BROWNING ROSS
THE FATHER OF AMERICAN DISTANCE RUNNING
By
JACK HEATH
CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform
North Charleston, South Carolina
August 2017
343pp
To paraphrase an old saying, SUCCESS HAS MANY FATHERS.
Browning Ross, a truly great American distance runner, may well have been a father of New Jersey and the
Philadelphia area distance running, but it is just a bit of a stretch to call him THE parent of distance running in the
United States. The sport goes back too far and there were too many men before and during Ross’s time who ran
in, promoted and encouraged long distance running in this country.
Philadelphia area distance running, but it is just a bit of a stretch to call him THE parent of distance running in the
United States. The sport goes back too far and there were too many men before and during Ross’s time who ran
in, promoted and encouraged long distance running in this country.
Ross’s own history of running in almost weekly cross country, track or road races from high school days to well
after his Olympic and international competition proves the abundance of distance running sponsored by the
AAU and community enthusiasts. Heath cites, not all, but enough.
after his Olympic and international competition proves the abundance of distance running sponsored by the
AAU and community enthusiasts. Heath cites, not all, but enough.
This is not to say that Browning Ross didn’t make major contributions. Over and above his outstanding personal
running career there was:
running career there was:
His history of hosting, directing and officiating distance races for runners at the elementary, high school, college
and open levels
and open levels
His coaching career in running camps, high schools and colleges
His creation and publishing of the Long Distance Log, probably the best of the pre-running magazine publications,
for and about distance running
for and about distance running
His role in the creation of the Road Runners Club of America which expanded, far beyond the boundaries set by
the AAU, distance running opportunities for men AND women
the AAU, distance running opportunities for men AND women
Jack Heath’s book is clearly a labor of love and he is to be commended for the research and obvious effort and
affection he put into celebrating the running career of his high school coach and mentor during Heath’s own
coaching career. While doing so he also reveals an extremely talented runner, a young sailor in a World War, a
kind and caring man with a wicked sense of humor and a loving husband and father. Ross was clearly more than
a coach to Jack Heath. He was a competitor in races; a guiding hand in learning how to lead young men and a
lifelong friend.
His biography of Ross is not, however, a well written book nor an easy one to read. The author clearly needed a affection he put into celebrating the running career of his high school coach and mentor during Heath’s own
coaching career. While doing so he also reveals an extremely talented runner, a young sailor in a World War, a
kind and caring man with a wicked sense of humor and a loving husband and father. Ross was clearly more than
a coach to Jack Heath. He was a competitor in races; a guiding hand in learning how to lead young men and a
lifelong friend.
good copy editor to catch the numerous missing or mis-spelled words and names; the repetitious reciting of the
same events and reminiscences; the different personal record times and to manage continuity. Perhaps the
difficulty lies in the abundant quoted articles and personal remembrances of friends and fellow runners. At times
one can’t be sure who is actually speaking, the author or someone else. An editor with another set of eyes
would have added immensely to the quality and depth of the research.
However, old time distance runners will be happy to find in this volume familiar names, some long since forgotten,
of men who contributed to the growth of American distance running at the local level when fields were small and
races, especially in the Mid-West, were not as readily available as on the coasts. Such men were runners, race
organizers, chroniclers and, almost always, volunteers because of love of the sport.
of men who contributed to the growth of American distance running at the local level when fields were small and
races, especially in the Mid-West, were not as readily available as on the coasts. Such men were runners, race
organizers, chroniclers and, almost always, volunteers because of love of the sport.
In honoring Browning Ross, especially, for his gifts to American distance running of the Long Distance Log and the RRCA, Heath is spot on. Speaking personally, I read the Long Distance Log avidly and ordered my first pair of Tigers through an ad for Blue Ribbon Sports in the LDL. In later years, as editor of the RRCA Footnotes, I was able to witness, first hand, the growth of distance running clubs through the hard work of Ross’s successor presidents and their fellow regional officers.
Jack Heath has produced, warts and all, a heartfelt testimonial to one of the men who loved our sport, competed at the highest levels and contributed to its continuing legacy.
Tom Coyne
March 6, 2019
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