Posted on 10/15/2004 11:10:49 AM PDT by Land_of_Lincoln_John
Wrote to BAA, this is what I got back.
Dear Mr. S.
It was reported (Summer 2004) to the B.A.A. by aides of the John F. Kerry campaign for President of the United States that the Democratic nominee ran the Boston Marathon in the late 1970s [1977, 1978 or 1979 most likely]. He reportedly ran as an unofficial entrant and finished the entire 26.2-mile race (i.e., without an official bib number); as an unofficial participant, his performance (name, place, time) would not appear among the official record or in any results book publication. Beginning with Kerry's role as Massachusetts Lt. Governor during the Dukakis administration, the presidential hopeful has been involved with the world's oldest annual marathon on various levels: as ceremonial official starter from Hopkinton, as part of the finish line ceremonies and crowning of the champions with the traditional olive wreath and diamond-studded gold medal, and supporter of the wheelchair division.
Accurate as of Oct. 6 , 2004 with the information provided to the B.A.A.
Thank you for your question.
Sincerely,
Jack Fleming
Director of Communications
Boston Athletic Association
40 Trinity Place, 4th floor
Boston, MA 02116
-----Original Message-----
From: Robert S
Sent: Tuesday, October 05, 2004 2:01 PM
To: Mile27
Subject: John Kerry's number when he ran the marathon
Hello,
I wondered if this information was available to you.
John Kerry ran the marathon sometime in the 70's.
Is it possible to find out what year, what his number was, and the time he finished?
Thank You,
Robert S
Posted by: Robert S at October 6, 2004 10:26 AM
I edited some of the personal information from the message posting.
Okay, my opinion is Kerry is lying again, Christmas in Cambodia, his "medals and ribbons," it never ends. Do we want this pandering clown as president?
John Kerry did not run the Boston Marathon. Now, why is the Boston Athletic Association, which organizes the world's most prestigious marathon, covering for Kerry? To be fair, it's not a great idea to p*ss off a sitting US Senator, even John "Five Bills in Twenty Years" Kerry. But did the BAA cross the line to get an early Iowa John Kerry supporter into the Boston Marathon for political reasons? This was orginally posted in US News and World Support in March 2003, but can be found on Roger Simon's blog:
Which is why Jerry Crawford, a Des Moines lawyer, fundraiser and the chair of Kerry's Iowa campaign, is sitting in Kerry's Georgetown basement, dialing the phone and feeding him chance after chance to be likable where it counts.
"OK, this is going to be Matt McCoy," Crawford says, after putting the call on hold. "You met him. He believes the South Side activists may all break one way."
Des Moine's South Side is ethnic, union, and Democratic and State Sen. Matthew McCoy and his family are very, very big deals there.
Kerry, who can talk knowledgeably on everything from monetary policy to missile throw weights chooses a little more pedestrian issues for McCoy. "I hear you just ran the San Diego marathon" Kerry says. "What was your time?"
"4:16," McCoy says.
"That's great, great," Kerry says. "I remember my first Boston Marathon…it's a great run. You've got to come to Boston and do it."
"I gotta qualify," McCoy says with a laugh.
"If you want to come and do it, I can get you a number if you want to run this year," Kerry says.
"Fan-tas-tic!" McCoy says. "That is dynamite."
"I mean, seriously, tell me serious if you want to do it," Kerry says. "Cause I'll get you one."
Who says John Kerry is a frozen fish? Not Matt cCoy! "I think Iowa is looking great for you," McCoy says.
"Can I get you committed?" Kerry asks.
"Absolutely!" McCoy says.
"That's fabulous," Kerry says. "That's enormous. I mean, that is really huge. Thank you. You've made my day. Take care of yourself. And keep in training cause we're going to get you into Boston!"
"You are going to be the next president, there is no doubt in my mind!" says McCoy.
"All right buddy. Take care. Thanks," says Kerry.
The next day, McCoy will get a call from a Kerry staffer telling him that on April 21 he is going to be running in the Boston Marathon.
"No, I could not have qualified on my own; I am a little too slow," McCoy later tells me. "This was Massachusetts-style politics."
Do any Hawkeye FReepers know if Matt McCoy's support was crucial for Kerry after the January Dean implosion? Is Matt McCoy the man who launched the face of a 1000 flip-flops? Inquiring minds want to know!!! Did the Boston Marathon favor put Kerry over the top in Iowa?
