Steve Prefontaine's one and only Steeplechase race

Cool story bro. Complete nonsense. Pre never ran a steeplechase. Marshfield hs never had a waterjump.

0/10

Marshfield High School DID have a water jump up until 1983, when the track was converted from dirt to mondo. I used to live in Coos Bay. I know my track.

Do you have a date for Pre's steeplechase race? I can look through newspaper archives.

Oregon Observer wrote:

Marshfield High School DID have a water jump up until 1983, when the track was converted from dirt to mondo. I used to live in Coos Bay. I know my track.

A track, a DIRT track, with no reason to have a waterjump?

Pre runs an 8:28 steeple in 1973 and nobody has ever heard of it until now? What a joke.

1967-1975

ORHSR- Oregon State High School Record

NHSR- National High School Record

AR- American Record

NCAA- National Collegiate Athletic Association Record

Meet Date Site Event Time Place

Indian Club Relays 3/25/67 Roseburg Mile 4:31.8 2nd

Vs. Grants Pass 4/1/67 Mile 4:32.0 1st

Vs. Reedsport 4/4/67 Reedsport 2 Mile 9:42.1 1st

Spike Leslie Relays 4/7/67 North Bend Distance Medley 4:32.1 1st

Vs. Roseburg 4/15/67 880 Yard Run 2:03.5 1st

Vs. Roseburg 4/15/67 Mile 4:48.9 1st

4/21/67 Mile 4:32.2 2nd

4/28/67 2 Mile 9:46.2 1st

Vs. Reedsport 5/2/67 Coos Bay 880 Yard Run 2:09.5 3rd

County 5/5/67 Coos Bay Mile 4:36.3 1st

SCJV 5/11/67 Coos Bay Mile 4:29.1 1st

SCJV 5/11/67 Coos Bay 880 Yard Run 2:06.3 1st

District 5/18/67 Springfield 2 Mile 9:52.3 4th

Indian Club Relays 3/23/68 Roseburg Mile 4:13.8 1st

Vs. Grants Pass 3/29/68 Grants Pass 2 Mile 9:13.9 1st

Spike Leslie Relays 4/5/68 North Bend Distance Medley 4:21.1 1st

Vs. Roseburg 4/12/68 Roseburg 880 Yard Run 1:57.2 1st

Vs. Roseburg 4/12/68 Roseburg Mile 4:51.8 1st

Vs. Springfield, N. Eugene 4/19/68 Coos Bay Mile 4:23.4 1st

Corvallis Invitational 4/26/68 Corvallis 2 Mile 9:01.3(ORHSR) 1st

Coos County 5/3/68 Coos Bay Mile 4:14.1 1st

Vs. North Bend 5/10/68 Coos Bay 880 Yard Run 1:56.2 1st

District 5/17/68 Springfield 2 Mile 9:13.2 1st

State Meet 5/24/68 Corvallis 2 Mile 9:02.7 1st

Indian Club Relays 3/29/69 Roseburg Distance Medley 4:12.6 1st

Indian Club Relays 3/29/69 Roseburg Sprint Medley 1:56.4 1st

Vs. Grants Pass 4/5/69 Coos Bay Mile 4:11.1 1st

Vs. Grants Pass 4/5/69 Coos Bay 2 Mile 9:13.4 1st

Vs. Roseburg 4/11/69 Coos Bay Mile 4:19.4 1st

Vs. Roseburg 4/11/69 Coos Bay 880 Yard Run 1:54.3 1st

Vs. Roseburg 4/11/69 Coos Bay Mile Relay 51.5 1st

Vs. South Eugene 4/18/69 Coos Bay Mile 4:21.1 1st

Vs. South Eugene 4/18/69 Coos Bay 880 Yard Run 1:57.7 1st

Vs. South Eugene 4/18/69 Coos Bay Mile Relay 52.6 1st

Corvallis Invitational 4/25/69 Corvallis 2 Mile 8:41.5(NHSR) 1st

Vs. Springfield 5/2/69 Springfield 440 Yard Dash 53.5 1st

Coos County 5/9/69 Coos Bay Mile 4:06.9 1st

Vs. North Bend 5/16/69 North Bend Mile 4:22.4 1st

District 5/23/69 Springfield Mile 4:07.4 1st

District 5/23/69 Springfield 2 Mile 9:14.3 1st

State Meet 5/30/69 Corvallis Mile 4:08.4 1st

State Meet 5/30/69 Corvallis 2 Mile 9:03.0 1st

Golden West Invitational 6/14/69 Sacramento Mile 4:06.0 1st

