Moody Brothers, 1-2 in the Shot
It was at a Chinese restaurant in Boston that Wayne Moody picked up a fortune cookie and discovered the message that's now tacked in his room in Streeter Hall.
The piece of oriental prophecy says, "You will change for the better." It could apply to many people but for Wayne Moody it has particular significance.
Wayne is a Dartmouth sophomore. His brother Ted is a junior. Both were members of Dartmouth's undefeated football team last fall. More interesting, they rank as Dartmouth's premier shot-putters.
The athletic tradition in the Moody family stems from their father, who was a member of the undefeated Illinois team that whipped Stanford in the Rose Bowl, 40-7, in 1951.
"He never exerted any pressure on us to follow in his footsteps," says Ted. "He seemed always to wait for the proper time before attempting to help us and then he wouldn't push us or try to change what we -were doing. I appreciate that, but now I realize from working with Coach (Carl) Wallin that discipline plays an important part in one's accomplishments."
"Ted was the first to seek help from our father," adds Wayne. "They worked together on some football basics and Ted made the Germantown High team as a sophomore.' I didn't have any athletic motivation at the time and didn't get involved in athletics until I went to Central High in Philadelphia. Ted always beat me in the shot-put but Central beat Germantown twice in football so I didn't mind."
Ted arrived at Dartmouth in 1968 and Wayne came a year later. The presence of the brothers on the same campus (Wayne thought seriously of going to Princeton) hasn't stirred any fraternal uneasiness.
"I set some records in the shot as a freshman and it didn't bother me to see Wayne break them last year," said Ted. "My throw of 57 feet, 3 inches as a sophomore broke the Dartmouth record and qualified me for the NCAA championships, so anything Wayne did was good."
There's no conflict in football (Wayne is a center and Ted is a defensive end) but now the brothers are together in their track specialty.
"I guess it's fortunate that we're close," says Wayne. "We feel that it's not a question of whether I beat Ted or vice versa. Our aim is to finish 1-2 in every meet."
They did it in the BAA meet in Boston in January. Ted won the shot-put with a 53-7½ throw and Wayne was second, one inch behind. The throws weren't outstanding but they accomplished their objective. Since then, Wayne has been getting better distance than his brother in every meet, but he has yet to match Ted's sophomore record.
"There's more to shot-putting than stepping into the circle and heaving," says Ted. "Being big and strong is a help but you have to be able to blend these things with concentration and technique. 1 haven't been able to get it all down yet, but it will come in time."
Both brothers stand 6-2, but Wayne weighs 250 pounds and Ted is a mere 230. Wayne thinks that another 10 pounds would give him added strength.
Track coach Ken Weinbel and Wallin, his assistant, feel the Moody brothers are the best shot-putters in Dartmouth history. "The combination makes for stimulating practice and healthy competition," adds Wallin, himself a 60-foot shot-putter.
Adding to this comparatively unique tale is the fact that Ted is a lefthander and Wayne throws with his right hand. Both, too, are taking dead aim at, the NCAA championships this year. Wayne already has qualified with a put of 56- 8½- against Yale, a Leverone Field House record. Ted was second that day and has yet to come up with a qualifying effort (56-5).
"It would be nice to make the nationals together," says Ted, "but my motivation isn't to beat Wayne to get there."
Track Coach Ken Weinbel with his two outstanding shotputters, Wayne Moody '73(center) and Ted Moody '72. The two brothers, who are from Philadelphia, rankamong the leading shotputters in the East this winter.