Of course, this did not get unnoticed in Boston. This was originally posted in the Boston Globe, I can't access the original article, but it was posted on Free Republic last year:
Kerry makes a swift Marathon move (Ketchup Boy's Boston Marathon Affirmative Action Program)"
The relevant passage, where the BAA's Jack Fleming is again at the center of the storm:
'No, I could not have qualified on my own; I am a little too slow,'' McCoy told US News. ''This was Massachusetts-style politics.'' That's not quite true, said Jack Fleming , spokesman for the Boston Athletic Association, which hosts the marathon. Kerry - who has run the Boston Marathon and been a huge supporter of the race, particularly the expansion of the wheelchair division - has never abused his relationship with the race's organizers, he says. ''It's an invitation race,'' said Fleming, pointing out that running clubs, charities, and others - including the media - are given numbers to participate. When asked if it was rare for Kerry to call to get someone in the race, Fleming said, ''It's an exceptional circumstance for him to make a request.''
Last year the BAA was saying Kerry did run the Boston Marathon. Matt McCoy, to my knowledge, did not run for any charity in Boston in 2003. Kerry got him in.
Anyway, in my opinion Kerry and the Kerry campaign have some explaining to do, and so does the Boston Marathon, since they seem to an accessory to politital fixing, "Massachussets-style." And the BAA can give marathoners such as myself a straight answer to this question: Did John Kerry run and complete the Boston Marathon?
Of course he is lying. Anyone who has ever completed a marathon can tell you the date, his time, and his order of finish. He remembers where he was when he got his PHs....same thing..
I see a track record, but then I live in his state.
SPORTSMAN JOHN
By HOWIE CARR
_____
October 13, 2004 -- ON top of everything else, Sen. John F. Kerry is an out doorsman, although he wouldn't be so politically incorrect as to refer to himself in anything other than gender-neutral terms. So he's an "outdoorsperson."
At least, that's what he told Diane Sawyer on ABC a couple of weeks ago.
Kerry has been the butt of endless jokes over his Beautiful People leisure pursuits — windsurfing, hang-gliding, snowboarding, $8,000-bicycle riding, etc. And one of Bill Clinton's best-known post-mortems of the 2000 campaign was that Al Gore narrowly lost the pro-hunting states of Arkansas, Tennessee and West Virginia because he was seen as anti-gun.
There's not much Kerry can do about his 20-year anti-gun voting record. (Just last year, he supported a Ted Kennedy measure to tax ammunition.) And the National Rifle Association is already running ads showing that despite his windy rhetoric, in reality he is about as pro-Second Amendment as he is pro-life.
So when it comes to courting all those blue-collar outdoorspersons — those "regular folks," as he calls them — Kerry works the margins. All year he's been giving interviews that are, well, Kerry-esque, in their nuanced recollections of his days as a nimrod in the deep woods of Massachusetts.
In July, he told the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel that "I go out with my trusty 12-gauge double-barrel, crawl around on my stomach."
Crawling in the woods is tough, not to mention loud, work — which is why almost all hunters except Kerry prefer to either stand or climb up into tree stands.
"I track and move and decoy and play games and try to outsmart them."
He was presumably referring to deer, not voters. But Kerry, a "former law-enforcement person," as he is also wont to describe himself, seems to have forgotten that the use of decoys is forbidden under Massachusetts law. Just using a decoy deer can mean a fine of up to $100, 30 days in jail, and/or loss of hunting license.
In the current issue of Field & Stream, the outdoorsperson was asked about the biggest deer he'd ever killed — er, harvested.
"Probably an 8-pointer," Kerry replied, "something like that. Nothing terribly big." Actually, an 8-pointer would be a rather large kill to most hunters — the kill of a lifetime in fact.
But Bwana John wasn't done. "I once had an incredible encounter with the most enormous buck — I don't know, 16 points or something. It was just huge. And I failed to pull the trigger at the right moment. I was hunting down in Massachusetts, on the Cape."
The Massachusetts Division of Fisheries and Wildlife doesn't keep such statistics, but an open invitation on the radio for calls from Cape hunters turned up no one who had ever glimpsed such a 16-pointer in Barnstable County.
Kerry, meanwhile, is now running behind in all of the swing hunting states Gore lost in 2000, so he's also trying to broaden his appeal to outdoorspersons who enjoy other sports.
For instance, he reminisced with ESPN about his career at Yale: "We had a great lacrosse team my senior year at college." According to the 1966 Yale yearbook, Kerry was indeed on the lacrosse team — the junior varsity.
Then there's marathon running. Kerry claims to have once run the Boston Marathon. This is proving as hard to verify as the 1968 Christmas in Cambodia that he said "seared, seared into my memory." So far, he has told more versions of his Marathon run than Rosie Ruiz:
ESPN last July: "I ran a marathon back in '80, something like that. Did the Boston Marathon."
Runner's World, November issue: "Ran the Boston Marathon in the '70s, but said he doesn't recalls his time, and no official record exists."
Boston University Daily Free Press, 2002: "Kerry, who fired the starter's pistol . . . lamented the fact that time constraints had made it impossible for him to run in the Marathon, which he participated in 20 years ago."
