Posted: December 17, 2004

Athletics: Remembering Bob Campbell

From David Monti

(c) 2004 Race Results Weekly, all rights reserved RaceResultsWeekly.com

By Steve Vaitones

Former National Long Distance Running chairman, Bob Campbell of West Roxbury, Mass., died on Friday, December 10, 2004, at the age of 95.

His own running career spanned 14 years (1929-1943), during which he won seven New England championships at distances from three to 10 miles plus steeplechase and cross country titles. He continued in the sport as a coach and under his tutelage, the Norfolk Young Men's Association won 25 New England and 15 National AAU team championships. His athletes included one Olympic and two Pan American Games marathoners.

His involvement as an administrator for long distance running on both the local and national level for over 40 years had the greatest impact on the sport. In the New England association, Campbell served nine years as the NEAAU handicapper, followed by 11 years as LDR chairman, and stints as both New England AAU and TAC president. He also served as an official for the Boston Marathon for 41 years, 20 of those as referee.

Nationally, he served as chairman of the National Long Distance Running Committee for the AAU and TAC for a total of 11 years and as vice-chair for 17 years in the period from 1957 through 1984. It was during his second term as chair that the USA began to compete regularly in the IAAF World Cross Country Championships.

He chaired the Olympic Marathon Trials Site Selection Committee from 1980 through 1984, and the Scott Hamilton Award committee from 1976 through 1984. Among the honors Campbell received were the H. Browning Ross Long Distance Running Merit Award (1970), TAC Long Distance Running Executive Committee Award (1984), and a TAC President's Award (1988).