Johnny Kelley
Encyclopedia
John Adelbert "Johnny" Kelley (September 6, 1907 – October 6, 2004) was an American long-distance runner
who twice represented his native country at the Summer Olympics, in 1936 and 1948.
Born in West Medford
, Massachusetts
as one of ten children, Kelley ran track and cross-country at Arlington High School
in Massachusetts. He did not finish his first Boston Marathon in 1928, but eventually competed in a record 61 Boston Marathons.
A legend of the marathon, Kelley won the 1935 and 1945 runnings of the Boston Marathon
. He finished in second place at Boston a record seven times. Between 1934 to 1950, he finished in the top five 15 times at Boston, consistently running in the 2:30s. He ran his last full marathon at Boston in 1992 at the age of 84, his 61st start and 58th finish there. For two more years he ran the last seven miles. Kelley also ran the Yonkers Marathon 29 times.
A member of the U.S. Olympic Team at the 1936 Berlin Olympics, he finished 18th in the marathon.
Kelley ran his 50th Boston Marathon
in 1981; the event was also his 108th career marathon
.
In 1993, a statue of Kelley to commemorate him was erected near the City Hall of Newton, Massachusetts
, on the Boston Marathon course, one hill and about one mile prior to the foot of Heartbreak Hill.
Kelley was named "Runner of the Century" by Runner's World
magazine in 2000.
John A. Kelley should not be confused with 1957 Boston Marathon winner John J. Kelley
, who bears no relation. In an effort to distinguish them, the two champions came to be known as "Kelley the Elder" and "Kelley the Younger", respectively.
At age 70 he was still running 50 miles a week and around 15 races a year.
He is buried in Quivet Neck Cemetery, East Dennis, Massachusetts
.
Long-distance track event
Long-distance track event races require runners to balance their energy. These types of races are predominantly aerobic in nature and at the highest level, exceptional levels of aerobic endurance is required more than anything else...
who twice represented his native country at the Summer Olympics, in 1936 and 1948.
Born in West Medford
Medford, Massachusetts
Medford is a city in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, in the United States, on the Mystic River, five miles northwest of downtown Boston. In the 2010 U.S. Census, Medford's population was 56,173...
, Massachusetts
Massachusetts
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. It is bordered by Rhode Island and Connecticut to the south, New York to the west, and Vermont and New Hampshire to the north; at its east lies the Atlantic Ocean. As of the 2010...
as one of ten children, Kelley ran track and cross-country at Arlington High School
Arlington High School (Arlington, Massachusetts)
Arlington High School is a secondary school located in Arlington, Massachusetts. As of 2010, the school enrolls approximately 1,300 students annually. The current school principal is Mary Villano.-History:...
in Massachusetts. He did not finish his first Boston Marathon in 1928, but eventually competed in a record 61 Boston Marathons.
A legend of the marathon, Kelley won the 1935 and 1945 runnings of the Boston Marathon
Boston Marathon
The Boston Marathon is an annual marathon hosted by the U.S. city of Boston, Massachusetts, on Patriots' Day, the third Monday of April. Begun in 1897 and inspired by the success of the first modern-day marathon competition in the 1896 Summer Olympics, the Boston Marathon is the world's oldest...
. He finished in second place at Boston a record seven times. Between 1934 to 1950, he finished in the top five 15 times at Boston, consistently running in the 2:30s. He ran his last full marathon at Boston in 1992 at the age of 84, his 61st start and 58th finish there. For two more years he ran the last seven miles. Kelley also ran the Yonkers Marathon 29 times.
A member of the U.S. Olympic Team at the 1936 Berlin Olympics, he finished 18th in the marathon.
Kelley ran his 50th Boston Marathon
Boston Marathon
The Boston Marathon is an annual marathon hosted by the U.S. city of Boston, Massachusetts, on Patriots' Day, the third Monday of April. Begun in 1897 and inspired by the success of the first modern-day marathon competition in the 1896 Summer Olympics, the Boston Marathon is the world's oldest...
in 1981; the event was also his 108th career marathon
Marathon
The marathon is a long-distance running event with an official distance of 42.195 kilometres , that is usually run as a road race...
.
In 1993, a statue of Kelley to commemorate him was erected near the City Hall of Newton, Massachusetts
Newton, Massachusetts
Newton is a city in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, United States bordered to the east by Boston. According to the 2010 U.S. Census, the population of Newton was 85,146, making it the eleventh largest city in the state.-Villages:...
, on the Boston Marathon course, one hill and about one mile prior to the foot of Heartbreak Hill.
Kelley was named "Runner of the Century" by Runner's World
Runner's World
Runner's World is a globally circulated monthly magazine for runners of all skills sets, published by Rodale Press in Emmaus, Pennsylvania, in the United States...
magazine in 2000.
John A. Kelley should not be confused with 1957 Boston Marathon winner John J. Kelley
John J. Kelley
John Joseph Kelley was the winner of the 1957 Boston Marathon and the marathon at the 1959 Pan American Games and a member of two United States Olympic Marathon teams. He was often dubbed John "The Younger" to avoid confusion with Johnny "The Elder" Kelley, the winner of the 1935 and 1945 Boston...
, who bears no relation. In an effort to distinguish them, the two champions came to be known as "Kelley the Elder" and "Kelley the Younger", respectively.
At age 70 he was still running 50 miles a week and around 15 races a year.
He is buried in Quivet Neck Cemetery, East Dennis, Massachusetts
East Dennis, Massachusetts
East Dennis is a census-designated place in the town of Dennis in Barnstable County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 3,299 at the 2000 census.-Geography:East Dennis is located at ....
.