Most runners can remember every major marathon they've run, not just the year, but their time, and where they finished. But John Kerry doesn't even recall the decade in which he ran the biggest race of his life.
Maybe his memory has failed him because those were the same years in which he was busy tracking the biggest game of all — rich heiresses.
Howie Carr is a Boston Herald columnist and nationally syndicated talk-radio host.
There are bigger fish to fry. Unless it can be proven that Kerry was elsehwhere each day of the marathon from 1976 and onward, they have an out. Pursuing it will look petty and especially if a picture surfaces. One might even get faxed in from Kinko's to prove the point. Keep the focus on his known record were facts can't be obscured especially as the clock runs down.
Just like his foray into Cambodia...off the record.
In 1979 a lawyer saw Kerry barely finish a 5km road race in 1979
The Kerry litany keeps growing: Christmas in Cambodia, crawling on his belly with his trusty 12-gauge hunting for deer, running the Boston Marathon, and his mother's dying words of 'integrity, integrity, integrity'.
BTW, almost any marathoner can tell you the year and the exact time it took them, especially if it was a one-time event for them.
The Kerry litany keeps growing: Christmas in Cambodia, crawling on his belly with his trusty 12-gauge hunting for deer, running the Boston Marathon, and his mother's dying words of 'integrity, integrity, integrity'.
BTW, almost any marathoner can tell you the year and the exact time it took them, especially if it was a one-time event for them.
"Runner's World, November issue: "Ran the Boston Marathon in the '70s, but said he doesn't recalls his time, and no official record exists."
Probably took the Green Line like Rosie Ruiz.
I've finished THREE..and felt the same after all of them.."like s**t"
This guy is a smooth, unprincipled blowhard. It is very difficult to tell what will get traction with those who either can't see this, or aren't totally wedded to the Demo-religion. I don't know if it is this, or "Dick Cheney's daughter is a .... Lesbian" or those fake football throws. Hopefully, the brain-numbed who haven't made up their minds will notice SOMETHING.
This reminds me of the scene in "Mister Mom," where the wife's boss asks the husband, Michael Keaton, about the electrical work he's doing in his house and whether he's putting in a "220" line. Keaton says, "220, 221, whatever it takes."
Eight point, 16 point, whatever it takes.
I don't believe for one instant the Poodle ever ran Boston or any other marathon, even as a bandit (unregistered runner). Boston's dirty little secret is that BAA does let some people run officially who haven't properly qualified, and it really annoys those who did the hard work necessary to meet the time standard (case in point, my husband, who has run Boston several times). In Kerry's case, however, it is evident from the statement of the BAA official that they didn't even do this for Kerry. They don't know whether he ran? Gee, he must have been a bandit? No way.
LOL!
(voice of Thurston Howell III) "Egad! The Green Line! Lovey! Has it come to this? Are we Paupers?"
At least Rosie showed up!
Howie calls Kerry Senator Liveshot for a reason. Had he actually run, how can any reasonable person think that he would not have cornered several TV cameras to record the run-- no matter what.
Yes! 220-211! That's great!
See the post below yours.
Bush ran a marathon too, Houston in the 1990s. Doesn't brag about it. An official record does exist of that!
How hard could it have been to get a bib number and get signed up? Mind you, that was well before the big running boom of the 1980s and 90s, so that marathon was no where near as crowded as it is these days - probably about like some of the bigger 10Ks are currently.
It's essentially a way of life. There is no friggin' way he ran it.
Hope he had kept himself in shape for the strain of all this.
Pretty darn hard to get a bib number. Again, this is the BOSTON marathon!!! For Kerry's age group in the late 1970s, he would've had to run a sub 3 hour race in a QUALIFYING marathon, meaning he would have had to run a prior marathon. Which one was that? In 1980, Rosie Ruiz's year, that time was 2:50. Charity exemptions came later in the 1980s.
AFAIK there are corps that sponsor the event which receive entries as well. So it's entirely possible for him to got it through one of Mama T's connections...
Bush run's the 5K in about 20:30 with breaking the 20 occasionally. There was a great article in Runners World about him...
This smelleth to high heaven. Hugh Hewitt commented on Kerry's Marathongate about a week ago, noting as other FR runners on this thread have that anyone who's ever run a marathon -- especially if it's only one -- could give you weather conditions, time, and a host of even the most miniscule details.
But, if you run it officially you get some type of letter, certificate of other recognition, right?
Indeed there was, and Bush was described as our "fastest president".
There you go.
His campaign aides state that he ran (may have run) as an "unofficial entrant". Or, to un-parse the statement: "he did not officially run in the Boston Marathon".
Official is official. He may have run on the same course as the Boston Marathon...but he did not run "IN" the Boston Marathon.
All that stuff, plus a finsher's medallion. Runners like myself keep all those kinds of things, until we die.
