NHS CC Silhouette History

Silhouettes

DON LASH: (Inducted in 1995 to National Track and Field Hall of Fame) Born August 15, 1914 in Bluffton, Indiana Died September 19, 1994.----One of the nation's top distance runners prior to World War II, Don Lash won 12 national titles from 1934 to 1940, including seven in a row in cross country. That streak stood until Pat Porter broke it in 1989. In addition, he won the 1936 national collegiate 5,000-meter title while a student at Indiana University. Later that summer, he set an American record at 10,000 meters, clocking 31:06.9. Lash was still a collegian when he competed at the 1936 Olympics, placing 13th in the 5,000 and 8th in the 10,000. He also accounted for a world record that summer when he ran two miles in 8:58.4, breaking the five-year-old record of the legendary Paavo Nurmi. In 1938, Lash won the Sullivan Award as the nation's top amateur athlete. Lash was still winning national championships in 1940 but World War II snuffed out any chance for greater Olympic glory. After college, Lash worked for the Indiana State Police, then became an agent for the FBI. After retiring from law enforcement, he went into real estate and built the National Conference Center for Fellowship of Christian Athletes.

JIM RYUN: (Inducted in 1980 to National Track and Field Hall of Fame) Born April 29, 1947, Wichita, Kansas.----Another great miler from the University of Kansas, Jim Ryun arrived on the international track scene early in life, making the 1964 Olympic team while still a student at East High School in Wichita, Kan. He was a semifinalist in the 1,500 but a year later won the first of his three National AAU one-mile titles. At Kansas U., Ryun won five national collegiate titles, four of them indoors, and became the world record holder in the 880 yards, one mile and 1,500 meters. He set the last two records in 1967 and later that year received the Sullivan Award as the nation's top amateur athlete. Although ill with mononucleosis in 1968, he still made the Olympic team and fought off the rarified air of Mexico City to take the silver medal in the 1,500. He retired in 1969 but came back in 1972 and again qualified for the U.S. team. However, a fall at Munich ended his medal hopes. He turned professional in 1973. He now lives in Lawrence, Kan., and is a U.S. Representative.

BILLY MILLS: (Inducted in 1976 to National Track and Field Hall of Fame) Born June 30, 1938, Pine Ridge, S. D.----Every Olympic Games has its upsets and certainly one of the biggest surprises of the 1964 Olympics in Tokyo was Billy Mills, a part Sioux Indian who beat one of the most talented fields in history to capture the 10,000-meter gold medal. A good distance runner at the University of Kansas where he was coached by Bill Easton, also a Hall of Fame member, Mills continued his development when he entered the Marine Corps. After his 10-kilometer victory, Mills also competed in the 1964 Olympic marathon and placed 14th. In 1965 Mills had another outstanding season, capped by a world record in the six miles at the AAU championships. He later became active in Indian affairs and in 1972 was named one of America's "Outstanding Young Men." A movie also was made of his life in the 1980s. Elected to U.S. Olympic Hall of Fame in 1984.

STEVE PREFONTAINE: (Inducted in 1976 to National Track and Field Hall of Fame) Born January 25, 1951, Coos Bay, Oregon. Died May 30, 1975.----During the last 40 years, Eugene, Oregon, has been regarded as the U.S. running capital and Steve Prefontaine was a major factor in that boom. One of the greatest distance runners in U.S. track and field history, Prefontaine won six national collegiate distance titles, including cross country, and two AAU crowns before a fatal automobile accident cut short his career in 1975. One of the University of Oregon's greatest athletes, Prefontaine, or "Pre" as the crowd in Eugene was prone to chant when he ran, held the American 5,000-meter record and was on the 1972 Olympic team, placing fourth in the five kilometers. He was also an outstanding high school distance runner at Marshfield High School in Coos Bay and some of his records still stand. Elected to U.S. Olympic Hall of Fame in 1991.

LYNN JENNINGS: Born on July 1, 1960, in Princeton, NJ.----Jennings won her record ninth USA cross country title in 1996. Won the prestigious World title three years in a row and graduated with a degree in history from Princeton. Lynn ran the Boston Marathon unofficially as a 17-year-old, clocking 2:46, placing third. As a prep senior, set a national high school 1500m indoor record of 4:18.9, that still stands. In 1990, she won the Jesse Owens Award. As adept on the road as she is in cross country, Jennings has run 10K on a record-legal course faster than any other U.S. woman. She did that 31:06 in 1990, just prior to her first World Cross Country win. She also holds the 8K record of 25:02. Jennings owns medals from the Olympics (1992 Bronze Medalist), World Cross Country, and World Indoor competitions, but she is still looking for that World Outdoor medal. Her highest finish has been fifth in the 10,000 ('91, '93).

BOB KENNEDY: Born August 18, 1970 in Bloomington, Indiana. Kennedy had good genes as far as the Hoosiers were concerned. His father once held the New Jersey prep record in the two mile. He ran on the Indiana harrier squad that captured the 1967 Big Ten title. A few years later, his only child was born in Bloomington. Raised in Ohio, the younger Kennedy credits high school coach Irv Christian with bringing him along carefully. Running about 35 miles per week, Kennedy hit 4:06 in the mile as a senior. He won 20 Big 10 titles for Indiana. Kennedy moved his training base to Indianapolis in late 1995 but is still coached by Sam Bell, a member of the National Track and Field Hall of Fame. . Placed 6th in 5000 meters at Atlanta with a time of 13:12.35. After the Games, Kennedy put together a series of performances unmatched in U.S. annals. In Monaco, he broke his American record at 3,000 with a 7:33.96. Four days later, in Zurich, he sliced the 5,000 mark again, running 12:58.21

