LAWRENCE, Kan. – Legendary Kansas track & field and cross country coach Bob Timmons, who led his Jayhawk teams to four NCAA titles and 31 conference championships, passed away Tuesday evening at the age of 91. He is survived by his wife, Pat; children, Tammie, Beckie, Perkie and Dan, as well as two grandchildren.

Timmons served as the head coach of the Kansas track & field and cross country squad for 22 seasons from 1966-88. “Timmie’s” teams captured 13 Big Eight indoor titles, 14 outdoor titles and four cross country league titles. He led the Jayhawks to three NCAA indoor championships in 1966, 1969 and 1970. Timmons’ 1970 outdoor team tied for the national championship with Oregon, Brigham Young and Drake to give him four titles in five years. To this day, Timmons’ four NCAA Championships are the most among any head coach in Kansas Athletics’ history.

“The Kansas Track & Field family has lost a legendary figure in our history,” said current KU track & field head coach Stanley Redwine. “Coach Timmons led KU to unprecedented success during his time here and should be remembered, not only as a great coach, but as a great mentor as well. He continuously strived to set a standard of excellence that we fully recognize to this day. His contributions of our home cross country course of Rim Rock Farm also shows what a truly dedicated Jayhawk he was. Our thoughts are with Pat, their children and the rest of the Timmons family during this difficult time.”

“KU has lost a true treasure,” said Kansas Athletics Director Sheahon Zenger. “Coach Timmons was one of the all-time greats. His legacy, though, does not end with championships and medals. His real legacy is how much he cared about his student-athletes and the University of Kansas.”

Born in Joplin, Missouri, Timmons grew up in Pittsburg, Kansas, where he attended Pittsburg High School. He joined the Marines in 1943 and spent a year deployed in the South Pacific during WWII. Upon returning to the states Timmons turned his attention to coaching.

He began his career in track & field with the Jayhawks as a student manager and assistant coach starting in 1946 until he graduated in 1950. He worked and learned under another Kansas track & field coaching legend, Bill Easton, during his time as an undergrad, which ignited his love for coaching and mentoring young athletes.

He spent eight years as a high school track, swimming and football coach, beginning his career at Caldwell High School in 1950 and also spending time at Emporia High School, Wichita West High School and Wichita East High School before returning to his alma mater in 1965. Timmons helped the Wichita East swimming program to prominence, enjoying eight-straight undefeated years in all competitions and boasting 52 individual state champions and seven state swimming titles. His high school teams also ran to four cross country crowns and six state track championships.

Timmons took over the Kansas program for the future Hall of Famer, Easton, in 1966 and continued to take the Jayhawk program to new heights over the next 22 years. In addition to all the team’s success, he oversaw the coaching and development of seven Olympians, 16 world record holders, 77 NCAA All-Americans and 24 NCAA Champions. Included on his highly impressive résumé, was being named the U.S. Track & Field Coach Association (USTFA) Coach of the Year in 1975 as well as being tabbed as the District V Coach of the Year in 11 of his 22 seasons at KU.

Timmons’ coaching career also included teaching one of the world’s best track athletes in Jim Ryun. Recruited to Kansas by Timmons, his former high school coach, Ryun emerged as one of the most iconic track athletes in American history. In 1964, at the age of 17, Ryun became the first high schooler to run a sub-four-minute mile. In fact, his high school mile mark of 3:55.3 stood for 31 years. With Timmons leading the way in Lawrence, Ryun put together a spectacular stint at KU from 1965 to 1969, he owned world records in the 880 yards, 1,500 meters and mile run and added an additional four American records during his time under Timmons. Ryun was a five-time NCAA champion and, to this day, still holds 13 Jayhawk school records.

He was also the main force behind the creation of one of the top cross country courses in the nation, the home of Kansas Cross Country, Rim Rock Farm. Timmons acquired the land to the north of Lawrence in the early 1970s and quickly turned it into the main home for his cross country squads by 1974. Even after his time at KU came to an end, Timmons remained the caretaker at Rim Rock Farm until he gifted it to the University in 2004. Rim Rock has been the host site for some of the top meets in the nation and the region as it hosted the 1998 NCAA DI and DII Cross Country Championships, 2006 and 2014 Big Championships, numerous Kansas State High School Championships, as well as the upcoming NCAA Midwest Regional Championships in November.

