John J. Kelley, Marathon Champion, Dies at 80

[alp227]

Source: The New York Times

John J. Kelley, a former high school English teacher who won the 1957 Boston Marathon and eight consecutive national marathon championships, died on Sunday in North Stonington, Conn. He was 80.

His death was confirmed by Amby Burfoot, an editor at Runner’s World magazine and a former student of Kelley’s.

Kelley, who lived in Mystic, Conn., was often confused with his friend, the unrelated John A. Kelley, who won the Boston race twice and who died in 2004. To distinguish between them, Boston sports writers called John A. “the Elder” and John J. “the Younger.” John J. was amused by the coincidence of names, saying, “By a flip of teasing fate, I bore the monarch’s name.”

At 5 feet 6 inches and 126 pounds, he ran his first Boston Marathon as a high school junior despite a warning from his coach not to. A badly swollen knee forced Kelley out halfway through the race, making his coach so angry that he ordered him to run a one-mile race the next day.

Read more: http://www.nytimes.com/2011/08/22/sports/john-j-kelley-marathon-champion-dies-at-80.html

[pinto]

1. Ah, RIP. A legend in Boston Marathon history. (nt)

[bluerum]

2. Many thousands have followed in his footsteps. rip

[Gormy Cuss]

3. Two John Kelley who won the Boston Marathon and were Olympic runners. What are the odds?

Especially since they weren't related. This John Kelley was an impressive marathoner but the other Johnny Kelly is more famous of the two because he ran in the race every year for decades.

RIP, John "The Younger."