H. Browning Ross: April 26, 1924 - April 27, 1998 Enjoying the festivities at the South Jersey Athletic Club's Browning Ross tribute dinner March 11 in Westmont are, from left, president Bill Alford, vice-president Jack Moskovitz, H. Browning Ross, runners Amy McKenna and Jack Heath. 'Brownie' Was One Of A Kind by William H. Kile III There will never be another one like H. Browning Ross. He truly was one of a kind. The running community has truly lost a great man, a person who meant so much to so many. This issue of the Runner's Club Newsletter was supposed to look back at a night of joy and happiness for Browning and his family with the March tribute dinner. Instead, we're saying good-bye and how all too very soon it seems. Although I didn't get an opportunity to know Browning during the height of his athletic career, he was one of the kindest and supportive persons I have ever met. I had the good fortune to know him as a race director, as well as a high school track and field official and coach. When I first started writing about running more than a decade ago for The Central Record newspaper, I used to go to Brownie's Summer Series at Gloucester County College on a regular basis with my father and report on the races, which always seemed to be won by Chuck Crabb. I remember riding with Brownie in his car during several Glassboro 10-Milers and getting first-hand accounts of races. It was really neat to see how the races developed and he was always sure I had all the results I needed. I also knew I could always count on a "quote" from Browning. He was always accessible to this young scribe. I had the good fortune to work as a timer on the finish line with Brownie at the Woodbury Relays Carnival the last couple of years. The other officials used to joke..."Make sure Browning is awake..." they would say, but I always knew otherwise. Browning probably was more in tune with what was happening than any of us. It was always interesting to hear his views on "today's athletes," and how the sport had changed since he was a star at Woodbury High School and later Villanova University where he earned national recognition as a two-time Olympian in the steeplechase. Browning gave so much to so many, and yet he never asked for anything in return. I can still see his smile and hear his distinctive laugh. He will sorely be missed - but never forgotten.

A Club Directory... Info. on Running Clubs in the Delaware Valley PINELAND STRIDERS CLUB President Vice Pres. Treasurer Secretary Membership Editor Bob Cannava Ian Stevenson Ken Dennis Linda Mosher Ted Hardies Susan Schmidt 778-3768 722-1945 261-5679 983-1954 596-1626 435-6058 NORTHEAST ROADRUNNERS CLUB 517 Oreland Mill Road Oreland, PA 19075 President Vice Pres. Treasurer Secretary Joe Kraher Mike McCloskey Bill O'Brien Jim Walker 639-3306 343-5838 698-2395 289-6285 BOARDWALK RUNNERS CLUB P.O. Box 2181 Ventnor, NJ 08406 (609) 601-1-RUN President Membership Editor Ed Altman Maria Kugel Barbara 601-9009 345-0250 822-6911 SOUTH JERSEY ATHLETIC CLUB President Vice Pres. Secretary Treasurer Membership Bill Alford Jack Moskovitz Ann Warsing Ed Espensade John Weis 429-2869 667-5891 235-3083 261-1894 606-7196

Have You Heard? RCN Readers Share Their Favorite Races... "...Mount Penn Mudfest - they create a good atmosphere with a course for the beginner to slightly moderate level trail runner..." shares Christopher Fowles of Woodbury, NJ "...Moorestown Rotary 8K - fun, scenic route and its always held on Moorestown Day with sidewalk sales, music, games, etc..." writes Lori Flamini of Moorestown, NJ "...Whitesbog 10K and Cranberry Harvest 5-Miler (also at Whitesbog) - nothing compares to a run through the pines! Also Buzz's Tavern Shamrock 4-Miler - FREE hot dogs and beer - nuff said!..." comments Brian Mosher of Marlton, NJ "...St. Patty's race - there's a party afterward, a nice shirt and a chance to see all of my running friends..." reports Gene Newman of Egg Harbor Township, NJ

