When the CIAA conference still stood for Colored Intercollegiate Athletic Association, Coach Hurt reportedly said, "We had a heck of a problem getting started; there is no question about that."

"[1] Coach Hurt started developing a premier program and by 1950 Morgan State's Track Team was drawing national and international attention due to the impressive showing at the Penn Relays.

In 1950, The Historic Four (Sam LaBeach, Bob Tyler, Bill Brown and George Rhoden) broke a record at the Penn Relays that stood for 56 years.

[2] In 1951, Coach Hurt recruited James Rogers, Otis "Jet" Johnson, Herman Wade and Joshua Culbreath.

In 1953, the Flying Four went on to break the Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association (CIAA) Mile Relay mark set by their 1950 predecessors, Morgan's Historic Four, with a new time 3:11:3.