Montreal Olympic Games gold medalist Fred Newhouse died Jan. 20 at his home near Houston. He was 76. At the 1976 Olympics, Newhouse had the lead at the halfway point of the 400 meters before Cuba's Alberto Juantorena eased past him in the final 20 to snag the gold in 44.26 ahead of Newhouse's 44.40 for silver. Newhouse came back in the 4x400 relay to handle baton duties on the third leg and helped Team USA to the gold in 2:58.65 with a 43.8 split.
World ranked in the top 10 six times, Newhouse twice bettered the world indoor record in the 400 in 1970 on an oversize track at Houston's Astrodome with clockings of 46.0 and 45.6.
A longtime administrator and official for USA Track & Field and the USOPC, he was the Team USA team leader at the 2000 Olympic Games in Sydney. Newhouse was a Master Level official and served as an official and referee at dozens of championships across all levels from high school to the NCAA, USATF, and World Championships.
Born Nov. 8, 1948, in Haney Grove, Texas, Newhouse attended Galilee High School in Hallsville, where, according to his grandmother, he was in the band and did not run track until a coach saw him playing baseball and asked if he wanted to run.
Moving on to Prairie View A&M University, Newhouse won the 1969 and 1970 NAIA individual outdoor 440-yard dash golds and twice helped his school to victory in the mile relay. He also paced the Panthers to gold in the mile relay in 1968. At the NAIA Indoor Championships, Newhouse captured 440y gold in 1969-1970, setting a meet record in 1970, and took mile relay gold in 1970.
In 1971, Newhouse sprinted to Pan American Games silver in the 400 and earned gold in the 4x400 and was a 400/4x400 gold medalist against the Soviet Union. He toed the line at the Olympic Trials in 1972 and had the fastest 400 time in the semifinal with a sizzling 44.2 but went out very quickly in the final and paid he price down the stretch as he ended up seventh in 45.4.
A challenging swirling wind at Oregon's Hayward Field made the 1976 Olympic Trials race difficult for all eight finalists and Newhouse and Maxie Parks were even through a very fast first 200. That duo stayed close through the finish, where Parks came away victorious in 45.58 and Newhouse claimed the runner-up spot in 45.76 to earn his first Olympic berth and set up his showdown with Juantorena.
After graduating from Prairie View with a bachelor's degree in electrical engineering and a two-year stint in the U.S. Army, Newhouse earned a Master of International Business degree from the University of Washington. He worked as an engineer for Exxon Mobil in Baton Rouge and worked in human resources and public affairs roles for Exxon Mobil and then Valero Energy. He retired from Valero as Director of Public Affairs for the company's regional refining operations.
Active in civic and educational capacities through the years, Newhouse was on the Board of Directors for USOPC and USATF, and was a committee member for the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo. He helped his alma mater by serving on the Capital Campaign Committee for Prairie View and supported the United Way and the Boy Scouts of America.
Inducted into the Texas Track and Field Coaches Association Hall of Fame in 2014, Newhouse was also honored in 2016 with induction into the Prairie View Athletic Hall of Fame. He was inducted into the USA Track and Field Officials Hall of Fame in 2020.
He and his wife, Rhonda, owned and managed a large crossbreed cattle ranch in New Waverly, Texas, named the Rhonda Ranch, where they worked with the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Natural Resources Conservation Service to utilize conservation practices including cross fencing, grass planting, watering facilities and clover establishment. The duo also established a youth track and field club, the Northwest Flyers, in 1995 and the club has produced numerous collegiate scholarship athletes.
Newhouse is survived by his wife and two daughters, Vonda and Benecia.
Frederick Newhouse's Celebration of Life Ceremonies Information
Wake Friday, January 31st, 7pm - 8:30pm Fallbrook Church, Ignite Community Center, 12512 Walters Rd, Houston, TX 77014
Viewing Saturday, February 1st, 9am - 10:15am Fallbrook Church, Worship Center, 12512 Walters Rd, Houston, TX 77014
Celebration of Life Ceremony Saturday, February 1st, 11am Fallbrook Church, Worship Center, 12512 Walters Rd, Houston, TX 77014
Burial Viewing: Sunday, February 2nd, 1pm - 2:30pm Pleasant Hill Baptist Church, 1919 Hut Horton Rd, Hallsville, Tx 75650
Committal Service Sunday, February 2nd, 3pm Pleasant Hill Baptist Church Cemetery, 1919 Hut Horton Rd, Hallsville, Tx 75650
In lieu of flowers Fred and his family would be honored if you made a donation to the Rhonda and Frederick Newhouse Endowed Scholarship Fund at Prairie View A&M University.
“The sport of Track & Field, and those who knew him, are better because of the life and work of Fred Newhouse. His many strengths allowed him to serve effectively at all levels and he always strived to do what was best for the athletes and the sport that he loved. In every instance – as an athlete, coach, administrator, and official – Fred served with integrity, wisdom, and compassion. That is the legacy he leaves on our sport and in the lives of those with whom he interacted.”
Mike Armstrong
USATF Board of Directors