CMC75 Moments: Dewar Qualifies for Two National Meets for 1965 Track and Field

As part of the buildup to the 75th Anniversary celebration for Claremont McKenna College (visit CMC's 75th Anniversary Countdown Page to learn more), we are reliving many of the great moments from CMS athletic department history over the 75-day countdown from April 17 to July 1. If you were a part of this great moment and would like to add to the memories, or if you would like to submit your memories of your own favorite CMS Athletics moment, fill out the form on our main 75th Anniversary page.

Great Moments from 75 Years of Athletics
1965 Men's Track and Field: Dewar, Van Degrift Compete at Nationals

When Claremont Men's College started its own athletic department in 1958, partnering with Harvey Mudd, which was founded in 1955, was an important part of the transition. In 1965, the Claremont-Mudd men's track and field team had a sort of "Year of the Mudder," with over half of the student-athletes on the squad (11 of 20) coming from Harvey Mudd, including two (Jim Dewar, Craig Van Degrift) who would go on to make the CMS Hall of Fame after earning trips to nationals.

A middle distance runner who graduated with four school records, Jim Dewar had a busy postseason in 1965, qualifying for both the NAIA and the NCAA national track and field championships. Dewar earned an eighth-place finish in the NAIA Championships, making him the first top-10 finisher at nationals in the program's young history (the top eight is considered All-American by modern track and field standards). As a senior, Dewar added another national competition to his resume, when he finished sixth in the 1000-yard run at the AAU National Indoor Championships. He also ran for the Claremont-Mudd cross country team, earning second-team All-SCIAC honors in 1965.

Joining Dewar at the NAIA Championships in 1965 from the Stag program was Craig Van Degrift, who qualified as a thrower. Van Degrift held school records in the shot put (53-3) and discus (160-11) when he graduated, which held for 29 years. Remarkably, his shot put mark still ranks fourth in CMS history, and his discus throw still ranks fifth, over 50 years after he graduated.

Van Degrift was inducted into the CMS Hall of Fame in 1994 as part of the fourth Hall of Fame class. Dewar joined him in the Hall of Fame in 1996, and served on the Harvey Mudd Board of Trustees from 1995-98.

1965 Men's Track and Field Roster
Head Coach: Vince Reel
Dave Bock (HMC)
Steve Dequer (HMC)
Jim Dewar (HMC)
Bill Gendron (CMC)
Cliff Harby (CMC)
Jim Henderson (CMC)
Larry Hibberd (HMC)
Bob Luke (HMC)
John Pyles (CMC)
Roger Rasmussen (CMC)
John Reay (CMC)
Al Sikes (HMC)
Ken Solomon (HMC)
Bob Stewart (HMC)
Al Sullivan (CMC)
Craig Van Degrift (HMC)
Pete Walstrom (HMC)
Dee West (HMC)
Mac White (CMC)
Ray White (CMC)