Identity Crisis : Harrison Twins--Calvin and Alvin--Could Outrun Everything Except Their Shortcomings

Calvin and Alvin Harrison went from relative unknowns to the darlings of California high school track and field in June of 1993.

Their performances during the final day of the State meet that year were so impressive that experts were calling them California’s next great hope in the Olympics. That the brothers were identical twins with blazing speed made the story all the more interesting.

Calvin, the self-proclaimed leader of the two, was the hero of the meet. His memorable day included victories in the 200 meters, 400 and 1,600 relay and a third-place finish in the 400 relay.

He won the 400 in a national federation record of 45.25 seconds and the 200 in near-record time of 21.12.

In the 1,600 relay, Calvin had to pass three runners on the final lap to win, but he made it look easy as he sprinted down the back straightaway purposely pointing the shiny baton to a cheering crowd of 6,000.

His early celebration in the relay nearly backfired, as officials met for 20 minutes trying to decide whether a disqualification was in order for unsportsmanlike conduct. They let the victory stand, however, securing North Salinas’ first team title.

Alvin’s performance was not nearly as publicized, but he ran well on both relays and barely missed the finals in the 100 and 200.

Although Southland schools have dominated the State meet for years, the Harrisons provided Northern California with a temporary reprieve, and they gained national attention in the interim.

A week after the State meet, Calvin lowered his 400 time to an astonishing 45.07 during the Junior National Championships in Spokane. Alvin also starred, running a 45.20 in the 400.

With times close to Olympic caliber, the success would have guaranteed the Harrisons athletic scholarships to the colleges of their choice under normal circumstances. But their senior year, like most others, was anything but normal.

Now, more than a year later, the 20-year-old Harrisons have dropped out of school, are living apart on opposite coasts and are uncertain about their futures in track. Coaches who know them shrug their shoulders wondering what might have been.

“I think anyone who saw the State meet in 1993 assumed Calvin would be in the Olympics in 1996,� said Ed Barber, North Salinas’ track coach. “Alvin also wasn’t far behind. I did everything I could to help those guys. It breaks my heart every day to see what has happened.�

Very little has happened since the Harrisons left high school. Nike came through with a sponsorship, providing free clothes and equipment. They enrolled at Hartnell Junior College in Salinas and went out for the track team.

Neither performed well in the classroom or on the track. Alvin was dropped from the team last April because he did not meet academic requirements, and Calvin was kicked off at the same time for failing to attend practice.

They have not competed since. Alvin moved to Orlando, Fla., to live with his parents, and Calvin is working and living alone in Salinas. While the brothers say their track careers are not over, they are uncertain about their next step.

*

The Harrisons began running track at North Salinas as freshmen. Calvin usually beat Alvin in races, but the brothers trained together and pushed each other.

North Salinas has never been a track power, so when Calvin qualified for the State meet in the 200 as a sophomore, he became an instant hero in the community. Although he did not place at State, expectations had been set for the next two years.

Those expectations were put on hold, however, when the Harrisons moved with their family to Orlando. Unhappy in their new environment, Calvin and Alvin sat out the 1992 season and concentrated on returning to California.

“Track wasn’t that big of a deal down there,� Calvin said. “We wanted the exposure good athletes get on the West Coast. We wanted back at our old school.�

The twins, the middle of six children, received permission from their parents to return to North Salinas for their senior year after securing a place to live with a friend.

Living on their own was not easy. The brothers moved several times. Without parental guidance, the Harrisons struggled with their studies.

“They just have not learned how to be responsible,� Barber said. “They have million dollar smiles and they know how to charm people and win them over. But they hurt a lot of people in the process.�

Barber could not have been happier when Calvin and Alvin returned. He said working with such talented sprinters made him a better coach.

Dealing with two teen-agers on their own, however, required great patience. To keep them eligible, Barber monitored their academics. And to make sure they did not spend their idle time getting into trouble, he often invited them to his house for dinner and a game of pool.

The brothers responded by doing well in track, putting North Salinas on the map. Despite sitting out their junior year, Calvin and Alvin performed as if they had been running their whole lives.

The California Interscholastic Federation, which puts on the State meet, initially canceled the finals at Cerritos College because heavy rains left the track unsafe. Pressure from coaches, parents and athletes resulted in a rescheduled meet.

The Harrisons considered not running in the makeup meet because of prior commitments but changed their minds to help the team. The two-week delay did not hurt their times, as both recorded several personal bests.

“That was one of the most dominating performances I have ever seen in high school competition,� Ron Allice, track coach at USC, said of Calvin. “I was in shock when I left that day.�

Barber said college coaches from around the country were equally impressed and often called him to find out more. The calls usually stopped after one.

The coaches quickly found out that the Harrisons lacked enough credits to graduate from high school and also did not have qualifying scores on college entrance exams.

With no diplomas and limited options, the twins enrolled at Hartnell. They passed their entrance exams and qualified for financial aid.

“I had verbal and written agreements with Calvin and Alvin about what was expected of them,� said Gary Shaw, Hartnell’s track coach. “I told them if they ever wanted to be Division I athletes that they had to attend class and go to track practice. You can’t do one without the other.�

Calvin passed his classes but attended practice on an average of only twice a week. He said he did not agree with Shaw’s coaching techniques and was unhappy. Alvin regularly attended practice but was struggling in the classroom.

Calvin’s lack of enthusiasm surfaced in meets. His times were below what he was running as a high school senior as he failed to surpass 46 seconds in the 400.

Shaw’s patience was wearing thin. When Alvin lost his eligibility because of academic troubles, he kicked Calvin off the team because of his lack of interest.

“I had a whole team to think about and it wasn’t fair to keep giving them the benefit of the doubt,� Shaw said. “They both have Olympic potential, but you have to be willing to play by the rules. I don’t think they quite understand that yet.�

*

Allice, the former Long Beach City coach who recently took over at USC, said leaving Hartnell might spell trouble for the Harrisons. Academically, they are not qualified to transfer to a Division I college. They also cannot run at another junior college until they fulfill course requirements.

“Outside of a few prestigious club teams, the best coaching and facilities in the country are at the college level,� Allice said. “Calvin and Alvin may not be quite elite enough yet for a club, so college is their best option. Without it, I don’t think they can go very far.�

Alvin returned to Orlando in May and is working on a computer assembly line. He would like to return to California in January to begin training, but is uncertain whether he will try again at Hartnell or pursue a club.

“Financially, I am finally able to save some money since I am living at home,� he said. “A lot of other athletes out there had more money and support than Calvin and I had. It’s tough when you’re trying to go it alone.�

Calvin is also uncertain of his plans, but said the time off might help him put things in perspective.

“My brother and I had a lot of success come to us very fast, and with that success came quite a bit of pressure,� he said. “I know I still want to run, but I need to figure out what is best for me and how I’ll be the happiest.