Tom Fleming -1973 and 1975 NYC Marathon champ - has passed away

my guess The Finn Pekka Päivärinta is the tall guy.

Runn262 wrote:

Here is one of my favorite marathon pictures from the 70's. Tom Fleming is next to Rodgers.

http://www.runnersworld.com/elite-runners/a-chance-for-salvation

Pic is from the 1976 NYC marathon...the first through the 5 boroughs. Rodgers, Fleming, Chris Stewart, Gunther Mielke(I think), Kvalheim, Akio Usami and Carl Hatfield.

wineturtle wrote:

my guess The Finn Pekka Päivärinta is the tall guy.

It's not Paivarinta Tom, It's Kvalheim who was about 6'6". He's also wearing a Norwegian uniform.

Pekka ran with a hat all the time and was considerably shorter.

Steve on a cell in Brooklyn wrote:

wineturtle wrote:

my guess The Finn Pekka Päivärinta is the tall guy.

It's not Paivarinta Tom, It's Kvalheim who was about 6'6". He's also wearing a Norwegian uniform.

Pekka ran with a hat all the time and was considerably shorter.

I guessed > posted and then googled Pekka Päivärinta not him. missed the uniform thing. Knut, with his moustache, it is good eye!,

. . . so many memories from those Harry made a sign and Joe's brought the cigar box days.

thanks

•wineturtle

• RE: Youngsters do not run road races any more? 3/1/2006 12:29PM - in reply to TFFlyer

wineturtle

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TFFlyer wrote:

Wineturtle ... I know I'm a dinasaur, but the road race scene is so different today. I'm actually sick of my sport being the "official charity event" for the world! How about a road race raising money for road running?

TF

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Hey TFFlyer,I think you have a great point road race to raise money for roadracing......that is exactly what Klienerman ,Corbitt,Steiner,Lahey and the boys had in mind when they moved the Cherrytree to the park.

Tom

Read more:

http://www.letsrun.com/forum/flat_read.php?board=1&id=1243697&thread=1239884#1243697#ixzz4ewzYGLBi

wineturtle wrote:

my guess The Finn Pekka Päivärinta is the tall guy.

I believe you are correct after reading the link. Given Shorter was 5-11,He's gotta be 6-3" and 180, def. Not McDonald. Guys a big Pekka.

Yes big Pekka, but Fleming had Huevos Grande.

patti wrote:

Of course, Billy is still sleeping and we were already to get going before it got too hot to go out for the morning run, We're all moaning and groaning waiting for him to wake up. Tommy taps on the bedroom door..."Knock, knock, knock...time to get up and take your medicine"...Billy is out in a flash and off we go....

Hodgie-san wrote:

I woke up to TF's knocking on the door and then his voice, "Bobby, time for your medicine" By the time we got to the end of the first block TF was 2-3 steps ahead of me and there he generally stayed or other days I only tried to keep him in sight..

The back story that keeps on giving.Whenever I stayed at Hodgies house, I was always awakened for my morning run with "malmo, it's time for your medicine..."

Now I know who originated the wake-up call. Thanks, Patti and Hodgie! God bless you, Tom Fleming,

CheechNChong wrote:

wineturtle wrote:

my guess The Finn Pekka Päivärinta is the tall guy.

I believe you are correct after reading the link. Given Shorter was 5-11,He's gotta be 6-3" and 180, def. Not McDonald. Guys a big Pekka.

It is Knut Kvalheim

Paivarinta(next to Neil Cusack):

https://media.aws.iaaf.org/media/LargeP/c2d2924e-0528-4c7e-81db-0a649e4cbc0d.jpg?v=1708984436

Kvalheim (683) and Paivarinta (292) in '76 Olympic 5000m final.

http://media.gettyimages.com/photos/bronze-medallist-klauspeter-hildenbrand-leads-knut-kvalheim-of-norway-picture-id504663834

Tom's memorial service will be held Sunday April 30, 2017 at 10 AM Montclair Academy, NJ.

Somehow I only learned about Tom's passing this morning. Shocked! And saddened!

I'm replying to Hodgie-sans post since I was a lucky Miami Masters runner, living and teaching/coaching in Coconut Grove, who often got picked up in the middle of their afternoon runs. It was some of the best and most enjoyable training runs I ever did. And as so many others have recounted, Tom was always genuinely interested in how I was doing and was encouraging.

I clearly recall how upset the elite guys were about Carter's boycott of the Olympics. If he wanted to punish the Soviets for invading Afghanistan he could have banned wheat sales to them. But that would have upset lots of farm state voters. U.S. Olympians were a much smaller voting bloc - with no high-powered lobbyists.

Bob, if you read this, is my memory correct that Tom trotted through the Orange Bowl marathon that year, stopped for a burger and a dip in someones pool and still finished in the 2:40s. I know he trained his tail off for years, but he always seemed to love running.

Nice to hear from you Gainesville Miami guy. I believe TF had arranged the training camp with the management of the OB Marathon.

A group that came down for the race including TF did a series of running clinics and the house was arranged as a base.

I arrived there later from my Tampa base just before Tom & I headed to Japan. When we got back O wound up staying for a month.

Tom and I were quite different personality but right in synch when it came to running.

He packed in a lot of living in his 65 years. Truly missed a part of a special era for American runners.

Hope you are well. Shalom

Hodgie-san wrote:

Nice to hear from you Gainesville Miami guy. I believe TF had arranged the training camp with the management of the OB Marathon.

A group that came down for the race including TF did a series of running clinics and the house was arranged as a base.

I arrived there later from my Tampa base just before Tom & I headed to Japan. When we got back O wound up staying for a month.

Tom and I were quite different personality but right in synch when it came to running.

He packed in a lot of living in his 65 years. Truly missed a part of a special era for American runners.

Hope you are well. Shalom

As I recall, Basil Honikman, the Orange Bowl race director, got Burdines, the department store, to rent the house for you guys. My running buddy, Wayne Moor, may have handled the details. And we both ran the Nike marathon in Eugene where you ran your 2:10:59. That was awesome! If my aging memory is correct, you joined us afterwards at the motel pool.

At 79 I keep going - exercise and street bike, walking, push-ups etc. - but too many miles on Miami pavement led to replacing both hips. Wayne, at 65, is also crippled up as is our other best running buddy, Pat Chmiel, who won the first Orange Bowl marathon in '77. Seems like the best older runners - say 50+ - are guys who ran little in their 20-40 years. High mileage has a price. Geoff

It is Paivarinta from Finland. He finished 5th.

http://web2.nyrrc.org/cgi-bin/htmlos.cgi/25110.1.096766601813461480

patti wrote:

Tom's memorial service will be held Sunday April 30, 2017 at 10 AM Montclair Academy, NJ.

Thanks for the info

That's two New York City marathon winners that have died in the last month. Tom Fleming won in 1973 and 1975 (the last year it was held in Central Park) and Norbert Sander won in 1974 - (died last month).

The tall guy is Knut Kvalheim.your link confuses me, what does it take us to in regard to the Knuit question?

Runn262 wrote:

It is Paivarinta from Finland. He finished 5th.

http://web2.nyrrc.org/cgi-bin/htmlos.cgi/25110.1.096766601813461480