But perhaps Kerry threw his medallion over a fence? Ribbons, medals, medallions, these terms can be used interchangeably.
I sent the following to Jack:
Dear Jack,
Is the BAA verifying the fact that John Kerry in the 1970s ran in and completed the entire 26.2-mile Boston Marathon? (see below, in blue)*
Doesn't this written response document John Kerry's participation and completion of the race, an event that may never have happened, just like Cambodia?
I lived in Boston for 65 years, one block from the corner of Lake Street and Commonwealth for 35 of those years. I was at the Marathon every year except those I was in the service.
I know who and what John Kerry is. He soils everything he touches and now he he has touched the Boston Marathon.
I would like to know if you, as an official of the Boston Marathon, are stating that John Kerry ran in and completed the Boston Marathon? If so, I would like to know in what year this event occured and what documentation you have?
Regards,
PS
Florida
Retired
* Email from Jack Fleming
Dear Mr. S.
It was reported (Summer 2004) to the B.A.A. by aides of the John F. Kerry campaign for President of the United States that the Democratic nominee ran the Boston Marathon in the late 1970s [1977, 1978 or 1979 most likely]. He reportedly ran as an unofficial entrant and finished the entire 26.2-mile race (i.e., without an official bib number); as an unofficial participant, his performance (name, place, time) would not appear among the official record or in any results book publication. Beginning with Kerry's role as Massachusetts Lt. Governor during the Dukakis administration, the presidential hopeful has been involved with the world's oldest annual marathon on various levels: as ceremonial official starter from Hopkinton, as part of the finish line ceremonies and crowning of the champions with the traditional olive wreath and diamond-studded gold medal, and supporter of the wheelchair division.
Accurate as of Oct. 6 , 2004 with the information provided to the B.A.A.
Thank you for your question.
Sincerely,
Jack Fleming
Director of Communications
Boston Athletic Association
40 Trinity Place, 4th floor
Boston, MA 02116
I sort of took, simply for the sake of the argument, the premise that Kerry had been able to qualify (or even finish) and therefore would have no excuse. Naturally, I know he was no where near the marathon and therefore did not try to get a bib or signed up. ;)
Then, sad to say Beckwith, you know all about "Massachussets-style politics." And so does Jack Fleming.
They should be able to verify that!
Thaat's the first time I have seen the spin that Kerry was an unofficial entrant. I guess using that rationale, I guess anyone can say hean whatever marathon he wanted and we must accept it because he was an "unoffical participant." I subscribe the Runner's World and read the article. No mention was made about the contention that Kerry was an "unofficial participant."
What would be the reasoning behind running a marathon "unofficially," especially the Boston Marathon?
Only one I can think of..If you're a narcissistic putz, you'd worry about being embarassed if you either didn't finish, or ran a really bad time..then if you could run "unofficially" there'd be NO record of your dismal accomplishment. FWIW, after the Rosie Ruiz mess. they were pulling people off the course who didn't have the NUMBERS on their shirts..I don't think you could do it..
There you have it..."reportedly ran". No documentation of proof though..just the lying scumbag's word for it. We should believe him though..after all, he was a Vietnam Vet.
But this "reportedly" will be good enough for Dan Rather.
Kerry's Valet ran the Marathon carrying Kerry on his back.
By the way, has anyone seen his man servant lately?
As an "unofficial" participant, could it be that Mr. Kerry took a quick detour down a side street where a car was waiting for him, and magically showed up emerging from another side street somewhere near the finish line?
Ha ha, I cracked myself up with that last comment.
He has told one tall tale too many to be credible. Think about it-- how else could he have married 2 millionaire heiresses, the poorest of whom was worth a mere $300 million?
Rewind the video tape! If he did fire the pistol, you bet that he had the local TV there. Oh wait! He was anti-gun in those days! (sarcasm off)
I always wanted to be able to say something nice about Al Gore..now I can..Gore ran ther Marine Corps Marathon in 1999 or 2000..I think just over 4 hours..
Wow! Running in the Marine Corps Marathon is really something.
BTW - Why would you single out Al Gore to say something nice about? Just curious.
The man who invented the internet, was the role model for Love Stroy, and lowered the water level in a river for a phot op, among other things..he ran and finished his first marathon at age 50 or so. that's an effort worth praising..
LOL! You forgot the low flow toilets!
But isn't that the point: you just do not "drop in" on the Boston Marathon, right? Mr. M has qualified, has he not?
If you have ran in one, you have ran in many???? i ran the Roma Marathon and i will NOT ever run another marathon again. other than that, i agree!
There is an official record of Michael Dukakis completing the Boston Marathon. Same with Gore in Marine Corps (same race, different year) that Oprah ran. Oprah ran hers in 4:40 I think.
Didn't know that about Dukakis..impressive....
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