On this date 41 years ago —April 29, 1977— Fighting Illini track and field legends Harry Gill and Leo Johnson were among six charter class members inducted into the Drake Relays Coaches Hall of Fame.
They joined Wisconsin's Tom Jones, Texas' Clyde Littlefield, Drake and Kansas' Bill Easton, and Drake's Major John Griffith.
Griffith would later serve as the first Commissioner of the Big Ten Conference (1922-24).
Gill, a native of Orillia, Ontario, Canada, came to the University of Illinois from Beloit College. He guided Illini track and field fortunes from 1904-29, then again from 1931-33.