Doug Bowlsby

In the spring of 1972, a tall, lanky sophomore named Doug Bowlsby turned out for track. In the spring of 1973, Oregon’s large classification schools switched from the 180-yard low hurdles to the more challenging 300-yard intermediate hurdles. Magic! It was as though Doug and the longer, higher hurdle race were made for each other.

Not a quick accelerator, Doug was very hard to run with at distances longer than 100 yards. His height, leg length and unusually long stride enabled him to cover the 38 yards between the hurdles in two less steps than most of his competitors. His high hurdling ability made him a natural over the intermediates.

Couple his physicals talent with a fierce competitive spirit and Doug would run under 40 seconds in a dual track meet on the Fishermen oval. He was the first Oregon athlete on any level to accomplish that feat.

After winning the Coast Valley league district championship, Doug won the Oregon state intermediate hurdle championship at the University of Oregon’s legendary Hayward field, in a state record time of 39.0. He also placed 3rd in the 440-yard dash in 49.9. These two efforts accounted for 16 of the team’s 21 points and helped the team to its highest (8th place) finish at state up to that time.

Doug’s winning district hurdle and 440 yard dash times were both league records. His intermediate hurdle time still stands as a school record to this date (2008). Doug was also a member of the school record 4x110 yard relay team (44.5) that record has since been broken.

Although Doug played football and basketball, he had found his place in track and field. He first showed his potential at the end of his sophomore year when he ran the 440-yard dash in 51.8 seconds at the junior Olympics. From that point on teammates called him “the horse” and there seemed to be few events he couldn’t do well in. He consistently long jumped over 20 feet, and ran the 120-yard high hurdles in the low 15 seconds. He also ran on the 4x110 yard and 4x440 yard relay teams, as well as the 100-yard and 220-yard dashes.

When Doug finished his Astoria High School track career, he had become All-League twice and All-State once and held two school records and one state record.

Sadly for the Fishermen, Doug’s family was transferred to Newport Oregon during his senior year where he continued his track career, achieving all league distinction by winning the 440-yard dash, 180-yard low hurdles, and as a member of the 4x440 yard relay team.

At the 1974 state track championships, Doug achieved all state recognition by winning the 440 yard dash in 49.1 seconds. He also placed third in the 180 yard low hurdles.

Doug Bowlsby was both athlete and scholar with a 3.98 cumulative grade point average and membership in the National Honor Society. After graduating from the University of Oregon, he went on to earn a law degree from the University of Washington.