AAU Championships 6/29/69 Miami 3 Mile 13:43.0 4th

Hawaii Invitational 7/12/69 Honolulu 2 Mile 8:48.8 2nd

U.S. vs. U.S.S.R. 7/19/69 Los Angeles 5000 Meters 14:40.0 5th

U.S. vs. Europe 7/31/69 Stuttgart 5000 Meters 13:52.8 3rd

U.S. vs. West Germany 8/5/69 Augsburg 5000 Meters 14:07.4 2nd

U.S. vs. Great Britain 8/13/69 London 5000 Meters 14:38.4 4th

Vs. Fresno St., Stanford 3/21/70 Fresno 2 Mile 8:40.0 1st

Vs. Texas, El Paso 3/28/70 El Paso 3 Mile 13:48.8 1st

Vs. Washington 4/4/70 Seattle Mile 4:03.2 1st

Vs. Washington 4/4/70 Seattle 2 Mile 8:51.6 1st

Vs. California 4/11/70 Berkeley 3 Mile 13:30.6 1st

Vs. UCLA 4/18/70 Eugene Mile 4:05.3 1st

Vs. UCLA 4/18/70 Eugene 2 Mile 8:46.4 1st

Vs. Washington St. 4/25/70 Eugene 3 Mile 13:12.8 1st

Vs. Oregon St. 5/2/70 Eugene Mile 4:00.4 1st

Northern Division 5/9/70 Seattle 3 Mile 13:32.0 1st

Pac-8 Championships 5/16/70 Los Angeles 3 Mile 13:27.8 1st

Oregon Twighlight 6/5/70 Eugene Mile 3:57.4 3rd

NCAA Championships 6/20/70 Des Moines 3 Mile 13:22.0 1st

AAU Championships 6/26/70 Bakersfield 3 Mile 13:26.0 5th

U.S. vs. West Germany 7/16/70 Stuttgart 5000 Meters 13:39.6 2nd

U.S. vs. U.S.S.R. 7/24/70 Leningrad 5000 Meters 13:49.4 2nd

International 7/26/70 Moscow 1500 Meters 3:44.9 1st

Postal 12/12/70 Eugene 3 Mile 13:25.6 1st

Quadrangular 3/20/71 Eugene 2 Mile 8:33.2 1st

Vs. San Diego St. 3/27/71 San Diego Mile 4:00.2 1st

Vs. Stanford 4/3/71 Eugene 3 Mile 13:01.6 1st

Vs. Washington 4/10/71 Eugene Mile 4:02.6 1st

Vs. Washington 4/10/71 Eugene 2 Mile 8:36.2 1st

Vs. California 4/17/71 Eugene 3 Mile 13:34.0 1st

Vs. UCLA 4/24/71 Westwood Mile 3:59.1 1st

Vs. Oregon St. 5/8/71 Corvallis 2 Mile 8:42.4 1st

Northern Division 5/15/71 Pullman 2 Mile 8:42.4 1st

Pac-8 Championships 5/22/71 Seattle Mile 4:01.5 1st

Pac-8 Championships 5/22/71 Seattle 3 Mile 13:18.0 1st

Oregon Twighlight 6/6/71 Eugene Mile 3:57.4 2nd

NCAA Prelim Heat 6/17/71 Seattle 3 Mile 13:34.6 1st

NCAA Finals 6/19/71 Seattle 3 Mile 13:20.2 1st

AAU Championships 6/25/71 Eugene 3 Mile 12:58.6 1st

Vs. U.S.S.R. All-Stars 7/3/71 Berkeley 5000 Meters 13:30.4(AR) 1st

Vs. Africa 7/16/71 Durham 5000 Meters 13:57.6 1st

Pan Am Games 8/2/71 Cali 5000 Meters 13:52.6 1st

Vs. Fresno St. 3/18/72 Fresno 2 Mile 8:55.4 1st

All Comers 3/25/72 Bakersfield 6 Mile 27:22.4(NCAA) 1st

Oregon Invitational 4/1/72 Eugene 2 Mile 8:35.8 1st

Vs. Washington 4/8/72 Seattle Mile 4:07.3 1st

Vs. Nebraska 4/15/72 Lincoln 2 Mile 8:35.2 1st

Oregon Twighlight 4/23/72 Eugene Mile 3:56.7 1st

Vs. Washington St. 4/29/72 Eugene 5000 Meters 13:29.6(AR) 1st

Vs. Oregon St. 5/6/72 Eugene 1500 Meters 3:39.8 1st

Pac-8 Championships 5/20/72 Stanford 3 Mile 13:32.2 1st

NCAA Prelim Heat 6/1/72 Eugene 5000 Meters 14:01.4 1st

NCAA Finals 6/3/72 Eugene 5000 Meters 13:31.4 1st

Rose Festival 6/24/72 Gresham 3000 Meters 7:45.8(AR) 1st

Olympic Trials Prelim Heat 7/6/72 Eugene 5000 Meters 13:51.2 1st

Olympic Trials Finals 7/9/72 Eugene 5000 Meters 13:22.8(AR) 1st

Bislett Games 8/2/72 Oslo 1500 Meters 3:39.4 2nd

Bislett Games 8/3/72 Oslo 3000 Meters 7:44.2(AR) 1st

Pre-Olympic 8/24/72 Munich 2 Mile 8:19.4(AR) 1st

