By Elliott Denman

   Two-time USA Olympian (1976-80) Clark Todd Scully Jr. died tragically in a 
trailer-truck accident in Big Island, Bedford County, Va. on Sept. 6th, 2021, a week shy of his 73rd birthday.

   One of America's greatest stars in the racewalking discipline of track and field,
Todd Scully - as he was known to all in his sport - excelled at all distances from 1 mile to 50 kilometers (31.1 miles) but is often best recognized as "the Roger Bannister of racewalking,"for his historic feat of walking one mile in 5:55.8 at the 1979 Millrose Games at New York's Madison Square Garden.

  Just as no runner had ever broken the "four-minute barrier" before Britain's Dr. Bannister ran 3:59.4 at Oxford in 1954, no racewalker had ever covered the mile in official circumstances under 6 minutes before Scully did it that epic night at
"the Garden."  And he did this shod in his famed trademark "Hush Puppies," ultra-light street shoes. 

  Todd's greatest racewalking successes were at these "sprints" but he went on to place 29tth in the 20K walk at the 1976 Montreal Olympic Games (after staying up with the lead pack much of the way) and then be named to the 20K team at the 1980 Trials but then sit out the Moscow Games in that boycott year.

  Todd was born in Princeton, NJ, Sept. 13, 1948 and went on Somerville, NJ High School and Lynchburg College in Virginia.   He joined the Shore Athletic Club of NJ in his high school days - first competing in the club's famed Lake Takanassee Summer Series - and remained a lotyal member of the club - which has produced an array of other Olympians - for the balance of his competitive career.

 He also competed for the All-Army team and for Team USA in multiple international events.  He earned National AAU individual gold medals eight times, at distances from 1 mile to 40 kilometers   Twice a competitor in the Pan American Games, he placed fifth at the Mexico City 20K in 1975 and third at 20K at San Juan in 1979.  Beyond all that, he represented his nation at five editions of racewalking's World Cup global team championship event.

  After his competition days, Scully was a highly successful coach at Virginia Tech University.   In his latter years, he worked the Big Island farm he'd acquired four decades earlier.   For many years, too, Shore AC hosted the Reilly-Scully Day Road Races in Long Branch, NJ, honoring both Scully and Bill Reilly, the Long Branch High School alumnus and 1968 USA 3,000-meter steeplechase Olympian.

 "To be certain, Todd was one of the greatest of Shore AC athletes, and we've had a lot of great ones, in all branches of

track and field," said Ray Funkhouser, the former Shore AC president and himself a national champion racewalker. "We've been totally saddened to hear of his passing,"

"Rest in peace, dear teammate Todd."

BEAUTIFUL ARTWORK DONE BY MARY BETH MCDONNELL OF AJEE' WILSON.
​WELL DONE, MARY BETH. MANY THANKS.

SANDY HOOK – The Shore Athletic Club is inviting local businesses, restaurants, professionals and Highlands residents to join their sponsorship program for the Jersey Shore Half Marathon, scheduled for Sunday Oct. 3 on Sandy Hook.


The Half Marathon is one of more than two dozen events hosted annually by the Shore Athletic Club, a more than 75-year old non-profit organization based in Monmouth County and designed to support running, walking, recreational and wellness events for youth through open and masters’ athletes.


David Friedman of Freehold, Erin O’Neill of Port Monmouth and Coach Joe Compagni of Highlands are the event directors for the race. They have invited local business from Highlands, Atlantic Highlands and Sea Bright to take advantage of the sponsorship offer and partner with the Club in presenting the event, which includes more than 700 athletes and spectators, as well as families and volunteers from the Sandy Hook area and beyond.


“This event draws athletes and spectators from throughout New Jersey as well as out of state,” said Compagni. “As a Highlands resident for more than 25 years, I know that our local businesses who are sponsors can benefit from the number of visitors who will be here that weekend looking for places to dine and relax. I’m sure they will appreciate an introduction to all the area offers in terms of business and professional services.”


Our communities have always been generous to our non-profit organization and to the programs we offer for youth in particular, the coach continued, so offering them a sponsorship of this major event is a way of saying thanks to them for their continued support.


The Short Athletic Club offers three levels of sponsorship ranging from $75 to $250 or more in gift certificates or merchandise. In return, the Shore A.C. will promote the contributing sponsors in their event flyers, e-mails, and social media posts which are seen by participants, club members throughout the Northeast, and event volunteers. Some sponsorships also enable the sponsor to set up a vendor table the day of the race (within Sandy Hook guidelines), and receive a free race entry, among other benefits.


“We want to let those outside the area know that our towns and the Sandy Hook area are not simply a great place to go in the summer,“ Compagni said. “Keeping visitors aware of the variety and plethora of businesses we have, we can extend the season for our local companies and let our visitors know of some of the events and activities that keep people coming back here throughout the year.”


