Fred Newhouse

After running 44.2 in the semi-finals at the 1972 Final Trials, Fred Newhouse of Prairie View A&M faded badly in the final and failed to make the team for München. Newhouse won the NAIA 440 yards in 1969 and 1970. He was world ranked in the top 10 six times from 1970-76, with a high of #2 in 1976. He twice bettered the world indoor record for 400m/440y, running 46.0 and 45.6 in 1970 at the Houston Astrodome, although it was an oversized indoor track.

At the 1976 Trials, by which time he was representing the Baton Rouge Track Club, Newhouse qualified comfortably for the Montréal team by finishing second to Maxie Parks. Newhouse beat Parks at the Olympics but lost first place to the great Cuban, Alberto Juantorena. In the relay Newhouse ran 43.8 on the third leg and lengthened the already considerable lead of the U.S. team. At the 1971 Pan American Games Newhouse won gold in the 4×400 metres relay and silver in the 400 metres. He later stayed active in track & field as an official.

After graduating from Prairie View, Newhouse studied at the University of Washington, earning degrees in electrical engineering and a masters’ in international business. He also served two years in the US Army between undergraduate work and graduate school. He was later an engineer with the Exxon Corp. in Baton Rouge.

Personal Bests: 100y – 9.6 (1968); 220y – 20.5 (1970); 400 – 44.2 (1972) / 44.40 (1976).