This day in history from Mike Pink Spinnler: Forty years ago today, on March 30, 1974, Max White successfully defended his title at the 12th Annual JFK 50 Mile. Temperatures in the 30s and a steady sleet/rain led to 83% of the 1,355 starters dropping out. The 23 year old Princeton product held off the challenge of fellow 1972 Olympic Trials Competitor George Stewart (24) to take the tape in 6:06:19. Although 10-minutes and 49-seconds slower than the 5:55:30 course record White established in 1973, many experts feel this performance was a superior effort when factoring in the atrocious weather conditions. Stewart --who ran the 5,000 meters at the 1972 Olympic Trials-- was passed late in the race by 1972 JFK 50 Mile Champ Park Barner. The two clocked 6:27:19 and 6:28:58, and along with White were the only three finishers under seven-and-one-half hours. 31-year-old Hagerstown resident Nancy Keplinger was the only female survivor of the day winning the womens race in 13:48:05. 225 got under the newly imposed 14:00:00 time limit, the previous time limit being 15:00:00. The carnage caused by the savage early-spring conditions greatly influenced Race Director Buzz Sawyers decision to move the race date to the fall starting in 1975.
Posted on: Sun, 30 Mar 2014 22:47:56 +0000
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