The 113th running of the eminent Boston Marathon (2009) officially slated for a 10 A.M. start Monday, April 20, will traditionally lead off in the rural town of Hopkinton and finish at 700 Boyalston Street at the Boston Public Library in Boston, Massachusetts.
Those visiting Boston on Patriot’s Day weekend can take in historical re-enactments in Concord and on the Green at Lexington, both a short drive from Boston. Online visit battleroad.org and the Paul Revere House website for detailed information. Additional information is available at The Greater Boston Convention and Visitors Bureau.
Snippets of Boston Marathon History and Trivia
Organized by the Boston Athletic Association (established in 1887) with John Hancock Financial Services being the “principal sponsor;” Boston’s Marathon is rich in history with scores of unique personal stories shared and untold and record setting milestones. Patriot’s Day and the Marathon have been synonymous since the initial race, held in 1897.
The winner of the inaugural April 1897 Boston Marathon was New Yorker John J. McDermott. McDermott completed the (then) 24.5-mile course with a time of 2:55:10. The 15-member starting field that opening day has grown to a staggering 25,000 participants, which is now the field size limit. Keeping with Olympic standards, overtime the Boston Marathon course of 24.5 miles lengthened to 26.2 miles.
Guinness Book of World Records
Acknowledged by the Guinness Book of World Records, the 1996 Centennial Boston Marathon race set “the all-time record for the world’s largest marathon,” according to information provided by the Boston Athletic Association. The claim states the Centennial marathon made the infamous Guinness book when it established “38, 708 entrants” in that particular run.
1918 – WWI Alters Boston Marathon Design
The Boston Marathon in 1918 because of World War I was far from a total loss when Boston Athletic Association organizers decided to reconfigure the format of the event. To show its support of American soldiers, the BAA held a relay road race consisting of five, ten-man teams from various military divisions.
All military participants ran the race in full uniform. Runners included men from Camp Devens Divisional team, 302nd Infantry, Boston Navy yard, 301st Battalion and the Naval Cadet School. The U.S. Army Camp Devens’ team out of Ayer, Massachusetts took the race at 2:24:53.
Wheelchair Division and Visually & Mobility Impaired Division Included in Marathon
In 1975, a young Bob Hall of Belmont, Massachusetts, then 24 years old, completed the 26.2 mile Boston Marathon in a wheelchair with a time of 2 hours and 58 minutes. Hall’s historic race won him formal recognition and chief support from BAA representatives. His well-earned win also opened a completely new door in the major marathon world of sport for other athletes bound to wheelchairs.
Additionally, the BAA added provisions to include; visually impaired/blind and mobility impaired athletes in the renowned road race. Today, Bob Hall is the Wheel Chair Division Coordinator for the Boston marathon.
Massachusetts’ Own Johnny Kelly Started 61 Boston Marathons – Finished 58
John A. “The Elder” Kelley is a household name in Massachusetts. In his lifetime, John participated in the U.S. Olympics three times. Although he never took home a medal, he was a gold medal winner in the eyes of his admirers in Massachusetts, where he was born and lived out his highly regarded life of running. John is a member of the Track and Field Hall of Fame and was selected by Runner’s World as “The Runner of the Century.
John Kelly started the Boston Marathon 61 amazing times and finished it 58 amazing times. He won the marathon in 1935 and 1945. Marathon event goers loved to cheer for John Kelly as he passed by in the pace car as the Boston Marathon Grand Marshal from 1995 to 2004. This remarkable man completed the Boston Marathon for the last time in 1992 at the magnificent age of 84. Johnny Kelly was 97 years old when he died in October 2004.
Sources:
Boston Athletic Association
BostonMarathon.org
Runner’s World
Reference:
- BostonAthletic Association
- BostonMarathon.org
