Steve Roland Prefontaine | |
|---|---|
| Born | Steve Roland Prefontaine January 25, 1951 Coos Bay, Oregon, United States |
| Died | May 30, 1975 (aged 24) |
| Cause of death | Car Accident |
| Other names | "Pre", "World", "Rube" |
| Known for | long-distance runner, Track and Field runner |
| Website | www.prefontainerun.com |
Intro
Biography
editEarly life
editIn January 25, 1951, in the coastal logging town of Coos Bay, Oregon,[1] Steve Prefontaine was born. His father, Raymond Prefontaine, was a carpenter and a welder after his time serving in the U.S. Army in World War II. Steve's mother, Elfriede, worked as a seamstress. He had two sisters, Neta and Linda, and they all grew up in a house built by their father.[2]
Steve was rambunctious, even during his formative years. He was always moving around, partaking in different activities.[2] The atmosphere and culture of Coos Bay in which he grew up aided in his success in running later in life. The town was filled with hard working blue-collar types in jobs that are physically demanding. The mental toughness was such that the townsfolk were commonly described as tough, aggressive, and blunt. These characteristics were all expected of youths growing up in that society.[2]
In junior high, Prefontaine played football and basketball but rarely played in games due to his size.[3][2][4] In the eighth grade, he noticed several high school cross country team members jog to practice past the football field, an activity he then viewed as mundane. Later that year, he began to realize he was able to compete well in longer distance races in his physical education class during a three week conditioning period.[2] By the second week of the daily mile runs, Steve was able to finish second in the group. With this new-found success, he fell in love with the sport.[4]
Marshfield High School (1966–1970)
editWhen Prefontaine arrived at Marshfield High School in 1965, he joined the Cross Country team, coached by Walt McClure, Jr.[5] McClure ran under coach Bill Bowerman at the University of Oregon and his father, Walt McClure, Sr. ran under Bill Hayward, also at Oregon.[3]
Prefontaine had unspectacular freshman and sophomore years, only managing a 5:01 mile personal best in his first year. Though starting out as the seventh man he progressed to be the second by year's end and placed 53rd in the state championship.[5] In his sophomore year, he failed to qualify for the state meet in his marquee event, the two-mile. His immaturity was also evident as Prefontaine threw a punch at his rival, Jon Anderson.[3] However, his coach recalls that it was his sophomore year where his potential in the sport really began to surface. Prefontaine's passion for running and thirst to win caught McClure's eye.[5]
Frustrated with his failures as a sophomore, Prefontaine vowed to never lose again.[4] With the advice of McClure, Prefontaine took it upon himself to train hard over the summer.[5] His hard work paid off. He went through his junior cross country season undefeated and won the state title.[3][5] Bill Dellinger, the assistant head coach at the University of Oregon at the time, caught his first glimpse of Prefontaine at that state meet and picked him out by seeing the fire in his eyes.[5][6]
During the summer after his junior year, he never let up on his training. He ran as much as he could despite working three different jobs. He left an impression on Coos Bay residents and many recall seeing him train, particularly during the early hours of the morning.[5] McClure noted that Prefontaine's maturity and endurance continually improved, especially in the late summer and into the fall.[3]
Prefontaine set lofty goals for himself for his senior season. His coach noted that the goals were not born of overconfidence but of the desire venture into the unknown. He set a national record at the Corvallis Invitational with a time of 8:41.5, only one and a half seconds slower than his goal and 6.9 seconds better than the previous record.[3][6] He won two more state titles that year after another undefeated season, one in the mile and the other in the two mile.[3]
Prefontaine was recruited by 35 to 40 colleges across the nation.[4][7] He was smothered with phone calls, letters, and drop-in visits from coaches. Prefontaine referred many of his calls to McClure, who wanted Prefontaine to attend University of Oregon. McClure turned away those universities that began recruiting him late.[4][8] McClure, however, maintained that he did not sway Prefontaine's collegiate choice except to simply ask Steve where all the distance runners went to college.[3]
Prefontaine was sure he wanted to stay in-state for college[8] and especially the University of Oregon,[4] but had not heard much from the University of Oregon head coach, Bill Bowerman. He only received letters from Oregon once a month whereas other universities such as Villanova stayed in constant contact. As a result, Prefontaine did not know how much Bowerman wanted him to attend Oregon.[4][8] Bowerman stated that he did not recruit Prefontaine any different than how he recruited anybody else. It was a matter of principle for him to advise recruits where to attend college, wherever it may be, and to not flood recruits with correspondences.[4] Bowerman had followed Prefontaine's career since he was a sophomore and agreed with McClure in his assessment of Steve being a good runner.[8]
It wasn't until Prefontaine read a simple handwritten letter from Bowerman that he fully made up his mind to attend Oregon. Bowerman wrote that he was sure Prefontaine would become the world's greatest distance runner if he decided to run at Oregon.[4][8] Sometime after Prefontaine announced that he signed a letter of intent with the University of Oregon on the first of May in 1969,[7] Bowerman wrote a letter addressed to the community of Coos Bay describing his appreciation for their role in helping Steve become a great runner.[8]
University of Oregon (1970–1973)
editPost-collegiate (1974–1975)
editRunning philosophy
edit- Cockiness (should this be here?)