Olympic Prelim Heat 9/7/72 Munich 5000 Meters 13:32.6 2nd

Olympic Finals 9/10/72 Munich 5000 Meters 13:28.3 4th

Zauli Memorial 9/13/72 Rome 5000 Meters 13:26.4 2nd

Coca-Cola 9/15/72 London 2 Mile 8:24.8 2nd

All Comers 3/17/73 Eugene 2000 5:06.2 1st

All Comers 3/24/73 Bakersfield 6 Mile 27:09.4 1st

Oregon Invitational 3/31/73 Eugene 2 Mile 8:31.8 1st

Vs. Washington 4/7/73 Eugene Mile 4:03.2 1st

Quadrangular 4/14/73 Eugene Mile 3:56.8 1st

Quadrangular 4/14/73 Eugene 3 Mile 13:06.4 1st

Oregon Twighlight 4/27/73 Eugene Mile 3:55.0 1st

Vs. Oregon St. 5/5/73 Corvallis 3 Mile 13:27.2 1st

Pac-8 Championships 5/19/73 Eugene 3 Mile 13:10.4 1st

Oregon Twighlight II 5/29/73 Eugene 2 Mile 8:24.6 1st

NCAA Prelim Heat 6/7/73 Baton Rouge 3 Mile 13:19.0 1st

NCAA Finals 6/9/73 Baton Rouge 3 Mile 13:05.3 1st

AAU Prelim Heat 6/14/73 Bakersfield 3 Mile 13:17.8 1st

AAU Finals 6/16/73 Bakersfield 3 Mile 12:53.4 1st

Hayward Restoration 6/20/73 Eugene Mile 3:54.6 2nd

International 6/23/73 Helsinki 1500 Meters 3:43.1 3rd

World Games 6/27/73 Helsinki 5000 Meters 13:22.4(AR) 2nd

World Games 6/28/73 Helsinki 1500 Meters 3:38.1 11th

International 7/1/73 Kajaani 1500 Meters 3:46.5 2nd

International 7/2/73 Joensuu 1500 Meters 3:48.2 3rd

International 7/4/73 Oulu 5000 Meters 13:40.6 1st

Vs. W. Germany, Sweden 7/12/73 Munich 5000 Meters 13:23.8 2nd

International 7/15/73 Louvain 5000 Meters 13:35.2 2nd

JV Invitational 4/6/74 Eugene Mile 4:07.2 1st

JV Invitational 4/6/74 Eugene 2 Mile 8:49.4 1st

Mt. Hood Relays 4/20/74 Gresham 2 Mile 8:30.4 1st

Oregon Twighlight 4/27/74 Eugene 10000 Meters 27:43.6(AR) 1st

Bakersfield Classic 5/18/74 Bakersfield 2 Mile 8:34.4 1st

Hilites 5/30/74 Corvallis 2 Mile 8:35.8 1st

Hayward Restoration 6/8/74 Eugene 3 Mile 12:51.4(AR) 1st

International 6/18/74 Tampere 3000 Meters 7:55.8 1st

International 6/20/74 Kauhava 3000 Meters 8:00.4 1st

International 6/22/74 Saarijarvi 3000 Meters 8:07.4 1st

World Games 6/26/74 Helsinki 5000 Meters 13:21.9(AR) 2nd

International 7/2/74 Milan 3000 Meters 7:42.6(AR) 2nd

International 7/9/74 Varkaus 3000 Meters 7:57.4 1st

International 7/14/74 Joutseno 5000 Meters 13:55.6 1st

July Games 7/18/74 Stockholm 2 Mile 8:18.4(AR) 3rd

All Comers 9/3/74 Eugene Mile 3:58.3 1st

International 9/10/74 Helsinki 5000 Meters 13:27.4 3rd

Coca-Cola 9/13/74 London 2 Mile Did Not Finish DNF

Oregon Twighlight 4/26/75 Eugene 10000 Meters 28:09.4 1st

Finnish Tour 5/4/75 Madras 3000 Meters 8:26.4 1st

Finnish Tour 5/9/75 Coos Bay 2000 Meters 5:01.4(AR) 1st

Finnish Tour 5/15/75 Burnaby 5000 Meters 13:46.8 1st

California Relays 5/24/75 Modesto 2 Mile 8:36.4 1st

NCAA Prep 5/29/75 Eugene 5000 Meters 13:23.8 1st

I see you're acquainted with Tom Jordan's index of Steve Prefontaine's racing history. If you notice, this history exempts cross country races and several less noticeable track races of Pre's career. Your post does not prove anything (besides his 5:01.4 AR in 1975, which I already stated, and his 13:22.4 in Helsinki in June of 1973). This would put his steeplechase race around May of 1973.

