2012 MSTCA Hall of Fame

McIntyre Elite Meet

 

 

Boston, MA – Six of the finest track and field athletes ever to grace the sport in the state of Massachusetts were inducted into the MSTCA Hall of Fame Sunday at the Reggie Lewis Center. The group was publically honored at the track during a brief intermission of the MSTCA Elite Invitational (video included below), following a formal ceremony that took place earlier in the day. 

MSTCA Executive Board Member and Bishop Feehan coach Bob L’Homme organized the event and has provided a brief biography of each inductee.  A special thanks to Bob for his efforts in honoring these very deserving individuals, and for helping preserve the history of our fine sport.

 

2012 MSTCA Hall of Fame Inductees

Olive Hasenfus Sparkes  -  A 1930 graduate of Needham High School. She is currently this state’s all time youngest Track and Field Olympian, male or female. At the U.S. Olympic trials on July 4, 1928, Olive was 15 old. She was a member of the Olympic 4X100 meter relay team, and was a ten-time United States national medalist. She won 4 gold, 4 silver and 2 bronze medals in her illustrious career.

Florence MacDonald Campbell  - A 1928 graduate of Roxbury Girls’ Memorial High school, Florence represented the United States at the 1928Olympic Games in Amsterdam in the 800 meter run.  She finished 6th at the Olympic Games when she ran a 2:22.6 and her American Record lasted until 1958 .

Howard Drew - A 1913 graduate of Springfield High School, Drew qualified for the 1912 Stockholm Olympics and at one point in his career was the first man to be called the “Fastest Man in the World.” Drew held the world record in the 100 yard dash. Drew was an extraordinary athlete, Olympian, world record holder, civil rights advocate, track coach, track official, soldier, scholar, author, attorney and judge. The cover photo of this article is of Howard Drew and his Springfield High School track team in 1911.  A wonderful website has been established to honor his leagacy and can be found at http://www.howarddrew.com.

Eleena Zhelezov - A 1991 graduate of Needham High School. Until recently Eleena held the New England triple jump record with a leap of 41’2.75 inches, and was only broken in 2006 by Aranxia King.  She was a nine-time national champion and one of only two student athletes in NCAA track and field history, male or female, in all divisions, to sweep a single event both indoors and outdoors four years in a row; winning eight triple jump titles from 1992 to 1995. Eleena was also a 2001 inductee into the Brandeis Athletics Hall of Fame after she was named a 15-time All-American.

Mary Cobb - A 1995 graduate of Pittsfield High School where she never lost a race in Maassachusetts; running everything from the 400, 800, mile, and 2 mile. She won the 3000m at the Penn Relays running a time of 9:37.51, and In her senior, she was also the National High School Mile Champion running a 4:45.48. In Cross Country she was state champion in both 1992 and 1994. In 1994, Cobb also won the Foot Locker Eastern United States Cross Country Championship and placed third in the national championship later that year. Cobb set a state record in the mile during her senior season when she ran a 4:41 to win the Western Massachusetts title. Later that year she was named the Gatorade National Player of the Year in track and field. Mary Cobb went on to become a six-time All-American at Stanford and competed in the 1500m at the 2000 Olympic trials. 

Mark Lech- A 1974 graduate of Palmer High School, Lech is currently the head men’s and women’s cross country and track coach at the University of Maine. In his junior year at Palmer he won the Western Mass Championship 440y dash and placed in the triple jump. During his senior year, he was a double winner at the Western Mass Championship in the 440y dash and triple jump. He also won the 440y dash at the Massachusetts State Championships and the New England Championships. His high school best 440y time was 49.4, and during Mark’s collegiate career he won the prestigious 72nd Wannamaker Millrose 800 meter race in a time of 1:51.0. To this day he still holds the fastest New England time in the 800 meters (1:48.10) and was a two time All-American; finishing 3rd in the country his junior year and 2nd his senior year at the 800m distance.