Oral History Interviews
Historic Black Milers Panel 2: The 1970s November 15, 2022
Dedicated to Theodore Stanley “Ted” Richardson Wheeler
(January 30, 1931 – November 17, 2022)
Panelists:
Byron Dyce
Denis Cochran-Fikes
Clifton “Cliff” West
Michael Wyatt
Moderator:
Gary Corbitt
View Panel Here:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1Jy9RqEH4u6dkZE6RMecI5kK3VG5hBBzi/view?usp=share_link
Black Historic Milers Panel Highlights:
Each of these HistoryMakers were inspired by others.
Byron Dyce was inspired to become a track athlete by his older brothers Dennis and Trevor both Jamaican Olympians. Byron was considered New York City running royalty as he would be introduced at meets as Dr. Dyce. At NYU he won what was considered the triple crown at 800 Meters with wins at the IC4A, NCAA, and New York Metropolitan College championships.
Cliff West invited Jesse Owens to meet his family over dinner. The encouragement he received from Mr. Owens inspired Cliff to raise his level of dedication to the sport to new heights. Learn about Cliff’s amazing range of excellence from a 29:22 six miler to becoming a 10.3 sprinter. Also hear about his younger brother Dr. Cornel West the political activist, educator, and author who at the age of 15 ran a 4:29.5 mile.
Denis Cochran-Fikes in 1966 was unaware on any Black distance runners until his brother told him about his Erasmus Hall High School teammate named Byron Dyce. As he learned more about Byron; this is who he wanted to become. Denis also wanted his career to serve as a role model to inspire other younger Black distance runners. Denis has produced an E-Scrapbook called “My Running Moments & Times” on YouTube that’s well worth viewing.
Mike Wyatt was a football player who used track to get in shape for the gridiron. He was profoundly inspired as a high school senior at the Penn Relays watching Denis run his 3:55 mile in 1974. Mike would go on to become the fifth African American to break the 4 minute barrier in 1980.
Panel Guest Audience Members:
Harry McCalla
Suzuko Morikawa
Bill Schnier
Tracy Sundlun
Ben Tucker
Panelists Presentation Times:
Introduction – Gary Corbitt
(1:34) – Byron Dyce
(24:36) – Cliff West
(46:10) – Bill Schnier discusses Reggie McAfee
(57:05) – Denis Cochran-Fikes
(1:18:04) – Tracy Sundlun
(1:22:18) – Mike Wyatt
(1:37:57) – Questions from Suzuko Morikawa
(1:50:12) - Closing Remarks by Gary Corbitt
Panel ends – 1:57:20
Panel Discussion with Historic Black Milers 1950s & 1960s
September 20, 2022
Panelists:
Ron Gregory
Harry McCalla
Ben Tucker
Ted Wheeler Jr.
Moderator:
Gary Corbitt
Zoom Link:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1MtzCzdmkX21ZFLgwas4F2zriYTM--R3m/view?usp=sharing
5 Black History Panel Highlights:
Learn how it was for 1956 Olympian Ted Wheeler’s family becoming the third Black family to move into Oak Park, Illinois in the mid-1960s.
Ron Gregory in the early 1950s knew Black people could run long distances based on the successes of his brother Dick. His brother the groundbreaking comedian, civil rights leader, and health food activists.
Harry McCalla was the fastest African American miler from 1963 to 1971. In 1963 he surpassed the mark set in 1958 by Jerome Walters of 4:01.7. Learn about the one race in 1967 that Harry wishes he could re-run.
Ben Tucker and Harry McCalla were fierce rivals starting at the 1960 California State High School One Mile Championship. They competed for San Jose State and Stanford respectively racing regularly against each other on the track and cross-country. Today they’re best of friends.
Each of these History Makers were inspired by the diplomatic work of Mal Whitfield. Mal was a five-time Olympic medalist in 1948 and 1952.
Panel Guest Audience Members:
Byron Dyce
Denis Cochran-Fikes
Sarah Franklin
Suzuko Morikawa
Jack Pfeifer
Cliff West
Mike Wyatt
Panelists Presentation Times:
Introduction – Gary Corbitt
(2:03) – Ted Wheeler Jr.
