thersis
Oct 8 2004, 02:29 AM
i was going to post this as well, but cattledog beat me to it.
i must say, though, that johnny deserves more than a cold link posted in his memory. in boston, he became the marathon. and while he will forever be inextricably linked to the race and his lifelong participation in it, he was, in his day, a world class marathoner. his best chance at olympic glory was ruined by wwii, when the games were canceled.
his boston record, though, is legendary.
he finished the marathon 58 times! to put this in perspective, that means every year from the age of 22 to the age of 80!
he had more than a dozen top ten finishes, that last at the age of 52.
after he could no longer run the race, he continued to be a part of it by riding the length of the course in the pace car. and each year, watching the race, when the pace car and the lead runners approached, it was always difficult to tell who was getting the bigger ovation -- johnny in the pace car, or the race leaders.
johnny was a boston legend, and a runner's saint. there will never be another like him!