Abel Kiviat Biography - Caveat Emptor

[tandfman]

The front page headlines now include a link to a page from the catalogue of the Syracuse University Press, which has just published a biography of Abel Kiviat, the legendary runner of a century ago. That piqued my interest and I was about to order the book from the publisher for $34.95. But before I did, I checked amazon.com and found that they are offering it for $23.07.

[Halfmiler2]

I got to meet Abel a couple times in the 1980's when he attended some local events in NJ (e.g. the Garden State Games). Even though he must have been around 90 years old, he was sharp as a tack.

[dukehjsteve]

I got to meet Abel a couple times in the 1980's when he attended some local events in NJ (e.g. the Garden State Games). Even though he must have been around 90 years old, he was sharp as a tack.

I'll second that. I chatted with him at a TAC/USATF convention about the same time.

[Halfmiler2]

That post just reminded me: Abel was at the 1985 TAC/USA convention in Houston to be inducted into the USA Track & Field Hall Of Fame. A long-time t&f official who lived nearby Abel in New Jersey named Sandy Kalb was asked to introduce him at the induction ceremony. For whatever reason, Sandy mentioned that Abel was from Lakehurst where the Hindenberg went down, and then TAC President Leroy Walker responded at the podium that just to be clear Abel had nothing to do with the Hindenburg going down. The place erupted in laughter.

[dukehjsteve]

Looking at the post just above, plus my post previous to that, I now recall that it was in Houston that I met him... but I had forgotten about the Hindenburg quip !