Thursday, October 13, 2016

National Track & Field Hall of Fame Class of 2016 led by Price-Smith, Zarnowski, Reynolds

National Track & Field Hall of Fame Class of 2016 led by Price-Smith, Zarnowski, Reynolds

10/13/2016
 
INDIANAPOLIS -- A stellar lineup of athletic greats and legendary contributors make up the USATF National Track & Field Hall of Fame Class of 2016, USATF announced Thursday. The five newest members will be inducted during the second annual Black Tie & Sneakers Gala in New York City on November 3.

The Class of 2016 is comprised of modern athletes Connie Price-Smith and Butch Reynolds, veteran athletes Buddy Edelen and Al Feuerbach, and contributor Frank Zarnowski.

“This year’s class of National Track & Field Hall of Fame inductees is more than deserving of the highest honor in our sport,” said USATF President Stephanie Hightower. “Each has spent a lifetime sacrificing their talents making track & field a more inspiring dream for those to come. USATF is grateful for their contributions and proud to celebrate them in this way.”

Inductees will receive a commemorative Hall of Fame ring from USATF during the Black Tie & Sneakers Gala. The ceremony brings together iconic legends and today’s stars to celebrate another successful year of track & field. USATF will also recognize 2016 Legacy Award winners Jackie Joyner-Kersee and Dick Fosbury at the Gala. Tickets, benefiting USATF Elite Mentorship Program, can be purchased at usatfgala.com/. To learn more about National Track & Field Hall of Fame, please visit usatf.org.

Modern Athlete Inductees

Connie Price-Smith
Born: June 3, 1962

With 25 national titles in the shot put and discus combined, Price-Smith (Saint Charles, Missouri) owns the distinction of being the winningest USATF female athlete in her events. She made every U.S. national team from the 1987 World University Games to 2001 World Indoors and is considered the best USA discus and shot put combo athlete of all time. A four-time Olympian in both the shot put and discus throw, Price-Smith was the first American woman to have a top-ten world ranking in the shot put for five consecutive years (1995-1999). She was the 1995 World Indoor silver medalist in the shot put, is a two-time Pan Am Games gold medalist in the shot (1995, 1999) and added a silver in 1991 and a discus bronze in 1987. Since ending her competitive career, Connie spent 14 seasons at the helm of Southern Illinois University’s track & field program, and most recently served as the head women’s coach for the U.S. Olympic Track & Field Team at the Rio Olympic Games. She is currently in her second season as the head track & field coach at the University of Mississippi.

Butch Reynolds
Born: June 8, 1964

Harry “Butch” Reynolds (Akron, Ohio) began as a 48.1 single-lapper in high school. In 1987, he exploded to global prominence when he stunned the world with a low-altitude world record of 44.10 in the 400m at the Jesse Owens Classic. Later that year, he confirmed his dominance in the event by winning the NCAA title in Baton Rouge and bringing home the title for Ohio State with a clocking of 44.12. Reynolds made his biggest mark in 1988 in Zurich where he ran 43.29, shattering the 43.49 world record previously set by Hall of Famer Lee Evans during the 1968 Olympic Games in Mexico City. In addition to fast times, Reynolds owns an impressive array of championship medals, including the 1993 World Indoor title; 1998 Olympic 400m silver and 4x400m gold; three World Outdoor 4x400m gold medals (1987, ‘93, ‘95); two World Outdoor 400m silvers (‘93, ‘95) and the 1987 World Outdoor 400m bronze medal. In 1995 he established the Butch Reynolds Care For Kids Foundation (BRCFK) for youth in his community. Reynolds currently serves as assistant track coach at Ohio Dominican University.

Veteran Athlete Inductees

Buddy Edelen
Born: September 22, 1937; Died: February 19, 1997

Leonard “Buddy” Edelen (Harrodsburg, Kentucky) was a pioneer in the marathon in the early 1960s. In 1963 he set the world record in the marathon 2:14:28, becoming the first American to do so since 1925. After winning the 1964 Olympic Trials marathon by nearly twenty minutes, he placed sixth in the 1964 Olympic marathon in Tokyo. A graduate of University of Minnesota, Buddy went on to earn his master’s degree in psychology at Adams State College in Alamosa, Colorado and later taught there after retiring from the sport. He died in 1997 from cancer at the age of 59 in Tulsa, Oklahoma. His son, Brent Edelen, will accept the Hall of Fame honor on his father’s behalf.

Al Feuerbach
Born: January 14, 1948

Allan “Al” Dean Feuerbach (Preston, Iowa) set the shot put world record in May 1973 with a throw of 21.82m/71-7. A three-time Olympian, he placed 4th in 1976 games after a 5th-place finish in 1972. He was also part of the 1980 team that boycotted the Olympic Games in Moscow. Feuerbach won Pan American Games gold in 1971 and was a seven-time AAU indoor and outdoor champion. In addition to shot put, he was also a national champion in Olympic style weightlifting. Since retiring from track & field, Feuerbach has worked as a location sound recordist for over 30 years covering news, documentary and sports for many clients including CBS 60 Minutes and NFL Films.

Contributor Inductee

Frank Zarnowski
Born: April 14, 1943

Dr. Frank Zarnowski (York, Pennsylvania) has maintained a dual identity of college professor and decathlon connoisseur for fifty years. He is recognized for his contributions to the decathlon event as a public address announcer, author, Olympic television commentator, historian, coach and meet director. He has announced virtually every NCAA track and field championship meet since 1970 and two of his eight books have been nominated for national awards. Zarnowski has won some of the sport’s top honors in a variety of categories: notably as an announcer, writer, official and as a statistician. His non-profit decathlon website receives over two million visitors annually.

Zarnowski divides his life between Emmitsburg, Maryland and Hanover, New Hampshire and has been at Dartmouth as a Visiting Scholar, Visiting Professor and Senior Lecturer in Economics since 2001. Prior to Dartmouth, Zarnowski spent four decades at Mount St. Mary’s College in Emmitsburg, Maryland.

About the USATF National Track & Field Hall of Fame
The USATF National Track & Field Hall of Fame was established in 1974 and is the premier honor for Athletics athletes, coaches and contributors. The hall is currently maintained by The Armory Foundation in New York City, which opened in January 2003.

Proceeds from Black Tie & Sneakers Gala support USATF’s Elite Mentorship Program. The program connects USATF elite athletes with business executives, former athletes and career coaches to prepare them for success after their competitive careers conclude.
 
Ashley Mitchell
Marketing & Communications Manager
USA Track & Field
317.713.4672
e-mail

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