(19:21) – Ron Gregory
(36:45) – Harry McCalla
(49:34) – Suzuko Morikawa – Questions from this Running History Scholar.
(52:53) – Ben Tucker
(69:36) – Suzuko Morikawa – Additional questions
Panel ends – 92:20
50th Anniversary National 50 Mile Championship – Rocklin CA
Perhaps the Greatest Ultramarathon Race Ever in the United States (October 18, 1970)
Zoom Conference Call – December 3, 2020
The call is dedicated to these running pioneers:
Bob Carmen, Ted Corbitt, Jim McDonagh, Dr. John Pagliano, Paul Reese, and Ken Young
Here are the presentation times for each participant during the two hour call:
Gary Corbitt: Introduction
Andy Milroy: 4:11 – 18:36
Bob Deines: 18:37 – 38:33
Skip Houk: 38:34 – 51:20
Jose Cortez: 51:21 – 1:10:17
Randy Lawson: 1:10:18 – 1:21:23
Bryan Gieser: 1:21:23 – 1:23:30
Dave Waco: 1:23:31 - 1:27:52
Tom Derderian: 1:27:53 – 1:29:42
Jeff Kroot – Tom Derderian – Bob Deines: 1:29:43 – 1:36:45
Nick Marshall: 1:36:46 – 1:40:21
Jack Leydig – Pete League: 1:40:22 – 1:43:27
Darryl Beardall: 1:43:28 – 1:59:18
50th Anniversary Rocklin Call Participants:
Darryl Beardall:
Third place finisher in 1970. Has over 300,000 lifetime running miles including over 200 marathons. He was a four time U.S. Olympic trial participant. Darryl continues to workout and race when possible with a walker. Marathon best of 2:28.
Bob Deines:
Winner of the 1970 race in an American record. One of the leading advocates of using the LSD Long Slow Distance training approach. Fourth place finisher at the 1968 Olympic Marathon trial race. Marathon best of 2:20.
Bryan Gieser:
9th place finisher and a member of the winning Redwood City Strider championship team. Was an 18 year old teenager in 1970. Marathon best of 2:24.
Rich Innamorato:
Runner and legendary ultramarathon race director in the New York area. Founder and longtime leader of the Broadway Ultra Society (BUS). In 1976 he ran from Maine to Florida.
Randy Lawson:
8th place finishers and a member of the Redwood City Strider championship team. Was an 18 year old teenager in 1970. Marathon best of 2:29.
Jack Leydig:
1970 race participants. Legendary west coast race organizer with the West Valley Track Club. Founder and longtime editor of the NorCal Running Review. 2:25 marathon best.
Nick Marshall:
Inducted into the American Ultrarunning Hall of Fame in 2017. A master historian and record keeper of ultramarathon statistics. He broke 6 hours for 50 miles on both the track and roads along with many other running accomplishments.
Jose Cortez:
Fourth place finisher in 1970 and led the championship Redwood City Striders team. Former age group world record holder at the marathon and American record holder for 100 miles in 1971. Marathon best of 2:21.
Tom Derderian:
1970 race participant. Boston Marathon historian, and long time coach of the Greater Boston Track Club. A pioneer New England leader with USATF affairs. Marathon best of 2:19.
Mike Fanelli:
Master Historian of Track & Field and Long Distance Running. Former coach, agent, race announcer, color commentator, and running shoe store owner. Marathon best of 2:25.
Skip Houk:
Second place finisher in 1970. 1968 winner of this race and former American record holder at 50 miles. Won this national championship race in 1971. Marathon best of 2:22.
Jeff Kroot:
An advocate for the LSD Long Slow Distance training approach. A photographer for many of the famous running events on the west coast including this race.
Pete League:
1970 race participant. Long Distance Running Pioneer and first generation road race measurement course certifier. The founder of the Houston Marathon.
