Started April 30, 1927, the West Coast Relays grew to one of the premier track and field events in the United States.
[1] It became the home of the debut of some of the Central Valley's best known athletes; Bob Mathias, Dutch Warmerdam, Rafer Johnson, Tommie Smith and Henry Ellard.
Participants included future stars of other sports; Jackie Robinson, O. J. Simpson, Willie Gault, and Bill Russell.
[2] The delay in replacing the outdated clay track at Ratcliffe Stadium damaged the meet and the event was discontinued after the 1982 edition.
The revived West Coast Relays since then has been an annual high school-only track and field meet.