Hall of Fame
A native of Stratford, Connecticut, Edward Yearwood began his collegiate track & field career at the University of New Haven. While at the Division-II institution, he broke the 1979 American 400-meter Indoor Track Record, which encompassed all three divisions, and placed second in the 400-meter outdoor final at the 1979 NCAA Division-II National Championships. After transferring to Morgan State University in 1981, Mr. Yearwood was a twelve (12) time All-American selection over his three year career, cementing his place in Morgan track history.
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In 1982, Mr. Yearwood set an individual IC4A 400-meter meet record time of 47.24, and anchored the Morgan mile-relay team that placed first with a time of 3:13.46. He ended the 1982 season with a fifth place finish at the NCAA Division-I Indoor Championships in the 440-yard race (47.93), and was the only participant from a Historically Black College or University to place in the event. Mr. Yearwood continued his record breaking performances by setting a Morgan school record in the 400-meter individual race (45.40) in 1983, and as a member of the 1984 4x100-meter (39.89) and 4x400-meter (3:03.80) relay teams that also set school records. All three records still stand today. He finished his career in 1984 as a member of the 1984 Barbados National Olympic team in the 400-meter relay.
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After completing his time at Morgan State University, Mr. Yearwood returned home to Stratford, Connecticut, where he joined the Stratford Fire Department in 1987. He recently retired in 2015 after twenty-eight years of commendable service to his community, exemplified by his selection as the 2007 Stratford Fire Department Firefighter of the Year. Mr. Yearwood is also one of the founding members of the Stratford Blue Heat, an organization formed twenty-eight years ago consisting of Stratford fire and police personnel who work to provide positive learning experiences for youth to help build positive self-esteem through structured educational and recreational programs.Â
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