Founded in 1934, the Shore A.C. has been overseen and directed for decades by Lifetime Trustee Elliott Denman, a 1956 Olympian and highly respected journalist with the Asbury Park Press. The Shore A.C. is dedicated to the vision of track and field as a lifetime sport and prides itself on being a club for all athletes and all seasons, with varsity and local men’s and women’s teams competing in every event within the sport and at every level from youth to Masters. Members have achieved in numerous levels, including Olympians and National and World Champions. The Club achieved numerous accolades during its first 30 years, and emerged as a larger and more vibrant club as it grew until today when there are more than 500 members. The Jersey Shore Half Marathon on Sandy Hook is one of the club’s signature events, the others being the popular George Sheehan Classic 5K the well-known Polar Bear Races, both in Asbury Park. ​

MAJOR CHEERS FOR MR. ELLIOTT GINDI, FOR HIS BRILLIANT 4:11 CLOCKING AT THE FAMED FIFTH AVENUE MILE, 9/12/21.

and FURTHER CHEERS FOR THE FIVE STALWART RUNNERS WHO REPRESENTED SHORE AC "on the avenue, Fifth Avenue."

with THE FAMED HARRY NOLAN RUNNING 6;54 AT AGE 74 AND ONCE AGAIN STARRING IN THE DR. GEORGE SHEEHAN MASTERS MILE, THE EVENT NAMED FOR THE
LATE, GREAT AND GLOBALLY RENOWNED SHORE AC HALL OF FAMER.

THEY FINISHED AS FOLLOWS:

Mr. Frank Ratti had been a truly terrific Shore AC marathoner.  He had been a truly terrific Bradley Beach lifeguard and always a stalwart
 in all his ventures into lifeguarding competitions - as rower, swimmer, and all that it took.  And an outstanding graduate of Asbury Park
High School and Montclair State University.

But "the Pacific Northwest lifestyle" came calling and so Frank moved north and west and eventually to Eugene, Oregon.

Eugene, of course, is "Tracktown USA" and so Frank and dear wife Barbara were officially appointed as
 "Shore AC Ambassadors to Tracktown USA."

As such, they are on the scene at almost all of "the big ones" at the wonderful new Hayward Field, most recently at the USA
Olympic Trials, Nike National Scholastics, followed by The Prefontaine Classic.

Frank reports as follows:

"Thompson-Herah, Ingebrigtsen shine in Pre Classic's record-setting return to Hayward Field" headlined our local Eugene Register-Guard
"The Pre Classic finally returned to Hayward Field after a three-year absence due to the stadium renovation and COVID-19."

(Lots of us saw it on TV, but Frank and Barbara were right there on the scene !)

Great  "Pre Classic" Moments:   "University of Oregon's  Hayward Field, 08/21/21. Oregon’s favorite son, Ryan Crouser (Tokyo and Rio Olympic Shot Put Champion) is meet-record-setting (23.15m) winner at the Prefontaine Classic; with six throws greater than 73’4” (22.37m), and each better than second place. And 20-year-old Norwegian demi-god Jakob Ingebrigtsen (Tokyo Olympic 1500m Champion) is Bowerman Mile winner at Prefontaine Classic (in Meet Record 3:47.24).  ..... both seen here during their very slow victory lap after the meet today.   

"The women's 800m saw "the Pride of Trenton New Jersey," 19-year-old Olympic Champion Athing Mu win in 1:55.04,
the 2021 World Leader, National Record, Meet Record, and Personal Best. 

Etc, etc, etc.

THE SMILES SAY IT ALL -  Flanking Coach Frank Harrison (left to right) at NJ Intrnational Meet are rising young Shore AC stars Liam O'Hara, Will Seijas, Ethan Ferraiola and Andrew Colbert.  Liam is a sophomore at University of Pennsylvania. Will a sophomore at Villanova, Ethan a sophomore at Bryant University, and Andrew a junior at Penn.    Best of all - they're all straight-A students.   (Photo courtesy of Mr. Frank Harrison)

We want to say “thank you/thank you/thank you” to all who took part in the 34th annual New Jersey International Track and Field Meet, held Saturday, August 7, 2021  at  The Peddie School Stadium in Hightstown, NJ, as athletes, coaches, sponsors, officials, volunteers and friends of a great event with a long, lustrous history.
 
The NJ International Meet, first staged by Shore Athletic Club as The Bob Roggy Memorial Meet in Holmdel, NJ in 1987, was back on the schedule after a year’s unfortunate delay necessitated by the ongoing Covid protocols.   While the meet did not attract the numbers it had in previous years, as we regrouped from the effects of the pandemic, we did bring it back amid all the adversity and that was the main thing!   The NJ International Meet was indeed back.!
 
All going well, we plan to stage a much bigger-faster-higher-stronger meet together with you in 2022. With your continued support, we’ll get it done !
 