- Steve's Olympic dreams scolded by his mother who was raised in Nazi Germany (Moore, p.235)
- Steve's AAU clashes frightened his mother; father explained it's okay in the US
- Practice regimen - runs hard all the time
- "To give anything less than your best is to sacrifice the gift."
- Front running (Moore, p.241)
Disputes with the AAU
editMemorials
editThe Pete Susick Stadium at Marshfield High School dedicated their track to honor Prefontaine, in April, 2001.[9] (Move to Memorials section)
Records and honors
editAmerican records
edit--prose-- American records:[10]
| Year | Event | Result |
|---|---|---|
| 1971 | 5,000 meters | 13:30.4 |
| 1972 | 5,000 meters | 13:22.8 |
| 1972 | 3,000 meters | 7:44.2 |
| 1972 | 2-mile | 8:19.4 |
| 1973 | 5,000 meters | 13:22.4 |
| 1973 | 2-mile (indoor) | 8:24.6 |
| 1973 | 6-mile | 27:09.4 |
| 1974 | 6-mile | 26:51.4 |
| 1974 | 10,000 meters | 27:43.6 |
| 1974 | 3-mile | 12:51.4 |
| 1974 | 5,000 meters | 13:22.2 |
| 1974 | 3,000 meters | 7:42.6 |
| 1975 | 2,000 meters | 5:01.4 |
NCAA individual national championships
edit--prose-- NCAA individual national championships:[10]
| Year | Event | Result |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | 3-mile | 13:22.0 |
| 1971 | 3-mile | 13:20.2 |
| 1972 | 5,000 meters | 13:31.4 |
| 1973 | 3-mile | 13:05.3 |
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ "Tie-dyed Eugene unlikely home for football power". ESPN. January 8, 2011. Retrieved 24 February 2011.
- ^ a b c d e Jordan (1997), pp.5-6
- ^ a b c d e f g h Musca, Michael (April 2002). "In the Beginning". Running Times Magazine. Retrieved 22 February 2011.
{{cite journal}}: CS1 maint: date and year (link) - ^ a b c d e f g h i Putnam, Pat (June 15, 1970). "The Freshman And The Great Guru". Sports Illustrated. Vol. 32, no. 24. Retrieved 25 February 2011.
- ^ a b c d e f g Jordan (1997), pp.7-9
- ^ a b "Steve Prefontaine Bio & Pix". University of Oregon, Official Athletic Site. Retrieved 2007-02-19.
- ^ a b "Prefontaine signs letter". The Bulletin. May 2, 1969. Retrieved 1 March 2011.
- ^ a b c d e f Jordan (1997), p.11
- ^ The Steve Prefontaine Track
- ^ a b "2010-2011 Oregon Ducks Track and Field Media Guide". GoDucks.com. Retrieved 15 February 2011.
#Jordan (1997), p.?
For future reference
edit- Pre's high school days: Musca, Michael (April 2002). "In the Beginning". Running Times Magazine. Retrieved 16 February 2011.
{{cite journal}}: CS1 maint: date and year (link) - A few stories; maturation hit after 1972's loss; why he ran the way he did...: Bellamy, Ron (May 28, 1995). "Pre's legacy still beats strong". The Register Guard. Retrieved 16 February 2011.
- Blatantly states "front-running" style: Moore, Kenny (June 21, 2004). "Heaven Sent". Sports Illustrated. Retrieved 16 February 2011.
- Front running style, fighting AAU: Masback, Craig (June 4, 1995). "Prefontaine legacy enjoys a long run". The New York Times. Retrieved 16 February 2011.
- Intoxication prior to death: "Prefontaine intoxicated". The Bryan Times. May 31, 1975. Retrieved 16 February 2011.
- Lots of good stuff, AAU, Nike, friends saying he couldn't have been drunk but reiterates 0.16: "One Morning, 20 Years Ago, Changed Track -- Friends Still Struggle With Prefontaine's Death". The Seattle Times. May 28, 1995. Retrieved 16 February 2011.
- Mentions critics, death surrounding controversy: Scott, Gerald (May 6, 1985). "The legend lives on". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 16 February 2011.
- THE Sports Illustrated article Putnam, Pat (June 15, 1970). "The Freshman And The Great Guru". Sports Illustrated. Vol. 32, no. 24. Retrieved 25 February 2011.
Cited texts
edit- Jordan, Tom (1997). Pre: The Story of America's Greatest Running Legend, Steve Prefontaine (2 ed.). Rodale Books. ISBN 978-0875964577.
- Moore, Kenny (2007). Bowerman and the Men of Oregon. Rodale Books. ISBN 978-1594867316.