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HOME	Silhouettes Click here for Silhouette images DON LASH: (Inducted in 1995 to National Track and Field Hall of Fame) Born August 15, 1914 in Bluffton, Indiana Died September 19, 1994.----One of the nation's top distance runners prior to World War II, Don Lash won 12 national titles from 1934 to 1940, including seven in a row in cross country. That streak stood until Pat Porter broke it in 1989. In addition, he won the 1936 national collegiate 5,000-meter title while a student at Indiana University. Later that summer, he set an American record at 10,000 meters, clocking 31:06.9. Lash was still a collegian when he competed at the 1936 Olympics, placing 13th in the 5,000 and 8th in the 10,000. He also accounted for a world record that summer when he ran two miles in 8:58.4, breaking the five-year-old record of the legendary Paavo Nurmi. In 1938, Lash won the Sullivan Award as the nation's top amateur athlete. Lash was still winning national championships in 1940 but World War II snuffed out any chance for greater Olympic glory. After college, Lash worked for the Indiana State Police, then became an agent for the FBI. After retiring from law enforcement, he went into real estate and built the National Conference Center for Fellowship of Christian Athletes. JIM RYUN: (Inducted in 1980 to National Track and Field Hall of Fame) Born April 29, 1947, Wichita, Kansas.----Another great miler from the University of Kansas, Jim Ryun arrived on the international track scene early in life, making the 1964 Olympic team while still a student at East High School in Wichita, Kan. He was a semifinalist in the 1,500 but a year later won the first of his three National AAU one-mile titles. At Kansas U., Ryun won five national collegiate titles, four of them indoors, and became the world record holder in the 880 yards, one mile and 1,500 meters. He set the last two records in 1967 and later that year received the Sullivan Award as the nation's top amateur athlete. Although ill with mononucleosis in 1968, he still made the Olympic team and fought off the rarified air of Mexico City to take the silver medal in the 1,500. He retired in 1969 but came back in 1972 and again qualified for the U.S. team. However, a fall at Munich ended his medal hopes. He turned professional in 1973. He now lives in Lawrence, Kan., and is a U.S. Representative. BILLY MILLS: (Inducted in 1976 to National Track and Field Hall of Fame) Born June 30, 1938, Pine Ridge, S. D.----Every Olympic Games has its upsets and certainly one of the biggest surprises of the 1964 Olympics in Tokyo was Billy Mills, a part Sioux Indian who beat one of the most talented fields in history to capture the 10,000-meter gold medal. A good distance runner at the University of Kansas where he was coached by Bill Easton, also a Hall of Fame member, Mills continued his development when he entered the Marine Corps. After his 10-kilometer victory, Mills also competed in the 1964 Olympic marathon and placed 14th. In 1965 Mills had another outstanding season, capped by a world record in the six miles at the AAU championships. He later became active in Indian affairs and in 1972 was named one of America's "Outstanding Young Men." A movie also was made of his life in the 1980s. Elected to U.S. Olympic Hall of Fame in 1984. STEVE PREFONTAINE: (Inducted in 1976 to National Track and Field Hall of Fame) Born January 25, 1951, Coos Bay, Oregon. Died May 30, 1975.----During the last 40 years, Eugene, Oregon, has been regarded as the U.S. running capital and Steve Prefontaine was a major factor in that boom. One of the greatest distance runners in U.S. track and field history, Prefontaine won six national collegiate distance titles, including cross country, and two AAU crowns before a fatal automobile accident cut short his career in 1975. One of the University of Oregon's greatest athletes, Prefontaine, or "Pre" as the crowd in Eugene was prone to chant when he ran, held the American 5,000-meter record and was on the 1972 Olympic team, placing fourth in the five kilometers. He was also an outstanding high school distance runner at Marshfield High School in Coos Bay and some of his records still stand. Elected to U.S. Olympic Hall of Fame in 1991. LYNN JENNINGS: Born on July 1, 1960, in Princeton, NJ.----Jennings won her record ninth USA cross country title in 1996. Won the prestigious World title three years in a row and graduated with a degree in history from Princeton. Lynn ran the Boston Marathon unofficially as a 17-year-old, clocking 2:46, placing third. As a prep senior, set a national high school 1500m indoor record of 4:18.9, that still stands. In 1990, she won the Jesse Owens Award. As adept on the road as she is in cross country, Jennings has run 10K on a record-legal course faster than any other U.S. woman. She did that 31:06 in 1990, just prior to her first World Cross Country win. She also holds the 8K record of 25:02. Jennings owns medals from the Olympics (1992 Bronze Medalist), World Cross Country, and World Indoor competitions, but she is still looking for that World Outdoor medal. Her highest finish has been fifth in the 10,000 ('91, '93). BOB KENNEDY: Born August 18, 1970 in Bloomington, Indiana. Kennedy had good genes as far as the Hoosiers were concerned. His father once held the New Jersey prep record in the two mile. He ran on the Indiana harrier squad that captured the 1967 Big Ten title. A few years later, his only child was born in Bloomington. Raised in Ohio, the younger Kennedy credits high school coach Irv Christian with bringing him along carefully. Running about 35 miles per week, Kennedy hit 4:06 in the mile as a senior. He won 20 Big 10 titles for Indiana. Kennedy moved his training base to Indianapolis in late 1995 but is still coached by Sam Bell, a member of the National Track and Field Hall of Fame. . Placed 6th in 5000 meters at Atlanta with a time of 13:12.35. After the Games, Kennedy put together a series of performances unmatched in U.S. annals. In Monaco, he broke his American record at 3,000 with a 7:33.96. Four days later, in Zurich, he sliced the 5,000 mark again, running 12:58.21 ]
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