MOST SINCERELY,  MR. ELLIOTT DENMAN    NJ NTL.MEET DIRECTOR EMERITUS
MR, DAVE  FRIEDMAN,   MEET DIRECTOR        MR. TIM BRENNAN, SITE DIRECTOR
            MR.  JOE COMPAGNI,  MEET COORDINATOR and ANNOUNCER
                       MR. MAURICE BELL, VIPER TIMING SERVICES
AND THE N.J. INTERNATIONAL GAMES COMMITTEE  &  SHORE AC TEAMMATES.
 
A Few Messages::::::
 
“I competed in the triple jump and thank you tremendously for a world-class run meet.  Just sorry that I did not know about this meet sooner in my lifetime.   Warmest Regards Nick Damal.”
“ Thank you for a great meet yesterday  All of your hard work help make the meet just a great time. Thank you. Carol Harrison.“   (Head shot put official and Shore AC official of year honoree.)
 
“Once again, I’m very happy to support the New Jersey International Meet.  Keep up the great work,” Joetta Clark Diggs, four-time USA Olympian, National Track and Field and NJ Hall of Fame inductee and NJ International Meet women’s 800 honoree.
“Just got back from Tokyo.  Saw the results.  Seems like a well-run meet, Warmly, Aliann Pompey.” Head coach St. John’s University, four-time Olympian and NJ International Meet women’s 400 honoree.
“The smiles say it all,  Coach Frank Harrison.”  (Smiling athletes Liam O’Hara, Will Seijas, Ethan Ferraiola and Andrew Colbert played starring Shore AC roles in their respective events.)

"Thank you very much for joining us at the 34th New Jersey International Meet , and congratulations on your performances! 
"We wish you all the best for more success, and we hope to see you again at the 35th New Jersey International Meet. We are already making plans for a full-scale event next year, likely in June or July, 2022,"  Coach Joe Compagni.

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 OUR NEW JERSEY INTERNATIONAL TRACK AND FIELD MEET
CHAMPIONS CROWNED AUG.7, 2021 AT PEDDIE SCHOOL WERE:
 
Frank Budd Memorial Men’s 100 -              James Bias, Jr.   GSTC               10.66
Dr. Matt Brown Open/Masters 100             Luxon Glor, Next Level AC     10.83
Andy Stanfield Memorial Men’s 200           James Bias, Jr.   GSTC              21.42
Larry James Memorial Men’s 400           Stefan Adams  Zenith Velocity    48.74
Art Smith Men’s Open/Masters 400            Ethan Ferraiola Shore AC        49.99
Rich Kenah  Men’s 800                                 Thomas Cooke   Kingsway TC  1:53.83
John Kuhi Men’s Open/Masters 800         John Carroll  Unattached          2:00.33
Harry Nolan/George Sheehan  Men’s Open/Masters Mile 
          Gary Rosenberg                                 Freedom/Garmin Runners           4:58.32
Elliott Denman   Men’s 1-Mile Racewalk  Christopher Renn   NJ Striders   7:53.86
Herbert Douglas Jr. Men’s Long Jump        Justin Kiefel,  Pittsburgh             7.35
Norman Tate Men’s Triple Jump                 Justin Kiefel,  Pittsburgh           14.87
Al Blozis Memorial Men’s Shot Put – Andrew Liskowitz, Middletown,NJ   18.99
 
Fred Thompson Memorial Women’s 100   Roxine Chambers, Baltimore   12.65
Andy Stanfield Memorial  Women’s 200    Roxine Chambers,Baltimore.   25.85.
Aliann Pompey Women’s 400            Tyler Howard    Schenectady,NY         59.97
Art Smith Open/Masters Women’s 400          Olivia Grace  Unattached   1:01.40
Joetta Clark Diggs Women’s 800         Fawzia  Kheir       Zenith Velocity    2:19.04
John Kuhi  Open/Masters Women ‘s 800             Christine Licata  GSTC    2:20.61
Chrissy Alessandro Shaheen Memorial Women’s Mile/
  Mary Conry Memorial Women’s Mile -           Maria Paul      Shore AC   10:37.22
Elliott Denman Women’s 1-Mile Racewalk  -   Maria Paul   Shore AC      11:55.24
Herbert Douglas Jr. Women’s Long Jump         Olivia Grace  Unattached      5.19
Norman Tate Women’s Triple Jump       Maya McDuffie  Next Level AC      11.31
Al Blozis Memorial Women’s Shot Put     Elizabeth  Yodakis Unattached    11.38
TOP MEET PERFORMANCES (BASED ON W.A. INTERNATIONAL SCORING TABLES)
MEN   Andrew Liskowitz             18.99 Shot Put       1061 Points
             James Bias Jr.                  21.42  200                 1007 Points
             Justin Kiefel                     7.35   Long Jump      997 Points
WOMEN   Roxine Chambers        12.65   100               867 Points.
                Roxine Chambers           25.85   200               865 Points
                Maya McDuffie               11.31 Triple Jump   845 Points
                Tyler Howard                  59.97    400                839 Points.