Paul C. Clerici - A History of the Falmouth Road Race: Running Cape Cod

Published by The History Press

Charleston, SC 29403

www.historypress.net

Copyright 2015 by Paul C. Clerici

All rights reserved

Front cover, clockwise from top left: Bill Rodgers. Photo by Charlie Rodgers; Tommy Leonard. Courtesy Falmouth Road Race Inc.; Joan Benoit Samuelson. Photo by Charlie Rodgers; Grand Avenue finish area in Falmouth Heights. Photo by Hugo Poisson, courtesy Falmouth Historical Society.

First published 2015

e-book edition 2015

ISBN 978.1.62585.425.4

Library of Congress Control Number: 2015939784

print edition ISBN 978.1.62619.894.4

Notice: The information in this book is true and complete to the best of our knowledge. It is offered without guarantee on the part of the author or The History Press. The author and The History Press disclaim all liability in connection with the use of this book.

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form whatsoever without prior written permission from the publisher except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews.

I dedicate this book to my parents, Frank Clerici Sr. and Carol Hunt-Clerici; my brother and sister-in-law, Frank Clerici Jr. and Regina Clerici; and my late brother, David Clerici.

I wish to also dedicate this book to my godparents, Alice Priesing and the late Edwin Priesing, longtime Falmouth residents who embody the warmth, love, and sense of community that fills Cape Cod.

CONTENTS

FOREWORD

Im the luckiest bartender in the whole world. I am probably also the worst bartender in the world. If you ever saw me tend bar in the Eliot Lounge, I had a beer for every customer lined up so I wouldnt break the rhythm of my conversation.

The Falmouth Road Race. I love Falmouth. I get so excited. I had that fire of desire then. I love promoting different kinds of things. I dont have that anymore, but I loved it. It wasnt just me. It took a lot of people. The CarrollsJohn and Luciaand Rich and Kathy Sherman. They really did it all. It wasnt me. I may have gotten it going, but I cant do that. They did.

I think of the Crowley family and Billy Crowley of the Captain Kidd. He was one of the big local supporters when I approached him about the race. Billy was a very humble human being. He didnt want any fanfare; he wanted to keep it quiet. But I cant. I love the Crowley familyMaggie, Billy Jr., Jamie, Ellenthe whole Crowley clan.

George Robbat and the Brothers 4 bar. Thats where it all started. And thats where the party ended, too.

Joe Concannon of the Boston Globe and John Jocko Connolly of the Boston Herald did so much for the sport with their stories. John Powers as well, as a writer for the Globe. Now their stories are cut; they dont have the space. Theyre limited. I miss that. I still have their articles. They were great. I love reading the newspapers. Im not into high tech. I have a cellphone, and all its good for is if Im falling and I cant get up. Im not into Twinkies or Twitters or whatever it is. Were losing our social skills. But Im going off the track.

And Kenny Moore. He wrote a beautiful story in Sports Illustrated. Ill never forget that. That was a big thing in 1978.

You know, Joe Concannon was the one who made this race. He went to his supervisor/editor, Tom Mulvoy, and he convinced him to bring the helicopter down. Oh boy, when the Globe put this big picture in the paper of the race! It was from the air. Falmouth! Was that a sight! Then, all of a sudden, Channel 4 (NBCs Boston affiliate), Channel 5 (ABC), and Channel 7 (CBS) all brought their helicopters.

Billy Rodgers, Frank Shorter, Joanie Benoit Samuelson. They did it. They really put this thing on the map. And Billy Squires. All the Greater Boston Track Club guys who came down. They really gave us some integrity. They made it a race.

But what really ignited it, in my feeling, was when Perrier put the money up for it in 1977. We were working with a nonexistent budget. We needed money, and I went to Perrier in New York when it was hot as hell out. They gave me a check for five thousand bucks! Can you imagine?

And everyone in Falmouththe businesses. They gave me prizes and donations for years. Don Aiken of the Medieval Manor restaurant, which was part of the Eliot Lounge, donated one thousand oranges one year, and he gave me the week off with pay. He did an awful lot for the race, quietly. And the Jarvis family of the Quarterdeck Restaurant in Falmouth, regarding employment, the race, and the walk. Theyve given me carte blanche for years and years.

