“He was a classic.” “After they made him, they broke the mold.” These quips may ring so cliché, but they have never been more true than when applied to the inimitable Coach Payton Jordan.

Inarguably one of the most influential track and field figures of his time, Coach Jordan made his mark at the center of international athletics during the tense and intense competitiveness of the Cold War. During his illustrious tenure as head track coach at Stanford University (1957–’79), Coach Jordan directed the legendary U.S. vs. U.S.S.R. dual meet, an event that drew 155,000 spectators over two days to Stanford Stadium (see photo on page 2—that is the stadium packed with people behind Ron Morris), generally considered the most successful track and field meet in U.S. history.

Coach Jordan got his start in collegiate coaching at Occidental College, where his teams won conference championships each of the 10 seasons he was there, and earned an NAIA title. While at Stanford, Coach Jordan produced seven Olympians, six world–record holders and six national champions. Coach Jordan’s impact on Stanford track was considered so great that the annual U.S. Open held at the school’s Angell Field was renamed the “Payton Jordan U.S. Track and Field Open” in 2004.

Payton Jordan circa 1939.

Coach Jordan was a life–long stand–out athlete in his own right. As a young man, he won acclaim on the track as a sprinter for the University of Southern California, a member of the Trojan’s 1938 record–breaking 440–relay team (40.5).

His talent earned him the appellation “Captain of Champions”, a title bestowed on him by Life Magazine for the publication’s cover story featuring the young sprinter in 1939. Not only did young Jordan help his track team win three national championships (1937–’39), he crossed over to help the football team defeat Duke in the 1939 Rose Bowl.

A giant of the Masters track movement, Coach Jordan—“The Silver Streak”—set six age–group world records in the sprints. His latest two records were set in 1997 at the age of 80: One for the 100m (14.65), the other for the 200m (30.89).

Payton hands over one of his precious scrapbooks to USC Coach Ron Allice for inclusion in the team archives (2006).