Hall of Fame induction: 1999

In 1954, Jimmy ran a 5.3, 50yd dash on an indoor dirt track for a University of Delaware record that still stands! It was later tied by Mike Brown, also a Hall of Fame member. Not only a short dash sprinter; he also ran a leg on a University, record setting, mile relay team.

In the fall of 1960 Jimmy was named Head Coach of Track and Field and an assistant Football coach at the University of Delaware. In the Spring of 1961 he took a struggling program and in just two years, turned it into a conference championship team with mostly Delaware H.S. athletes, the first ever for a University of Delaware track and field team. His nineteen-year dual meet won and loss record was 93-28 (76.8%). He coached a number of athletes who still hold University records.

He was director of the state High School championship meet for many years and was a tireless promoter of track & field in the state of Delaware. He hosted many college and high school indoor meets and was a strong supporter of the University’s women program and helped support it when it was in its infancy. He coached track & field because it was fun. He had a genuine love for the sport, was highly principled, held very high standards for the conduct of the sport, and would not compromise those standards.

Hall of Fame induction: 1999

The dean of downstate track & field coaches, Hickman coached three Cape Henlopen High School teams to victory as Division II State Champions in 1971, 1972, and 1973. The first person to receive the 1971 Delaware Sports Club “Coach of the Year”, he pioneered winter track downstate, and ran youth programs during the summer in Milton, Rehoboth and Lewes.

Among the great runners he nurtured, and in some cases discovered, were Emory Howell, who never lost a race in high school, Jerry Maull, a state champion in the high jump, and Brad Waples, who anchored Cape’s winning mile relay team. Tom discovered future great Lance White who was just a youngster running in the fields of Slaughter Neck. Other state champions were Vincent Lewis, Larry Savage, Leslie Freeman, Henry Brisco, Paul Jones, and Henry White and a host of others.

Hickman was and remains a staunch supporter of scores of ex-lower Delaware runners, and is still a modest and selfless champion for those he coached.

Hall of Fame induction: 1999

The late Chic Reed remains a great name from the past that old-timers still mention. This Middletown High School boy won the National high School high jump championship, sponsored by the AAU, in 1940 at Madison Square Garden with a record jump of 6′ 0″. That record is said to have lasted in Delaware for 22 years and was set when Reed used the western roll.

Reed was Delaware state high school champion in both the high jump and broad jump in 1938, 1939, and 1940. He set a state record of 5’10½” in 1938, and a meet record an inch higher the following year at the state meet.

Reed also won a total of four New Castle County meet championships in the broad jump and high jump in 1938 and 1939. In 1938 at the age of 16, Reed broad jumped 22′ 3½” at the Tome School interscholastic meet. Chic had a best of 6’ 3¼” in the high jump and a broad jump of 22’ 8½” in 1940.

Hall of Fame induction: 1999

Dave represented the Delaware Sports Club from 1967 to 1976. During that time, he set three world records and twelve national records as a racewalker. He was an Olympian in 1968 in the 50K walk and won the first of twelve National Championships in the 40K in 1968. Dave placed eighth in the World Championships in the 20K in 1970 and placed third in the USA-USSR dual meet in 1972.

Dave was named the U.S. Outstanding Walker of the Year in 1970. He represented the USA every year from 1968 through 1972. He is an active walker, and coaches race walking competitions. He was named Walker of the Year for ages 55-59 from 1995 through 1998. He also was named Walker of the Year for 40 & over in the nation in 1997 and 1998.

Hall of Fame induction: 1999

A 1976 graduate of Tower Hill, Ken was a state meet triple winner three times, winning in seven different events (100m, 200m, HH, IH, LH, LJ, TJ) in a period when there was a three event limit. Ken, at one time, held state records in the high hurdles and triple jump, and still holds the 180yd. low hurdle record. He set three records at the New Castle county meet in 1976.

At the University of Pennsylvania, he went on to score seven times in the high hurdles in the Heptagonal Conference and three times in the IC4A competitions. He co-captained the 1981 team which won the indoor Heptagonal meet. Ken was able to accomplish all this in spite of suffering a serious ankle injury during the Blue-Gold Football Game.