Timmons handed off the reins of the KU track program in 1988, but continued to maintain his close ties to the team. He remained a loyal supporter at Jayhawk home meets and continued to make appearances at the Kansas Relays for many years after his retirement.

In 2011, Timmons became the 11th Jayhawk to be inducted into the National Track & Field Hall of Fame. Along with the National Track & Field Hall of Fame, Timmons is also a member of the Kansas Athletics Hall of Fame, the Kansas Relays Hall of Fame, the Drake Relays Hall of Fame, the Kansas Sports Hall of Fame, the Kansas High School Activities Association Hall of Fame and the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches of America (USTFCCCA) Hall of Fame.

Services for Bob Timmons are pending.

Release by Ryan Lackey, Assistant Director/Communications

MANHATTAN, Kan. – Exactly one month away from the start of the 2015 college football season, Kansas State football players reported to the new Vanier Family Football Complex Wednesdaymorning for the beginning of fall camp.

K-State will conduct 25 practices over the next 24 days before getting in its regular in-season routine on Sunday, August 30, prior to the season-opener on Saturday, September 5, against South Dakota. The game against the Coyotes will kick off at 6:10 p.m., and be shown to a global audience on K-StateHD.TV.

Fans can get their first look at the 2015 Wildcats on Saturday, August 15, as K-State hosts its annual Academy Sports + Outdoors Fan Appreciation Day. Details for the event will be announced later this week.

K-State will hold its annual Media Day on Saturday beginning with a press conference featuring College Football Hall of Fame head coach Bill Snyder at 4 p.m. K-State launched the new K-StateSports.com on July 1, a digital partnership with SportsLabs. To watch Snyder’s press conference on Saturday and other premium content – including K-State’s season opener against South Dakota on September 5 – fans can subscribe to K-StateHD.TV at www.k-statesports.com.

K-State officials announced last week that all reserved seating for the first four home games is sold out as the Wildcats close in on a season sellout and run their consecutive sellout streak to 27 games.

Additionally, only scattered single seats remain for the Baylor game, general admission tickets are still available for the Iowa State game and a small amount of reserved seating groups are left for the regular-season finale against West Virginia.

Standing-room only tickets are still available for every home game in 2015 with the exception of the Baylor contest, while the best available reserved seating options can be found through Vivid Seats, the official ticket reseller of K-State Athletics. Fans can contact Vivid Seats at www.vividseats.com/k-state or by calling 1-844-545-6702.

Fans can purchase standing-room only tickets and the remaining available seats for the Baylor, Iowa State and West Virginia games by contacting the K-State Athletics Ticket Office at www.k-statesports.com/tickets or 1-800-221-CATS.

Although reserved seating is sold out for a majority of the 2015 home games, visiting teams will have opportunities to return unused tickets up to a month prior to their visit. Stay tuned to www.k-statesports.com for information regarding returned ticket availability. All returned tickets will be sold at the full public rate and season ticket wait list accounts will have first opportunity to purchase.

DETROIT (AP) – Salvador Perez homered and drove in three runs as the Kansas City Royals beat the Detroit Tigers 5-1 Tuesday night.

The game was overshadowed by an afternoon announcement that Dave Dombrowski was being replaced as Detroit’s general manager by his top assistant, Al Avila. In 14 years with the Tigers, Dombrowski took one of the worst franchises in the game and took it to six postseason appearances including World Series losses in 2006 and 2012.

Detroit came into the season looking for a fifth straight AL Central title, but now trail the Royals by 12 1/2 games.

Danny Duffy (5-5) allowed one run on five hits and four walks in seven innings, only striking out two.

Justin Verlander (1-4) struggled in his ninth start of the season, allowing five runs on 10 hits in seven innings.

 

The new Vanier Family Football Complex is Operational and Ready for the 2015 season.

The 132,000 square-foot building has been completed as the Wildcat football team reports on Wednesday for the upcoming season. K-State football coaches and staff have moved into the building, and the football student-athletes have been provided initial access to the facility.

The facility was built in just seven months by the construction management team of Mortenson & GE Johnson Construction, and in conjunction with world-renowned sportsdesign firm Populous ahead of schedule and under budget.