See, it wasnt just me. It was the community. The people in Falmouth. People. Im a very lucky, fortunate guy. I cant run anymore, but I made a lot of friends with running.

Years ago, runners throughout the country sent me to the track and field trials in Eugene, Oregon. Twenty-five guys! Half of them I didnt even know! I was treated like a VIP. I had the best seat in the house at Hayward Field. I had my own TV at the University of Oregon to watch the trials. I was escorted around because I cant walk very well. Open bar! They flew me out first class! I cant complain.

Im blessed. I have so many fond memories and friends from running. Thats what its all about.

TOMMY LEONARD

Falmouth Road Race founder,

January 2015

(as told to Paul C. Clerici)

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

For their exceptional assistance, storytelling, and/or use of memorabilia, I thank Anita Bibeau, John Carroll Jr., Lucia Carroll, Tommy Leonard, Bill Rodgers, Charlie Rodgers, Brian Salzberg, Kathleen Sherman, and Richard Sherman, as well as the Falmouth Historical Society Archive at the Falmouth Museums on the Green (especially Meg Costello and Mark Schmidt), Falmouth Road Race Inc. (especially Matt Auger and Jennifer Edwards), Litchfield Hills Road Race Inc. (especially Rick Evangelisti, Beth Murphy, and Bill Neller), and Woods Hole Historical Museum (especially Susan Witzell).

I also want to truly thank Donald Abt, Gabriele Andersen, Dick Beardsley, Mike Bennett, Rich Benyo, Suzy Bergmann, Courtney Bird, Craig Blanchette, Adam Bleakney, Sebastian Bonaiuto, Kathy Boyer, Stan Bratskeir, Henry Brown, Amby Burfoot, Lisa Buster (for facilitating the Catherine Ndereba interview), Greg Conigliaro, Colleen Coyne, Maggie Crowley, Don Delinks, Joseph DelliCarpini, Jeremy DEntremont, Colleen De Reuck, Dan Dillon, Patti Dillon, Rod Dixon, Bill Dougherty, Eddie Doyle, Fred Doyle, Dave Duba, Mark Duggan, Tabitha Dulla, Rick Favier, Christine Frazier, Harry French, Jack Fultz, Karen Gillespie, Scott Graham, Tom Grilk, Suzy Favor Hamilton, Jim Hansen, Libbie Hickman, Bill Higgins, Jay Hill, Bob Hodge, Dick Hoyt, Robert Jarvis (and the Quarterdeck Restaurant), Lynn Jennings, Deena Kastor, Meb Keflezighi, Lornah Kiplagat, Maurice Kornreich, Ed Kozloff, Leo Kulinski Jr., Doug Kurtis, Robert Levitsky, Don Lincoln, Marty Liquori, Steve Liquori, Terrence Mahon, Dick Mahoney, Bonnie Maresh, Jack McDonald, Tatyana McFadden, Dave McGillivray, Jordan McNamara, Greg Meyer, Lorraine Moller, Jill Moore, Catherine Ndereba, Ali Neller, Bruce Nevins, Robert Oldale, Tony Pasek, Pete Pfitzinger, Hugo Poisson, Toni Reavis, Brett Reel, Suzanne Sweeney Reilly, Jen Rhines, Don Ricciato, Charlotte Richardson, Debbie Richie, Mike Roche, Henry Rono, Alberto Salazar, Ambrose Salmini, Joan Benoit Samuelson, Krige Schabort, Jan Colarusso Seeley, Frank Shorter, Andy Smith, Geoff Smith, Kristine Smith, Coach Bill Squires, Nancy Sweeney, Randy Thomas, Robert Thompson Jr., Carrie Tollefson, Mary Anne Threadgold, Jennifer Tuthill, David Vallee, Craig Virgin, Dick Wiklund, and Sunita Suni Williams. And for research and reference, my grateful appreciation to all those listed under the Websites section in the bibliography.