RIP Mike Fanelli - track and field super fan and historian has died at 67

mike was one of the rare examples for me where a facebook "friend" became an actual, real friend. no nicer dude, no bigger fan, no fan more knowledgable. i'll echo what has been said already: say what you want about eugene, but running into mike there, sitting with him while certain wagers may or may not have been made during various races, were always the highlight of the meet. RIP...

Mike Was the ultimate track fan. He enjoyed the sport on so many levels, be it athlete, coach, spectator he really was was the backbone of the sport.

Totally shocked and wondered why he didn't get back to me over the weekend when I sent him something to validate. He was an encyclopedia of memorabilia for a hard sport.

Don't forget in addition to being a track nerd and a great guy, Mike was a great runner at sf state and a great teammate at Tamalpa. He logged 115,000 miles and was very proud of it. I am very proud to have had mentorship from Fanelli and I will miss him a ton,

Brian Pilcher

If I remember correctly: decades ago he held the U.S. record for 50 miles. I think he was the coach of the Impala Racing Team, an all women's club, in San Francisco for a while. I talked to him a few times back in the '80s when he managed a running store on Market Street in the City. Everyone has nailed it. He really was a great guy.

I remember asking Mike if he knew of the results of a 10k I ran in in the Cleveland Revco in the 1970's when Lasse Viren finished third.

George Sheehan was in that race, too.

Mike had the results in a blink.

He was the best, and I'm so sorry he's not around to communicate with me again.

I guess Mike was a poster, and he would sometimes sign his posts MF, his initials, way before you kids started calling everyone that.

Mike was a great guy and knew so much about track. I'll miss seeing him at all the track meet after parties and Hootie races.

Very saddened to hear of the passing of Mike Fanelli. I've competed against him and we were both shoe company promo guys back in the 80's heyday of running. Always had a kind word, willing to go on a run or have a cold beer at the race expos. No bigger supporter of our sport RIP, old friend.

Thanks for posting the video. Mike truly in his element! I met Mike in the mid 80s, raced against him many times, ran many Hooties under his leadership, watched many meets with him, and like CC-M, may or may not have wagered on track races with him. He will be missed but he will always be fondly remembered for bringing something to the party.

The Fanelli brothers are two of the greatest track fans . I communicated with Mike often, and had many days and Thursday evenings at Penn with Greg. A wonderful pair. Mike will be sorely missed by all.

In just a few minutes with Mike you felt that you had known him your entire life. He is a man who truly cared .. about everything and everyone. Mike is loved by so many. The three most powerful words you will ever hear is also the three most powerful words you ever say. I love you, Mike Fanelli. I'm heartbroken.

For the most part deaths don’t bother me, but every once in a while a death will shake me. Mike’s passing is one of those. I am not really sure why I think I met him once briefly at one of the Olympic Trials but over the last few years really enjoyed his posts about our sport on Facebook.

The sport and the world lost a great fan and ever a better person

This is absolutely crushing! I don’t know what to say. His contribution to all things TNF, and running in general, is immeasurable. He was the guy you wanted to be around if you attended the Big Meets - most of the time it would be in Eugene. Before leaving Facebook, I would look forward to reading MF’s posts. He was an incredible historian for the sport we love. He knew so much in that regard and meant so much to many who were fans of the sport and of him. I only wish I knew what he was going through. Hard to believe that I can’t wish him well. Very sad. :(
Rest in Peace, Mike - you will be missed.

It's been a very sad few months in the Bay Area running community. Mike was a great guy and excellent runner. It's a shock and not a shock; people knew something was going on because he wasn't running, but nobody other than those closest to him knew it was a terminal illness.

A few weeks ago Darryl Beardall, who ran in the Olympic Marathon trials four times and who never stopped running--he was showing up to USATF road and cross country races and running them with his walker as late as this spring, passed away as well.

https://www.pressdemocrat.com/article/news/benefield-running-legend-beardall-racing-to-the-end-dies-at-87/

And Hand Schmidt, who started running at 63 & won the Dipsea at 72 died suddenly at 83 earlier this year:

marinij.com

Hans Schmid, oldest winner of the Dipsea Race, dies at 83

Ian Ross

Hans Schmid, who holds the distinctions of being both the oldest runner to win the Dipsea Race and the oldest to receive a black shirt for a top-35 finish, died on Sunday at the age of 83.

Open link

Condolences to Mike's friends and family. I only knew him thru this message board but really appreciated over the years his contributions to masters and 50+ threads. Always positive, supportive, and encouraging of everybody. Generous with his knowledge. The joy he took in the sport was contagious. RIP

Oh man. Really sorry to hear this news.

What a shock to wake up to this morning. I knew Mike well from many, many years in the Bay Area, and can attest that he lived and breathed this track and running and always had a slew of great stories from his days working with Reebok back in the days and travelling with the national team and... well, just a ton of great stories. All while having a career in real estate.

He loved his running with a passion and commitment that very few of us will even come close to. He was a 2:20 marathoner back in his prime racing for Hoys, and had knowledge of training and racing that was just uncanny. Great guy. HIs track and field collection in his garage is likely, as one poster said above, better than anything else held in private hands anywhere.

Its usually hyperbole to state that someone was a legend, but Mike really was.

A sad morning to wake up to this.

I am deeply saddened to hear of the passing of Mike Fanelli. Athlete, athletics super fan and historian. Although I never met Mike personally, I felt like I had known him for a lifetime through FB. Mike kept the sport alive for thousands through his daily posts of athletics trivia and history. Most of my days started with reading a Mike Fanelli post and often ended this way as well. RIP my friend, time to add to the 115k

One of kind. Met Mike back at Hoy's Sports in Haight-Ashbury back in the mid 80's. Us old guys understand how devastating this news is to the sport. Mike was the keeper of the Smithsonian for T&F and Roads. Although I only met him a few times over the years, it feels like I lost a brother. RIP Mike, you did it right.