William H. Kile, Jr. Scholarship Winners Announced June 15 At Pennsauken High by The Kid The second recipients of The William H. Kile, Jr. Humanitarian Scholarship Fund were announced in an awards' ceremony June 15 at Pennsauken High School. Candidates were nominated by the school's staff of 130 teachers. The scholarship committee, headed by Karen Katz and Barbara DeFranco, chose the four winners from a pool of nine senior candidates. This year's winners were graduates Kimberly Davies, Melanie Hedges, Timothy Killion and Thomas Nigro, all of whom received checks in the amount of $250. The scholarship winners from the Howard Pfeifer Middle School were Robert Rosenheim and Fantasia Brown. They each received $50 checks. To be considered for the humanitarian scholarship, the senior must exemplify the qualities for which Bill Kile, Jr. was so noted and loved. These qualities include, but are not limited to, kindness, compassion, selflessness, thoughtfulness, and a consistently positive and upbeat manner. Last year's recipients were Kieu Cao, Emmett Dweh and William Smith. Pennsauken's senior class consisted of 309 graduates this year.

Woodbury Honors Ross With Benjamin-Ross 5K by Jerry Nolan Three years ago, Browning Ross assisted in organizing the George Benjamin 5K race. A friend of Browning's, Benjamin introduced the two-time Olympic steeplechase runner to the sport. Later, Benjamin was posthumously awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor in World War II. Following Ross' death in April, race officials decided to expand the race to honor Browning. Kevin Weatherill, 19, of Swedesboro captured the fourth annual Benjamin-Ross Memorial 5K race Sunday, June 7. A member of the Bucknell University cross country and track teams, Weatherill led the field of 86 finishers with his winning time of 15 minutes and 52 seconds. Sharon Schilling, 28, of Pitman was the first woman to finish. She came in at 17:42.

Remembering Browning... by Jane Hoopes Harrison Browning Ross was a dear friend to everyone who knew him. Many people in the running community have already expressed their feelings of regret with his loss. My husband, Gene, and I first became acquainted with Browning in 1978. As a new female runner, I would attend Browning's series almost weekly. Browning, who was the founder of the Road Runners Club of America 40 years ago, often used his unique humor to encourage me to strive harder. His races would always be "highly-competitive fun runs." One piece of instruction I remember him telling me was not to take too long to run because he wanted to get home in time for dinner. I have Browning to thank for many of the lasting friendships I've established over the years. When Gene and I decided to open Athlete's Korner in Hammonton, NJ, Browning introduced me to the manufacturer representatives he had been dealing with at his store - Sports East in Woodbury. Rather than treat us as competitors, Browning was there to offer advice, suggesting what I should stock and when to make purchases. We often traded stock and bought merchandise together. When it came time to close our store, Browning took what merchandise we had left and sold it on consignment. He kept records of each sale on scraps of paper and would always have the exact amount of money for each sale. Although Browning kept his life simple, he always seemed amazed at the advancements made in the technology used for timing road races. It was Browning who encouraged Gene and I to get involved in that end of the business and he would recommend our company - Athlete's Korner Sports Timing Systems - to race directors looking for clocks and equipment. He would often help out himself, volunteering at races by helping pulling tags or doing results. Our Thanksgiving turkey trot was inspired by Browning. We, in turn, helped Browning out with his summer running camps in Medford for several years. Many athletes who attended his camps are still fine runners today. One thing that really impressed us was that no matter how many months went by between the time we saw each other, Browning was always happy to see us. No matter what the circumstance, we could always catch up on family, friends, life, etc. Browning possessed the gift of unconditional love. For years, Browning had encouraged me to become a state-certified track and field official, but there was always other commitments that prevented me from attending class. This year, I finally decided to follow Browning's advice. It was ironic that on the night of his tribute dinner I was taking my officials' exam - and I passed. I feel the best way to honor Browning's memory would be to keep things simple and practice his example of unconditional love. This poem, I believe, is an example of how Browning lived... Just for Today: I will let go of anger. I will let go of worry. I will give thanks for my many blessings. I will do my work honestly. I will be kind to my neighbor and every living being.