I was there. You were not. Don't tell me what I didn't see.

Puke Fiction wrote:

Oregon Observer wrote:

I was there. You were not. Don't tell me what I didn't see.

It didn't happen. You're a joke. Pathetic.

I don't have time to look now but I swear I've seen a pic of Pre going over a steeple hurdle.

runn wrote:

Puke Fiction wrote:

It didn't happen. You're a joke. Pathetic.

I don't have time to look now but I swear I've seen a pic of Pre going over a steeple hurdle.

My bad- I made the time to look and it was during a 12K XC race.

I believe the guy who posts under his real name.

Track & Field News would have picked up on this, and Frank Shorter will have known. I will either ask Frank or Ed from T&FNews.

I could believe it is credible.

Great pictures and some thoughts -

1) 3000m track did not have railing.. wonder when they implemented the cone rule

2) XC Courses back then were not Rupp-certified

3) He raced like Kawauchi with the facial expressions

4) The striations and muscle density in his quads is impressive.. reminds me of the Africans and indicative of lots of quality

Nice post OP. It good to see some running history talked about on the boards.

It sucks that a troll has to try and ruin it.

Back in the day I had the opportunity to run with a guy named Bob who was friends with Pre. During one of our runs I remember talk of a Pre steeple. Don't know the details.

keoll wrote:

Track & Field News would have picked up on this, and Frank Shorter will have known. I will either ask Frank or Ed from T&FNews.

I could believe it is credible.

Not credible at all. The OP is a troll.

For Pre to have run an 8:28.4 steeplechase it would have been HUGE news in 1973, or any other year. Heck, had he run 8:58 it would have been huge news, as well.

At the end of 1973 the US All-time Steeplechase list went

1. 8:26.4 Sid Sink

2. 8:26.8 Doug Brown

3. 8:27.2 Barry Brown

4. 8:27.6 Mike Manley

5. 8:29.6 Steve Savage

6. 8:30.2 Joe Lucas

7. 8:30.6 George Young

8. 8:32.2 Jerome Liedenburg

9. 8:32.4 Pat Traynor

9. 8:32.4 Bill Reilly

10. 8:32.4 Jim Johnson

Pat Tyson would also know about this.

I'm surprised nobody in this thread has done the obvious thing and asked the OP what his source is.

Oregon Observer, were you there in person? What is the source? Its almost comical the way you are saying something happened. Then going out of your way to say there is no source to show it happened.

It does seem plausible. As the OP notes, Pre wasn't totally alien to hurdling obstacles. It was 1973 when he had attained a fairly high level. We know he always runs a race so hard. Therefore 8:28 is possible. We also know that Pre always wanted to stay connected to his community and give back to it. I believe he was basically living there and training around Marshfield. It totally fits with Pre that would do some kind of impromtu race like the OP describes.

Really, the ONLY argument against it happening is what has already been pointed out. Why has nobody heard about it? That doesn't seem plausible.

I'm going to guess that it did happen but it was unofficial so that in a sense it also didn't happen. You couldn't compare to official times therefore, Pre's contemporaries ignored it and then forgot about it over time.

You Pre acolytes are unbelievable. Pre walked on water then afterwards he turned the water into wine and everyone got so drunk they all forgot all about it.

One of the top steeplechase times in the world in 1973 and no one heard of it until now....yeah riiiiiiiight. It gets better. Then, the Messiah, who runs 40 races per year never again ran it, nor did he ever talk about it. Yeah riiiiiight.

ryan foreman wrote:

Pre wasn't totally alien to hurdling obstacles.

Uh, yeah he was. Look at that 12k XC photo. No way he was cracking 9:00 with that form.

You have it all analyzed from a still shot?

In any case, maybe I was unclear. I'm agreeing with you skeptics in that it was probably unofficial. I think the OP is basically saying that.

I'm just saying that I would guess a race happened where they approximated a 3000M steeplechase and when Pre crossed the finished line somebody's watch said 8:28. That seems plausible. I didn't mean to imply that I think Pre could run that time officially.