Roger covered the New York Road Runners Hall of Fame, and tackled running's neglect of the materials of its history.
Roger covered the New York Road Runners Hall of Fame, and tackled running's neglect of the materials of its history.
Bill, Frank, Joanie and Ted - four heroic and historic superstars of the American marathon - will be inducted into the New York Road Runners Hall of Fame in November, it was announced today (September 19). With such beloved icons, there's little need for a press release, almost no need for surnames.
Rodgers, Shorter, Benoit Samuelson, Corbitt – the running boom, the running industry, and the whole thriving phenomenon of the American marathon were built on them, and they are deservedly honored. The only icon missing is Kathrine Switzer, who was unavailable and will be inducted next year. Fred Lebow, Grete Waitz, Alberto Salazar, Miki Gorman and Nina Kuscsik were inducted in the first two NYRR classes in 2011 and 2012.
It's a good move by NYRR to put the sport's history on parade for a new generation of runners who, inevitably, may be hazy about what this magnificent quartet achieved. It is also an adroit way of recycling the sport's most charismatic names, who have all previously won the NYRR's existing Abebe Bikila Award.
It's hard to fault this selection, whose contributions to sport and society go deep.