Ralph was one of the best runners to come out of Downey in years, and along with sprinter Ed Reinke gave Downey a rugged track combination in the sprints and middle distances.
He would probably have run even harder had he known that he was to be the first of three generations of Ralphs that would make Downey proud, both on the athletic field and in the realm of community service.
Downey residents today probably know of Bill Ralph, Art’s son, who through a quirk of fate didn’t play football or run for Downey, but competed instead for Compton High School.
It seems father Art, who for many years worked for the gas company, was made a division chief and moved with his family to Compton during young Bill’s athletic years.
Bill made up for it by coming back to Downey and working 33 years for the City. He retired two years ago as the city’s public works director, and now fills a seat on the Downey Cemetery District Board.
The archives of the Downey Historical Society still contain the old track and field programs with father Art Ralph’s name. When asked about them, Bill reminisced about his father’s athletic career.
It seems Art held the Downey High School record in the high hurdles until 1984, partially because Downey didn’t run the highs for many years.
Bill said he almost got to see his father’s and his son’s name on the same record chart. Bill’s son, Chris, set a shotput mark at Downey, but it came the year after his grandfather’s hurdles mark was shattered.
Close enough to give the reader an idea of the athletic prowess of this family, however.
Bill said his father went on to run one year for Whittier College, then transferred to the University of Nevada, Reno, where he trained by mail.
Many athletes in the West in the 1920s and 30s got their training direction from noted Eastern coaches who mailed them their regimen.
Bill added that interestingly enough his son, Bill, also attended the University of Nevada, Reno, years later.
While the old program indicates the Ralph family probably holds the record for having three generations of local athletes, Ed Reinke was the best local runner of his era.
He went on to compete at the 1923 California Interscholastic Federation Field and Track Championships in Santa Ana, and won the 100 and 220. Veterans who remember those days said he ran in the 10-flat range, very swift for the times.
Other Downey names of note in the old programs include Benstead in the low hurdles; Hair and Nooschekian in the mile; Haygood who joined Ralph and Reinke in the half-mile relay, and Cline who ran with Ralph in the 440.
A toast to them all!