The facility provides a new Student-Athlete Enhancement Center, an 18-000-square-foot Olympic-quality Strength and Conditioning Center and a new sports medicine and recovery facility with state-of-the-art hydrotherapy and recovery pools.  There is a new football-shaped locker room which is more than twice the size of the previous space.

The new north seating bowl in the stadium includes enhanced sightlines, ADA seating, the new Carl and Mary Ice Video Board and is connected to the current west-side stadium concourse for access to entrance gates and stadium concessions and restrooms.

Members of the football team were provided their first access to the facility on Tuesday.

“It’s incredible,” said senior wide receiver Kyle Klein. “We had very good facilities before, but this takes it to a whole new level. I feel like we can compete facility-wise with anyone in the country.”

“It’s amazing,” added junior running back Charles Jones. “I’m happy to beable to see it, and we’re all excited to move in and get to work.”

Also on hand for the team’s first look were members of the Vanier family,the namesake of the new complex and lead contributors to the facility.

“The facility is absolutely incredible andsomething that the student-athletes and fans deserve,” said John Vanier. “I had the opportunity to travel around the country touring other facilities when this process began, and I did not see any other that even compares to this one. It is absolutely the perfect facility and one that every school in the nationwould aspire to have.”

With the new building now operational on a daily basis as the football staff begins preparations for the season, public tours and visits will not be permitted. Information regarding an open house will be announced following the completion of the football season.   There will be a dedicationceremony for the new Vanier Family Football Complex on Sept. 5.

 

Junction City High School will start a girls golf program.  USD 475 officials have announced it will begin competing this fall ( 2015 ).

Prior to the creation of the girl’s golf program, girls played and competed against members of the boy’s golf team. The girls golf program will be coached by Tim Hickert, who is also the current boy’s golf coach at JCHS.

Girls golf practice will begin Aug. 17.  A competition schedule is being put together, and will be released at a later time.

With the move of coach Tim Hickert from the girl’s tennis program, Coach Matt Micheel will lead the girl’s tennis program beginning this fall. He is also the boy’s tennis coach at JCHS.

TORONTO (AP) – Chris Colabello hit a two-run home run, R.A. Dickey threw seven shutout innings and the Toronto Blue Jays beat the Kansas City Royals 5-2 in testy matchup Sunday, taking three of four from the AL’s top team.

Both benches and bullpens emptied after Toronto reliever Aaron Sanchez was ejected for throwing at Kansas City’s Alcides Escobar in the eighth. It was the climax of a game-long spat that began when Royals starter Edinson Volquez hit Josh Donaldson on the left arm in the first.

Donaldson and Volquez traded stares and words as the Blue Jays slugger took a slow walk to first base. Home plate umpire Jim Wolf warned both dugouts.

When Donaldson batted again in the third, Volquez missed high and inside with a pitch that sailed to the backstop. Blue Jays manager John Gibbons came out to argue but Volquez was not ejected.

ORONTO (AP) – Ben Zobrist hit two home runs, Eric Hosmer singled home the go-ahead run in the eighth inning and the Kansas City Royals beat the Toronto Blue Jays 7-6 on Saturday to snap a three-game losing streak.

Zobrist, who went 3 for 4 and scores three runs, also homered in the first and doubled and scored in the sixth.

Yordano Ventura (6-7) gave up five runs and six hits in seven innings to win back-to-back starts for the first time since April.

Wade Davis worked the eighth and Greg Holland pitched around a walk and a single for his 23rd save. Josh Donaldson grounded out to end it, stranding the tying run at third.

Facing new Blue Jays reliever Mark Lowe, Zobrist tied it at 5 with a drive to right. Lorenzo Cain doubled and scored on Hosmer’s base hit, Kendrys Morales singled Hosmer to third and Salvador Perez hit a sacrifice fly.

Lowe (0-2) was charged with three runs after allowing just four in 34 prior appearances this season.

Jose Bautista hit two solo homers and Josh Donaldson added a two-run drive, but Toronto’s winning streak ended at three.

ST. JOSEPH, Mo. (AP) – There was already going to be plenty of competition for one of the starting cornerback jobs in Kansas City, even before the Chiefs learned Sean Smith would be suspended for the first three games of the regular season.

