Boys Track & Field Chronology

1889 First track and field meet involving Illinois high schools held at Chicago for Cook County schools.
1893 University of Illinois sponsors first statewide track meet, held at Illinois Field on the north side of the Urbana campus. Athletes from 19 schools participate, and Peoria (H.S.) wins the championship pennant.
1896 Triple jump contested for last time until 1974.
1900 Because of wet conditions, many running events held indoors at shorter lengths.
1901 Discus throw contested for first time; bicycle races contested for last time.
1914 State track meet split into two classes, A and B, for large and small schools.
1916 This year only, Class C meet is conducted for academies and out-of-state schools.
1917-18 State track meet not held during World War I.
1919 State track meet resumes with two classes.
1920 — Hammer throw contested for last time.
1926 Meet moved to Memorial Stadium in Champaign, IHSAA introduces district qualifying meets and restores the state final meet to a single class.
1929 50-yard dash contested for last time.
1934 Segregated high schools of southern Illinois allowed to particpate in special district meet, with winners advancing to state final meet.
1940 Javelin throw contested for last time.
1946 Special segregated district meet discontinued.
1972 On account of a scheduling conflict, state final meet held at O'Brien Stadium in Charleston, on the campus of Eastern Illinois University.
1973 State final meet returns to Memorial Stadium.
1974 State final meet returns to O'Brien Stadium; triple jump restored to state meet.
1975 State final meet split into two classes. Class A (small schools) is won by Maple Park (Kaneland), while Class AA (large schools) is won by East St. Louis (Sr.).
1975 Started using Accutrak (FAT)
1994 100th annual boys state final track and field meet held at O'Brien Stadium.
1997 Started using Finish Lynx (FAT)
2009 State final meet split into three classes
2010 Discontinued using back-up Finish Line Timers