Page 8 The Banker’s Advocate


Hall of Fame validates Guinn as track great


By Richard S. Plotkin Editor


First things first, and that


is full disclosure. When Deputy Bank Com- missioner Luther Guinn was approached with the idea of an article for the Bank De- partment’s newsletter on his induction into the Arkansas Track and Field Hall of Fame, he was reluctant to agree. Luther still did not appear


comfortable with the idea after Commissioner Candace Franks gave it the “green light.” You see, Luther does not believe in self-promotion. He’s just not wired that way. “Thank you for giving me the opportunity to say about Luther what he will not say about himself,” responded Rex Nelson – who, like Lu- ther, grew up in Arkadelphia – when asked to reflect on Luther’s football career at Ouachita Baptist University. Nelson has been the radio play-by-play broadcaster for OBU football for 28 sea- sons.


Luther was an exceptional


performer in two sports at OBU, and his induction on June 11 into the Arkansas Track and Field Hall of Fame confirms his impact in one of them. Luther competed in track


and field for OBU in 1973, 1974 and 1975. In his first two years, OBU’s track and field team won the Arkansas Intercollegiate Conference


championship. The team finished second in conference in Luther’s final year. In each of his three years


running track at OBU, Luther was the conference champion in intermediate hurdles. In fact, during that period, Lu- ther never lost a race in the intermediate hurdles. Luther’s success in track


and field at OBU was no sur- prise to those in Arkadelphia, where he had established an outstanding record in the sport in junior high school and high school. “Being coach at Ouachita


for 30 years, I’ve known Lu- ther since he was in junior high at L.M. Goza Arkadel- phia and then in high school at Arkadelphia,” reminisces Bob Gravett, track and field coach at OBU during Luther’s years at the university. “And then, of course, he received a football scholarship with Ouachita Baptist University. And, naturally, I wanted him very dearly in track and field.” Aware of Luther’s commit-


ment to OBU football due to the scholarship, Coach Grav- ett told Luther he hoped the freshman would be able to fit track and field into his aca- demic and athletic schedule. Luther told Coach Gravett


he wanted to compete in track and field for OBU, but with one condition. Luther said he would not run the 440-yard dash again. Coach Gravett did not need an explanation. He under- stood.


VICTORY: Luther Guinn breaks the tape as the anchor for Ouachita Baptist University in the 880 relay at a meet in Arkadelphia. Guinn helped OBU to win two conference titles.


In Luther’s junior year at Arkadelphia High School in 1971, he was competing in a track and field meet at Hen- derson State University, which is across the street from OBU. Luther’s parents, as usual, were in the stands that day watching their son perform. Right after Luther ran and won the 440-yard dash, his father – also named Luther – had a fatal heart attack. Lu- ther continued to compete in the 440-yard dash in high school, but he decided to honor the life and memory of his father by never running the 440 after he graduated. “His mother and daddy just idolized him, and he was the


June 30, 2011


same about them,” Coach Gravett said. Luther was unable to


compete at OBU’s indoor meets, Coach Gravett re- calls, because spring football practice was held in Febru- ary. The outdoor meets after March 1 were another matter, and Luther’s com- mitment to track and field at OBU was just as strong as his commitment to football. The young athlete had no problem making a transition from one sport to another. “Luther stayed in condi-


tion. He was never really out of condition,” Coach Gravett said. “He had great


See FAME, Page 9


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