Andy Milroy:
Global road running historian, writer, and statistician. One of the founding members of The Association of Road Racing Statisticians (ARRS).
Dave Waco:
1970 race participant. Third place finisher in the 1969 AAU National Marathon Championship at Culver City. An early road running course measurer. Marathon best of 2:29.
Women Running Pioneers Conference Call Panel
Dedicated to Lyn Carmen (1936-2014) – A Role Model
June 26, 2014
These nine women were part of group of pioneers who competed and fought for women’s equality in running in the 1950s and early 1960s. Throughout most of the 1950s the longest distance United States women could officially race was 220 yards.
Women Running Pioneers of Ultramarathonsce
Conference Call Panel - Part 1
July 23, 2015
This is the first of a series of call to honor the early women pioneers of ultramarathon running.
Videos
Runner’s World Heroes Lifetime Achievement Award Introduction Video - November 2007
New York Roadrunners Tribute Video – 2007
Ted Corbitt & Aida Keshishian Price - WPIX – Channel 11 - New York newscast
New York Road Runners Tribute to Ted Corbitt, December 2007
My mother Aida Keshishian Price is in the video clip, walking and talking with your father, and then speaking about him at the end. He had been her physical therapist 40 years earlier.
Ted Corbitt had become my mother’s physical therapist in 1954 at the International Center for the Disabled (ICD) when she was 17 years old. She had just lost most of her left leg to bone cancer, and had a 5% chance of surviving that cancer for only two years (surgery was the only option then, and she mentioned that two young men who had similar amputations due to cancer around the same time both died within two years), and so she began going to ICD.
Your father came to my mother at what had to be one of the lowest points in her life, encouraged her without end, and taught her to walk unbelievably well both on crutches and with prosthesis. She wound up walking with crutches most of the time, as in the video, because she felt it was faster and easier in many ways. It was really something to experience her on crutches; she walked most two-legged people into the ground and your father had much to do with that.
- Susan Price
Women Running Pioneers of Ultramarathons
Conference Call Panel - Part 2
Dedicated to Ruth Anderson (1929 – 2016)
March 18, 2016
This is the second of a series of calls to honor the early women pioneers of ultramarathon running.
1967 Holyoke Marathon History
Conference Call Panel
June 15, 2016
This race was given the name of “The Torture in the Holyoke Tropics.” It was a national championship race with the winner making the Pan American team. All the top runners were there in 90 degree heat and humidity with a 1p start time. Ron Daws won and Jim McDonagh placed 2nd.
1964 Yonkers Marathon History
Conference Call Panel
June 8, 2016
Buddy Edelen’s 2:24:25 was one the greatest performances ever in marathoning history. When couple the 12n start, 91 degree temperatures and humidity, along with Edelen winning by a 3.5 mile margin made this race day legendary. Also at stake was the winner making the Olympic team.
Audio
Pioneers in Course Measurement
Conference Call – May 23, 2014
January 2012 Conference Call with Bernard Gomersall
Class Projects
Jean Arlt - High School History Class Project
May 2005
The assignment was to write about someone who embodied the American spirit for a U.S. history class. When Jean presented the paper, she asked a classmate to assist her by performing jumping jacks alongside her as she made her 10-minute presentation, to try to illustrate, in a way her classmates might understand how much endurance would be required to perform as Ted Corbitt did.
Justin Best - 6th Grade African American History Project
2011
My 12 year old Son had to do an African American history project recently. He had to choose a person and create a board displaying pictures, a biography, a poem, a monologue, and a made-up interview of that person. I have the book First Marathons and was inspired by your Dad's story in that book. I had my Son read it and he was inspired as well and chose your Dad for his project. My Son is a runner and he just did his first half-marathon. Every 6th grader had to do a tri-fold board so there were about 75 boards lined up outside in the halls of the school. Justin was proud that his teacher put his board of Ted right by the office which is the first thing you see when you come into the school. He got an A on his board!
- Rae Best
Gary Corbitt
Curator: Ted Corbitt Archives
Historian: National Black Marathoners Association (NBMA)