Dyche Stadium, Evanston, IL, May 25–26, 1928
Ohio State University's fleet-footed George Simpson began to seriously break into the ranks of America's sprint elite. At the Big 10 Conference championships, which brought together universities south of the Great Lakes to compete, he dashed to victory in both the 100 and 220 yards. In the longer race, the fellow opened up a five-yard gap to the runner-up. However, things went poorly at the Olympic trials a few weeks later. The speedster pulled a leg muscle, so he walked to the finish line in his semi-final, and the ship to Amsterdam departed without him.
Competing on his home track, basketball ace Charles “Rut” Walter won the 440 yards with a respectable time of 48.5. A chilly wind blowing from Lake Michigan might have shaved a tenth or two off the time. Walter's Olympic trip also remained a dream, as the Northwestern University stalwart was the first to be eliminated from the final in the U.S. Olympic trials.
Purdue University's Orval Martin raced to victory in the mile. He calmly lurked around sixth place for the first three laps, then unleashed his power on the final quarter-mile.
In an Olympic year, there was a bit more at stake for the Big 10, which the American press and Spalding's Athletic Almanac still referred to by its old name, the Western Conference. Indeed, the top two in each event earned a spot in the final U.S. Olympic trials.
The team competition was won by the University of Illinois for the second consecutive year.
1–5 (Spalding’s Athletic Almanac)