Now, there are two jobs up for grab.

The battle began in earnest Saturday, when the Chiefs had their first full-squad workout of training camp on the campus of Missouri Western. Nearly a dozen players on the roster are capable of playing cornerback, and nearly half have a realistic shot at a starting job.

That makes the competition one of the most intriguing of camp.

TORONTO (AP) — David Price was pleased with the popcorn waiting in his locker when he finally arrived in Toronto.

Hours later, Josh Donaldson gave Price something even better: a dramatic win for his new team.

Donaldson singled home Troy Tulowitzki in the 11th inning, and the new-look Blue Jays rallied to beat Kansas City 7-6 on Friday night and hand Johnny Cueto a no-decision in his Royals debut.

After acquiring Tulowitzki and reliever LaTroy Hawkins from Colorado and Price from Detroit, the Blue Jays obtained right-hander Mark Lowe from Seattle and outfielder Ben Revere from Philadelphia ahead of Friday’s trade deadline.

“This organization definitely put their best foot forward at the trade deadline, and you’ve got to love seeing that,” Price said in a postgame news conference.

Tulowitzki played a key role in the win. He singled with one out in the 11th and advanced on a balk by Franklin Morales (3-1).

Donaldson followed with a single to left-center, giving Toronto its third straight win and sending the AL champion Royals to their third consecutive loss.

“He left me a pitch over the middle of the plate, what I was kind of waiting for the entire time,” Donaldson said. “I didn’t miss it.”

Donaldson, mobbed at first base after his winning hit, went 3-for-4 with a walk and four RBIs. Liam Hendriks (3-0) pitched one inning for the win.

Price was delayed by a flat tire on his way to Toronto, scuttling plans for an afternoon news conference. The left-hander said he was on Interstate 94 near Chesterfield, Michigan, when his right rear tire blew.

“I got the extra tire put on and the guy was like, ‘Where are you headed?’” Price said. “I was like ‘I’m going to Toronto,’ and he was like ‘You can’t make it there on this tire.’ I went to Discount Tires, they didn’t have a tire to fit my back tire and then I just had to sit in a Target parking lot and wait for the tow truck to come and wait for my ride to arrive.”

Price, who makes no secret of his taste for the popcorn at Rogers Centre, had six bags waiting for him in his locker.

“I think some guys might have taken some before I got here but I was completely OK with that,” he said. “This is the best popcorn I’ve ever had.”

Cueto, obtained from Cincinnati last Sunday for three minor league pitchers, gave up three runs and seven hits in six innings. He struck out seven and walked two.

“I thought he threw the ball great,” manager Ned Yost said.

Outfielder Lorenzo Cain said Cueto was “locked in.”

“He did a great job his first start here,” Cain said. “Unfortunately we didn’t hold the lead there at the end.”

Kansas City took a 3-0 lead off Drew Hutchison in the first on Kendrys Morales’ RBI double and Ben Zobrist’s two-run single. Morales managed to evade Russell Martin’s tag at home plate, stepping over the fallen catcher.

Donaldson hit a two-run double in the third, and Toronto tied it in the fourth on Kevin Pillar’s RBI single.

Kansas City went ahead 5-3 in the fifth. Hutchison left after Cain’s leadoff single and Aaron Loup came on to face Eric Hosmer, who hit a slow grounder to third. Donaldson’s errant throw to first went down the right-field line, allowing Cain to score and advancing Hosmer to third. He scored on Morales’ sacrifice fly off Bo Schultz.

ST. JOSEPH, Mo. (AP) – Chiefs linebacker Derrick Johnson and defensive tackle Mike DeVito, both coming back from season-ending injuries, were among the veterans reporting to training camp Friday.

This is generally a loathsome period for veterans, with insufferable practices in heat often topping triple digits. But Johnson and DeVito wore broad grins on their faces as they ambled up the pathway to Scanlon Hall at Missouri Western State University.

Johnson’s season ended before halftime of last season’s opener when he ruptured his Achilles tendon with nobody near him. He remains 15 tackles away from breaking the franchise record.

Eight plays later, DeVito went down with the same injury at nearly the same spot on the field. And without him on the line, the Chiefs struggled all season to defend the run.