A Look Back... Highlights of Happenings at Area Races Cherokee Senior Wins Kings Grant 5K The sixth annual Kings Grant Outdoor Awareness Day 5K June 6 looked more like a training run for some area high school runners than a road race. Three members of the Cherokee boys' track team set the pace for the field of 41 finishers that competed on the fast and flat 3.1-mile loop course around Kings Grant. Senior Jeff Storch, 18, of Marlton won his first title here in 16:55, four seconds ahead of teammate Michael Caputi, 16, of Marlton. Another Chiefs' runner, David Sitzer, 17, finished third, a minute behind Storch in 17:55. "I sort of cruised (in the beginning) and he (Caputi) passed me and I let him go," said Storch, who led early in the race with a 5:10 first mile. Caputi made his move on Storch and took as much as a five second lead just before the two-mile mark near the Richard L. Rice School on Crown Royal Parkway. "He passed me right at the end (approximately a quarter mile to go)," Caputi said of Storch. "I was happy with my time. It was my best for a road race." Amanda Eltringham, 19, a former standout runner at Bishop Eustace Prepatory School where she was a state Parochial A cross-country champion two years ago, won the Kings Grant women's title last weekend with her eighth-place time of 20:36. Christine Ermert, 30, of Marlton was the second woman finisher at 11th (21:59), followed by Dawn Kempton, 35, of Medford (18th - 23:18) in third. Eltringham now runs for Bloomsburg (Pa.) University, where she had impressive first seasons in cross-country and track. "This has been my first year injury-free," said Eltringham, who was the top-ranked freshman on the cross-country team last fall. "I ran at states and regionals. I hope to train and work hard over the summer and, hopefully, be one of the top runners on the (cross-country) team (in the fall)."

All-Group Finale Ends Track Year by The Kid Another scholastic track and field season drew to a close in New Jersey with the NJSIAA Meet of Champions June 3 at Frank Jost Field in South Plainfield. There were many outstanding performances on what turned out to be a unseasonably cool and windy evening. From a running standout, Haddonfield High School freshman Erin Donohue won the 3,200 in impressive fashion at 10:43.71. Donohue had won 800, 1,600 and 3,200 events at the state Group 1 championships a week earlier to lead the Lady Bulldogs to their first state title in school history. Boys' All-Group Results 400IM: Marqueth Tard, Trenton Central (53.25) 1.600: Ian Hahn, Manchester Township (4:17.84) 110HH: Todd Matthews, Notre Dame (13.52) 100: Tim Athill, Pleasantville (10.68) 3200: Murad Campbell, Overbrook (9:07.10) 400: Rob Gary, Lenape (47.85) 800: Joe Lewis, Pleasantville (1:53.62) 200: Anthony Davis, Plainfield (21.53) 4-by-400: Plainfield (3:18.37) Pole Vault: Chris Gates, New Providence (15-0) High Jump: Robert Jordan, Millville (7-0) Long Jump: Robert Jordan, Millville (22-10) Shot Put: Kevin DiGiorgio, Bayonne (67-8-3/4) Discus: Terrence Glover, Hamilton West (185-11) Javelin: Nick Serpico, Verona (198-6). Girls' All-Group Results 1600: Lindsey Gallo, Howell (5:04.38) 100HH: Sherese Price, Pleasantville (13.85) 100: Melisa Barber, Montclair (11.57) 3,200: Erin Donohue, Haddonfield (10:43.71) 400: Mikele Barber, Montclair (54.61) 800: Lauren McHale, Ocean City (2:12.77) 200: Mikele Barber. Montclair (24.00) 4-by-400: Willingboro (3:53.46) High Jump: Cheryl Burdick, Ramsey (5-8) Long Jump: Carlene Cummings, Dwight Morrow (18-5) Shot Put: Sarah Cullen, Red Bank (43-6-1/4) Discus: Melinda Boykin, Bridgeton (134-10) Javelin: Lynlee Phillips, Shawnee (142-0).

Race Spotlight... Bill Kile's Memorial Run On July 25 The featured race of this RCN issue is our own - the second annual Bill Kile's Memorial Run. This TAC-certified four-mile race will be held Saturday, July 25 at Cooper River Park in Pennsauken, NJ. The gun will go off at 9 a.m. "Interest has started to pick up the last month and we're looking forward to another great turnout," said race-director Bill Kile III. "We have some new sponsors this year and that is very exciting." Proceeds will benefit The William H. Kile, Jr. Humanitarian Scholarship Fund at Pennsauken High School. See the application for all the details. Hope to see you there!

Runner's Club Newsletter Bill Kile, III ("The Kid") Editor-in-Chief 550 Bilper Avenue, Apt. #6020 Lindenwold, NJ 08021 Phone (856) 309-1135 Want to get on our mailing list? Just send us an email with your name, address and phone number, or drop a postcard to the address above.