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August 30, 2000
T.R.A.C.
There is not much new to report on the TRAC front even though we continue
to work hard at organizing ourselves to offer the most assistance in the
building of our Track & Field Facility on Staten Island. I expect a major
announcement in the near future as site selection becomes the second major
phase of the project .(The first was the May 16th announcement by Borough
President Molinari).
The next TRAC meeting will be on Wed. August 30th. at 8 P.M at Moore
High School.
TWILIGHT MILE
The Twilight Mile On Aug. 18th was, as a whole, a failure. The lack of support
from the younger runners (Particularly the High School's), dismal weather,
very little interest from older people ,and poor scheduling (The club
Championship was the next day) has resulted in probably the last Twilight
Mile. The SIAC will discuss this at our next meeting on Mon. Sept. 11th.
and a decision will be made. If it does go it will be replaced by what we
would hope to be a more supported event ( Possibly a Twilight 5 Km. in Silver
Lake Park).
On a positive note Greg Mason ,winning the open Mile after two years of winning
the High School race, was exciting and fun to watch. Mason is St. John's
bound and should develop into a fine college runner. On the women's side,
Fordham University bound Christine Pagano ran a tactically perfect race to
beat the gutsy defending Champion Alma Ramos. The other race winners should
also be congratulated on there outstanding efforts.
Triple Crown Dinner
The Staten Island Advance sponsored SIAC/Triple Crown Dinner will be held
on Thurs Nov. 2nd. at the South Shore Country Club. Early ticket price will
be $30 and applications will be available in mid Sept. on this site or at
the Fun Runs. Those finishing in the top 3 will be sent an invite by the
Advance.
For the last few years we have had an assortment of former great runners
at the dinner to accept a "History" Award. We had Bill Jankunis in
1996, 20 years after stunning the world by defeating
Dwight Stones and winning the Olympic Trials High Jump,
1997 - Msgr. Farrell's 2 mile relay (Yes all four) 25
years after winning the Penn Relays 2 Mile Relay,
1998 -Frances Bush 30 years after becoming the only
Staten Island women to ever qualify for the Olympic Trials in the High Jump,
and 1999 Ed Healy on the 20th Anniversary of his still
standing SI High School Cross Country record of 12:30.4 at Van Cortland
Park.
For the year 2000 we bring you a man that in 1960 not
only qualified for the Olympic Trials in the 880 yard Run but ran a 1:47.6.
Legend has it that he showed up at a summer Twilight meet at Port Richmond
HS one summer 40 years ago and ran a 1:51 1/2 mile! Art
Evans will be the history Award winner this year 40 years after
being on a relay WORLD RECORD for Manhattan College.
The Marli award for long time service to Staten Island Running will also
be presented after the winner is announced at the next SIAC meeting (Sept
11th.).
The dinner is usually a great night out and an opportunity to show off some
clothing other than sneakers and sweats.
Marty Celic Running Festival
The 25th annual Marty Celic Running Festival will be held on Sat. Sept. 9th
at 10 A.M. in Clove Lake Park.The race honors Marty Celic who died will fighting
a fire in the lower East Side of Manhattan in 1977. The logical question
would be ,how could the race be in it's 25th year when Marty tragically died
23 years ago? Good question. The SIAC under the direction of Joe Jones(Who
by the way ran 29:06 in the Fun Run 2 weeks ago) initiated the SIAC Bi-Centennial
10 Km Labor Day Run (1976) in Silver Lake Park (Won by Art Hall) to join
in with a nation celebrating it's 200th birthday. When Marty died in 77 the
winners award was named after Marty. In 1980 under the direction of Judge
Brennan the race was renamed after Marty (With Tim Behr winning). In 1980
the race was moved to Clove Lakes Park at 10 Km. In 1992 the course was changed
to it's current 4 miles.
Pre race entries will be taken on Thurs, Sept. 7th from 6-10 pm at Cargo
Cafe on Bay St. The race usually attracts the best field for the year on
Staten Island and this year should be no exception. If you need an entry
call me at 718 442-2057.
Bob Orazem
BOBMILE@AOL.COM
#718 442-2057