkeley. 
He was the first child in his family to pursue a college education. The 
April 10, 1956 Delano Record stated, ``DELANO SPRINTER READY FOR 
OLYMPICS. Sophomore Leamon King, Delano High School graduate, a young 
man with wings on his feet, is California's newest hope for ``World's 
Fastest Human'' honors, and the Bear sprint sensation will have ample 
opportunity to earn such acclaim this spring.'' The following month

[[Page 9933]]

Leamon King tied the world record for the 100-yard dash at the West 
Coast Relays in Fresno, California. Merle Red Post 124 First Vice 
Commander Joe Viray and former educators Wayne and Wava Billingsley 
witnessed this spectacular event. They stated Leamon King's historic 
race was an awesome sight to see. It appeared as through Leamon King 
had wings so his feet as he majestically flew across the finish line 
and into the world record history book.
  The Delano Record dated May 15, 1956 stated the following: ``KING'S 
9.3 DASH BRINGS ANOTHER RECORD TO CITY. Delano became the home of two 
world champions Saturday when Leamon King, local resident and former 
Delano High School track star, ran the 100 yard dash in 9.3 at the 
Fresno Relays to tie the world record. King's victory brought another 
world record to Delano, making it the home of one of the fastest 
sprinters and the residence of Lon Spurrier, holder of the world record 
for the 880. There is no other city in the United States the size of 
Delano, which can boast two world champions.''
  Both Leamon King and Lon Spurrier were selected to participate in the 
1956 Olympics in Melbourne, Australia. Delano became the only city of 
its size in the United States to have two representatives make the 1956 
Olympic team. Because of the fame the City of Delano had received due 
to the athletic accomplishments of these two track stars, Leamon King 
and Lon Spurrier were the Grand Marshalls of the Eleventh Annual 
Harvest Holidays Parade on October 6, 1956.
  During the October 1956 United States Olympic camp practice meet at 
Ontario, California, Leamon King set his second world record when he 
tied the 10.1 time for the world record for 100 meters set by Ira 
Murchison and Willie Williams in Germany the previous summer. Following 
this splendid achievement, Leamon traveled to Australia to represent 
the City of Delano and the United States. Dr. Clifford Loader, Mayor of 
Delano, also traveled to Australia to give support to the two Delano 
Olympic participants.
  Delano High School Educator Gary Girard, who was serving as a staff 
writer for the Delano Record, stated in his article dated November 23, 
1956, ``KING'S EFFORTS PULLED U.S. TO VICTORY IN 400-METER RELAY AT 
OLYMPIC GAMES. Dr. Clifford Loader, Mayor of Delano, believes that it 
was the running of ex-Delano High star Leamon King that pulled the 
United States to victory in the 400-meter relay at the Olympic Games in 
Australia. The U.S. had stiff competition from Russia. Loader said that 
after the relay, Thane Baker, another member of the U.S. relay team ran 
over to hug King, realizing that it was his leg on the relay team that 
had won the race. King received a gold medal for his effort on the 
winning U.S. 400-meter relay quartet.''
  Following the Olympic Games, the foursome set a New World record. In 
a meet with the British Empire, the U.S. team of King, Andy Stanfield, 
Thane Baker and Bobby Morrow set a new world mark of 1:23.8 for the 880 
yard relay. The old mark was 1:24.
  According to Leamon King, when he first arrived in Melbourne, he ran 
on grass and set a grass record. It appeared as though every time he 
ran, he would break a record.
  Bakersfield Californian Staff Writer Kevin Eubanks stated ``King's 
omission from the 100 meter team certainly didn't affect his moment in 
the spot light. The news that the world's fastest man was not competing 
in the 100 meter race was received as something of a shock by the rest 
of the sporting world.'' For his outstanding attributes as an athlete, 
Leamon King served as Grand Marshall for the Delano Cinco de Mayo 
Parade, was inducted into the University of California, Berkley Hall of 
fame, and the Bob Elias Hall of Fame in Bakersfield, California.
  During the past twenty-nine years, Leamon King served as an educator 
in the Delano area. Mr. King taught for two years in Richgrove prior to 
transferring to the Delano Union School District where he served as 
educator for the past twenty-seven years. Mr. King taught the sixth 
grade at both Terrace Elementary School and Almond Tree Middle School. 
During his tenure as an educator for the Delano Union School District, 
Mr. Leamon King proved to be an extraordinary educator and was highly 
respected. This educator served as an excellent example for his peers, 
as well as our youth.
  On his sixty-fifth birthday this year, during Black History Month, 
the Delano Union School District named in Leamon's honor the athletic 
facilities at Almond Tree Middle School, which include the school gym 
and outside athletic facilities, including a track and basketball 
courts.
  Leamon King will be missed by family, friends, colleagues, and the 
community. I offer my condolences to Leamon's family. And we say to 
Leamon, ``goodbye, we miss you, we know God will bless and watch over 
you.''

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