 SHORE AC FAMILY MOURNS PASSING OF LESTER WRIGHT JR.
It is with ultimate sadness that the Shore Athletic Club family announces the passing of illustrious teammate Lester Wright Jr. After a long, courageous and valiant battle with pancreatic cancer, Lester Wright Jr., a lifelong resident of Long Branch, NJ, passed away on Tuesday, May 4, 2021. Over at least four decades, he had played many major roles in the sport of track and field, and his Shore AC team, As a competitive runner, he was a key member of the Shore AC Masters relay teams that raced to many successes at locales from Madison Square Garden to Meadowlands Arena to the Penn Relays and major meets at widespread venues. As a top-notch track and field official, he was well known as one of the best in the sport. As a keen advocate for youth track and field development, he organized the Cosmic Track Club, and its many members from around New Jersey amassed an array of honors at local, regional and national Junior Olympic meets, as well as many others. But perhaps his successful - and praised - role was that of organizer and meet director of the annual Shore AC Youth Cross Country Series. These events, annually run on Sunday mornings, from early September to late October, typically at the classic Holmdel Park cross country course, attracted hundreds of young runners from around New Jersey, and sometimes neighboring states. invariably cheered on by their parents, coaches and friends. Multitudes of these runners were presented their medals after each race, and many more earned the coveted Shore AC trophies, awarded at the end of each season. "He did so much for so many; he played so many roles in our club's long success story," said Shore AC trustee Elliott Denman. "He was a very special gentleman." In keeping with the Wright family's wishes, all arrangements will be private. He is survived by his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Lester Wright Sr. of Long Branch, NJ, and other family members. Mr. Wright Sr., now 99, is himself a Shore AC Masters star, with his epic triumph in the Penn Relays special Masters 100-meter dash for men 75 and over some two decades ago one of ihis many athletic successes. Lester Jr., of course, was there to see that happen, as were over 50,000 fans at Franklin Field and a worldwide television audience. There was no greater pride than that shared by father and son that well-remembered April Saturday afternoon in Philadelphia. Friends, teammates and associates are invited to send messages to Mr. Lester Wright Sr. at 4 Chelton Way, Long Branch, NJ 07740; or by email to ledel581@msn.com, or by phone to 732-222-1934.
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 "Track and field lost one of its greatest advocates and fans with the passing of Ed Grant, a long-time journalist who covered the sport at all levels and was a regular at many of the Northeast's major events for seven decades.
Grant, 94, died May 4 in Scotch Plains, New Jersey, and he leaves a legacy as a widely respected writer who attended more than 140 editions of the Penn Relays and Millrose Games in his lengthy career. He was the unofficial historian of New Jersey track and field, with more than 80 years of involvement in the sport beginning in 1938 as he attended his first meet at age 12. After competing in track and field as a high schooler at Jersey City's St. Peter's Prep, Grant went on to St. Peter's College, and in 1946 he attended his first of 74 consecutive Penn Relays. Starting in 1945, he was present at more than 70 straight Millrose Games. His work as a journalist included stints at the Jersey Journal, Newark News and the Star-Ledger, and he also put in more than 30 years at the Archdiocese of Newark's paper, the Advocate. In addition to newspaper work, Grant was a regular contributor to Track & Field News magazine and he published the New Jersey Track and Field Annual and monthly newsletter for more than 40 years. An inaugural member of the National High School Track & Field Hall of Fame, Grant was honored by the Penn Relays with the Jesse Abrahamson Award, and the Armory in New York City presented him with the Stan Saplin Award, both of which recognize journalists who have shown a devotion to track and field. Grant and his wife, Catherine, were married for 63 years until her death in 2014, and they had four children. Services are scheduled for May 17 at Our Lady of Peace Church, 111 South Street, New Providence, New Jersey. Visitation will be held May 16 at the Ippolito Funeral Home, 7 Summit Ave., in Summit, New Jersey." written by the USATF national office  GABRIELE RAN A PB TODAY AT UVA. HE HAS BEEN TRAINING HARD AND PROMISED A PR AND HE DID IT! HE IS NOW #2 ON THE SHORE AC LIST BEHIND KEMEL THOMPSON 48.05 IN 2003 AT THE CRYSTAL PALACE.
 What a great day yesterday, a perfect track day, 70 degrees, sun and no wind. We had seven teams taking up all the lanes as the CBA track, and a great competitive masters 4 x 400 relay, followed by a five team 4 x 200 fun relay. Everybody ran great. Top highlights were Plaster and Nolan running times that equaled there age (a goal of most masters track runners), Diane DeOliveira's sparkling 66 second anchor for Bell N Motion, Bill Hughe's speedy lead off legin the 4 x 200, and great runs by the SAC women's 60's teams (most who never ran a relay before) and the men's 70's team, made up of mostly 75 to 79 year old's. All of this under the watchful eye of the old master himself, Elliott Denman. Special thanks to Mo Mozee for the timing and keeping track of all of the teams, and Coach Joe and Scott
for also getting times and working with the club women on handoffs. Also a great overall win by the Hazlet Track Club. Looking forward to the 4 x 800 in a few weeks. Harry The following are the team and individual times from Mo's timing machine tape: Shore A.C. "A" Shore A.C. "B" Shore A.C. 70's Keith McQuitter (68.54) Brian Hill (66.76) Tom Delisa (90.55) Tony Plaster (69.97) Harry Nolan (74.48) Prezemek Nowicki (98.54) Chris Monroe (88.86) Andy Hicks (72.85) John Kuhi (2:26.95) DanCampbell (66.72) Rob O'Rourke (92.67) Hugh Sweeney (91.86) Team Times: 4:54.4 5:03.46 7:07.54 Shore A.C. Women 40/50 Shore A.C. Women 60's Bell N Motion Karyn Baig ( 75.02) Sue Patla (89.89) Joan (71.06) Christine Hill (85.62) Kim Hart (99.83) Mercedes (71.42) Christie Nie (81.22) Kathy Packowski (98.50) Karen (74.41) Leslie Nowicki (91.87) Diane Rothman (99.45) Diane DeOliveira (66.91) Team Times: 5:36.42 6:29.27 4:43.08 Hazlet Track Club Paul Henry (71.06) Pete Chechel (63.68) Jamie McCarthy (68.84) Greg Calhoun (61.40) Team Time 4:24.98 Thank you to Harry Nolan for this write up and organizing the event for our club members! |
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May 2021
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