Faster Than Forest Gump
Herb Washington was very fast. Damn fast. You may ask: How fast was this guy? It was fast enough for him to break multiple track and field records, and he was considered for the Summer Olympics of 1972. Washington was a speed demon all his life. He set record after record on the track and in the field. He was so fast, the NFL’s Baltimore Colts picked him up in 1972.
Herb was a runner and chose to turn down the Colts so he could compete in track meets. When an athlete has exceptional running skills, sports teams will take notice. Herb Washington, who shunned professional football for another sport, was still a fan of the flames.
The Designated Run
Charley Finely owned the Oakland Athletics and was convinced that Washington’s speed along the base paths would help propel the A’s into the playoffs. At the time, the A’s had a lot of talent with Reggie Jackson ,…
