Pre : Great Athlete

[Zeno]

Article about Pre Steve Prefontaine (http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/sports/2002292096_blai29.html) . He died in a car accident 30 years ago.


I used to watch this guy run at all the U of O track meets. An awesome runner to see race.

-Zeno

[tbach24]

Pre is my favorite sports movie ever.

You're lucky to have seen him live.

[jakethebake]

I really enjoyed THIS (http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0875964575/qid=1117409997/sr=2-1/ref=pd_bbs_b_2_1/104-6007831-0395158) book about him.

[Popinjay]

Don't mean to sound like an ass but would this guy have been as great had he not died early?

[jakethebake]

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Don't mean to sound like an ass but would this guy have been as great had he not died early?

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Have been as great or as famous? /images/graemlins/confused.gif

I'm pretty sure given how popular he was and what he did accomplish, he'd have been pretty famous. Besides he may have accomplished a few more things.

[tbach24]

He won the 5k college D1 race like 4 years running, came in 4th in the 72 olympics and would've been the favorite for the 76 in Montrael.

[Popinjay]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
Don't mean to sound like an ass but would this guy have been as great had he not died early?

[/ QUOTE ]

Have been as great or as famous? /images/graemlins/confused.gif

I'm pretty sure given how popular he was and what he did accomplish, he'd have been pretty famous. Besides he may have accomplished a few more things.

[/ QUOTE ]

Maybe I should've said legendary? or mythical? I mean say he doesn't die in that crash but keeps on running gets 2nd in the next olympics and doesn't do much after that. He's still alive today and is a fat drunk. Still a running legend? Probably not, but of course his life probably wouldn't have gone that way. It's just interesting to see how dying early creates these figures who are larger than life.

[tbach24]

He was also the first person to wear Nike's and instrumental in creating some large track meets.
He was a dominant collegiate athlete and could've become a gold medal olympian. I can't think of anyone off the top of my head who is like that, so yes he is probably overly well known because of the accident.

[Brainwalter]

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He was also the first person to wear Nike's

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Yeah?

[tbach24]

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He was also the first person to wear Nike's

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Yeah?

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Yes. It was before they had the swoosh though. I really suggest you see Prefontaine as it is not only a great movie, but will explain this.

[Zeno]

Some stats from a side bar to the article (in 1974 Pre held a number of American long distance records) :

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1971

5,000 meters, American record, 13:30.4

1972

5,000 meters, American record, 13:22.8

1973

5,000 meters, American record, 13:22.4

2-mile indoor, American record, 8:24.6

6-mile, American record, 27:09.4

1974

2-mile indoor, American record, 8:20.4

3,000 meters, indoor record, 7:50.0

10,000 meters, American record, 27:43.8

6-mile, American record, 26:51.8

3-mile, American record, 12:51.4

5,000 meters, American record, 13:21.9

3,000 meters, American record, 7:42.6

2-mile, American record, 8:18.4

1975

2,000 meters, American record, 5:01.4


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He most certainly would have achived much more had he lived longer. Exactly what is mostly speculation of course.

-Zeno

[david050173]

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He won the 5k college D1 race like 4 years running, came in 4th in the 72 olympics and would've been the favorite for the 76 in Montrael.

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Maybe. I think Viren would have still won. D1 college an world class are 2 different levels (not so much back then but definitely now).
I think death added a bunch to his fame. We are tantalized by what might have been which is almost always better than what happens in reality.