Marcy still endures in record race // Landry could test mark

Twenty years after winning the first of two pommel horse statechampionships, Ted Marcy's reputation as the best continues toendure.

Marcy scored 9.75 at the state finals to win the event in 1972for Hinsdale Central. Marcy's record has stood longer than any inIllinois gymnastics history.

Glenbard East's Kevin Ashton, now at Illinois-Chicago, tied therecord in 1988, but in the eyes of those who saw both, Marcy wasunrivaled.

"There's a word on sidehorse called aptitude. Marcy made thebasics look routine," said Willowbrook assistant Andy Isaacson, whocompeted at Oak Park. "His real contribution wasn't the score, itwas every kid wanted to work sidehorse like Marcy. I know I did.

"Ashton was close, but in gymnastics one or two-tenths is a hugedifference. For those who saw Marcy, the mystique lives on today.Even though the tricks are more difficult now, you'd be hard pressedto find a two-tenths deduction in his routine."

Marcy went on to win three NCAA pommel horse championships atStanford. Only Mark Sohn of Rolling Meadows, who won the statepommel horse title as a junior in 1986, matched that achievement.Rolling Meadows' Tom Novak won state titles in 1983 and 1984.

Not surprising, the gymnast with the best chance to catchMarcy's 9.75 mark this year is Rolling Meadows senior JeremiahLandry.

Landry, who also works the parallel bars and floor exercise,scored a 9.6 two weeks ago on the pommel horse and is well aware ofMarcy.

"It's a possibility," said Landry of breaking the record. "Ihaven't hit in meets as well as I think I can. The horse isdifficult because it's different. It's horizontal compared tovertical. There is no help from gravity. It is opposite ofeverything else in gymnastics. To be good you just have to practiceit a lot."

The other top scorers on the pommel horse this year areMundelein's Jason Kobeck (9.3), Hersey's Jason Danhoff (9.0) andConant's Noah Webster (8.9).

"I like the way it looks and feels," Webster said. "As afreshman, I was amazed at how they didn't get dizzy. It feels likeyou're levitating."

Conant's Marc Jones was one of the best horsemen in statehistory, tying for the title as a junior in 1987 and scoring 9.65 in1988 behind Ashton.

He had one of the most varied routines. But the round pommelsof Marcy's era were much more difficult to work with.

"It's like comparing Muhammed Ali with Rocky Marciano," Conantcoach Ed Raymond said. "But Marcy was so far ahead of his time.

"He was phenomenal and unique. He was consistent despite livingon the edge with that great extension that might have cost Novak andSohn titles."