Matt Jarvis release - Sad to hear about the passing of Frank Morris at the age of 92.  Most of those in the World of Track & Field today are probably not familiar with Morris or the path of athletes he crossed during his coaching career.  He was a true technician of the sport, but his real gift was the ability to blend an athlete’s skills and talents into an event that tests one’s individual abilities.  Morris came out of Medford High School along with his brother Jack.  Jack a great track & field athlete and running back for the Black Tornado ended up playing football for the Ducks.  Frank went on to the University of Washington but his athletic career was cut short by Polio.  He lost his calf muscle in his right leg over the disease.  It didn’t slow him.  He left Seattle and moved to Eugene to go to the UO.  After graduating from Oregon with a Master’s Degree, he started coaching.  Tiny Powers, the timber rich community in southeast Coos Co., was his first stop.  The school didn’t have a track, but that didn’t stop Morris.  According to reports, he borrowed a tractor and built one.  He did the same at his next stop, Rogue River HS.  His third stop was accepting a graduate assistant job at Oregon under legendary Duck Coach Bill Bowerman.  His coach during his high school days at Medford.  At Oregon, Morris studied the events he was assigned, the shot put and discus.  He coached numerous All-Americans and a World Champion and Olympic Gold Medalist in the Discus, Mac Wilkins.  I got to know Morris through my track announcing at Lane CC and Oregon.  Quite the gentleman.  Talking with him was educational, informative and respectful.  In the early 80s, Morris accepted the head coaching job at Oregon State.  The Beavers wanted to rebuild their program and felt Morris was the one who could do it.  He accepted the challenge.  His desire was to duplicate the same fan and support environment at Hayward Field at Wayne Valley Field in Corvallis.  Having worked with Morris for many meets in Eugene, he asked me to be his announcer at OSU.  I was more than happy to help him get it going.  We worked together for several years, but time changes everything and we both moved on.  I started working with Paul Banta and the Adidas International meets in Portland and the Duck home meets in Eugene, while Morris continued helping programs at all levels as well individual track & field athletes.  I’ll miss the gentleman who walked straight up and down, shoulders high with a confident gait. You hear about the three “Bills” who built Oregon’s successful track & field program, Bill Hayward, Bill Bowerman and Bill Dellinger, but right behind the last two Bill’s, serving as an assistant one could count on, was Frank Morris, an important piece of the Duck History Puzzle.