Thomas Oakley (2000)
Oakley attended Little Rock (Central) High School as a sophomore and junior, but did not compete in track because high schools in Arkansas did not allow competition in the mile or cross country.
He attended Kemper Military School in Booneville, Missouri as a senior. He ran track for the University of Arkansas from 1955-1959. At Arkansas, Oakley was member of three Southwest Conference Cross Country championship teams in 1956, 1957, and 1958 when he was team captain. He won the SWC two-mile run in 1958. He placed third in the event in 1957 and second in 1959. In 1960 he won the Arkansas Relays open two-mile. As of June 3, 1960, he was the fourth fastest American of all time in the Steeplechase. He bettered the Olympic qualifying standard while placing fourth in the Olympic Team Trials in 1960, and was a team alternate. He won first place at the Kansas Relays Open Steeplechase in 1960 and 1962 and won the Pacific AAU Steplechase three times in 1961, 1962, and 1963. |