| Vintage
Photos
Click on the
pictures to view a large image.
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Edward
Payson Weston - The Father of Modern Pedestrianism - 1861
A long
distance walker or "pedestrian" who gained fame
through his cross country walks. In 1861 he walked from Boston
to Washington D.C. in 10 days, stopping overnight in our hometown,
Wallingford, Connecticut.
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Walter
G. George - 1886 World Record Holder for the Mile
The "Champion
of Champions" Walter G. George ran 4:12.75 for the mile
in 1886, a record that stood for 29 years! Nice Allen &
Ginter lithograph.
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Alf
Shrubb - Circa 1900
"The
Little Wonder" Alfie Shrubb set many world records...Read
about his legendary performances at a web site dedicated to
his exploits, they have some great Tom Longboat photos too!
Link opens a new browser window.
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Earliest
Known Photo of the Boston Marathon - 1904
Sammy
Mellor is shown leading at 22 miles of the 8th running of
the Boston Marathon. This amazing photo shows wonderful detail
of children, bicyclists and horse-drawn carriages accompanying
the leader. Its a shame Sammy dropped out of the race shortly
after this picture was taken.
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Very
Rare Photo of the Boston Marathon - Circa 1906
The leaders
run through Wellesley Center. The car in the foreground is
a 1906 White Steam Car. Note the military attendants riding
bikes along side the runners.
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Thomas
Longboat - 1907 Boston Marathon Champion
Thomas
Longboat, an Onondaga Indian from Canada, is pictured sitting
in the front seat next to the driver. The other "swells"
in this picture include Canadian athletes Ned Hanlon, Durnan
and Scholes. We have no other information on them.
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John
J. Hayes - 1908 Olympic Marathon Champion
A great
portrait of Johnny Hayes in
his track regalia.
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Thomas
Longboat in Action at the 1907 Boston Marathon
Thomas
Longboat is shown leading the 1907 Boston Marathon. During
this race a freight train delayed most of the field, including
two Olympic gold medalists, by blocking their path at the
Framingham crossing. Longboat turned pro within a year of
this victory and never competed at Boston again.
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Jack
Eldredge - 1910 Coast to Coast Run
Jack set
a World Record in 1910 by running from Boston to San Francisco
in 100 days.
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Fred
S. Cameron - 1910 Boston Marathon Champion
Nova Scotia's
Fred Cameron wins the 1910 Boston Marathon in 2:28:52
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Clarence
H. DeMar - 1912 Studio Portrait
DeMar
was the defending Boston Marathon champion and a media star
in 1912. This youthful portrait (age 24) proves he wasn't
always a grizzled old yankee.
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Henry
Louis Scott - 1912 Olympian
Scott
was a distance specialist, competing in the 5000m, 10,000m,
3000m team race and cross country.
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Clarence
DeMar Gets an Award at Home Plate in 1924
In Boston
Braves Park then 4 time Boston Marathon winner Clarence DeMar
gets an award from the American Legion for success in their
membership drive.
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Chuck
Mellor Wins the 1925 Boston Marathon
Chuck
is pursued by Clarence DeMar and Frank Zuna. Mellor has a
newspaper stuffed in his shirt to protect him from a chill
wind.
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20
year old Canadian Johnny Miles Runs to a Surprise Victory
in the 1926 Boston Marathon
Johnny
Miles smiles as he notches his first of two Boston Marathon
wins. He ran a course record 2:25:40 and won by 4 minutes.
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Clarence
DeMar Wins a 44 Mile Race in 1928
On St.
Patrick's Day in 1928 Clarence DeMar won a 44 mile race from
Providence to Boston in 5 hours, 41 minutes and 37 seconds.
Was this a good warmup for Boston? A month later DeMar won
the Boston Marathon for the sixth time, running a course record
2:37:07.
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Clarence
DeMar Wins the 1930 Boston Marathon
Clarence
DeMar wins Boston for a record 7th time.
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Paul
deBruyn Wins the 1932 Boston Marathon
Paul
De Bruyn wins Boston in 2:33:36.
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Johnny
Kelley wins his first Boston Marathon in 1935
Old Kel'
gets his first win. A marvelous photo by E. Morgan Savage.
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Clarence
DeMar completing the 1936 Boston Marathon
Clarence
DeMar is shown crossing the finish line.
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Ellison
"Tarzan" Brown appears in a 1939 issue of PIC Magazine
The 1936
and 1939 Boston Marathon winner is photographed in full Indian
headdress. Ellison was a Narragansett Indian.
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Shigeki
Tanaka wins the 1951 Boston Marathon
19 year
old Shigeki Tanaka of Japan, a survivor of the Hiroshima bombing,
wins in 2:27:45.
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Jim
Peters - Competing in the 1954 Boston Marathon
Jim Peters,
then the world record holder for the marathon, comes home
2nd in Boston.
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Emil
Zatopek - "The Locomotive" racing in 1957
The only
athlete to ever win the 5K, 10K and marathon in the same Olympics.
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Johnny
Kelley (The Elder) and Johnny Kelley (The Younger)
The two
Kelleys get ready to run during the early 1960s.
Photo
by Jessie Kelley
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May 4
