Warwick, Rhode Island - One of New York's great Track and Field Historian's and Record Keepers, Larry Byrne, passed away earlier today. Byrne was more than just a passive contributor to the sport, supplying the now-famous "Blue Book," which for many years before the advent of the internet, would list the Top 50 All-Time Marks for New York State High School Track and Field. He was also involved in Cross Country, publishing a "Green Book," of marks run at the famed Van Cortlandt Park. Larry will also be remembered most for his dedication to the Penn Relays, attending 55 renditions of the annual event.
In 2013, Larry Byrne began collaborating with MileSplit NY, to help preserve the historical nature of his work. It was then we crowned the Larry Byrne Archives, a resource for all historical data from New York State, organized into a singular database and location. Through his tireless efforts, names dating back to the 60's and before, will not go forgotten in the annals of Track and Field History.
The Archives will continue to bear his name, proof of his lasting legacy upon the sport in New York State, and beyond.
See the Archives in their entirety, by clicking here.
More information about upcoming services will be made available when we hear of them.
Read More About Larry's contributions to the Sport below.
Byrne's first connection with
track & field began in high school where he was as a distance runner
for two catholic high schools. He enjoyed moderate success on the oval,
clocking a best of 4:37 for the mile. School didn't quite go as
planned.
"I
started off at Xavier High. I was there for a year and a half and I
flunked out," he said. "I then went to Brooklyn Prep, also a catholic
high school, and I still couldn't get along with the Jesuits and dropped
out."
After
his two stints in high school, Byrne enlisted in the Marine Corps,
where he served for 22 years, retiring in 1971 as a Sargent. During his
time in the Marines, he would earn his GED and bachelor's degree in
Business Administration.
"I
started going nights at Georgetown," he said. 'I got transferred all
over the United States. Wherever I was stationed, if there was a college
there I went. It took me 14 years to get a degree."
Byrne
would land a job at Metropolitan Life where he worked as a recruiter, a
position he held for 18 years until his retirement at 59, the same age
he retired from the Marines.
Shortly
after, Byrne coached for three years at Chaminade High where he was an
assistant and later a head coach for the indoor squad in 1971.
"That's
when I got my baptism to The Armory," he said. "They don't have dual
meets in New York. They have big meets every weekend."
It
was during this time that Byrne began his timeless collection of stats
on high school T&F athletes. His dedication to the sport made him
the likely choice to succeed nationally-recognized running author and
journalist, Marc Bloom, as the Primary Invitation Director of the high
school mile at the Millrose Games, a position that Bloom himself chose
as Bryne successor. The race now bears the name of Bryne, who held the
position for 34 years.
For many years, Byrne also served as the meet director for the IC4A Championships. Among
other tings he has also done announcing for several track & field
meets including the Yale Track Classic. He's also been an official and a
member of the "split crew" in Press Row at the Penn Relays.
Speaking
of the Penn Relays, it seems only fitting to talk about Byrne's
association with the coveted meet that's being held this week. In the
past 69 years, he has attended 55 Penns. His first experience was in
1946, his senior year of high school.
'I
was like, 'Wow!" said Byrne, when he first entered Franklin Stadium as a
teenager. "It was amazing seeing some of the best runners in the United
States competing. The stadium wasn't quite as packed as it is now, but
it was the most I have ever seen."
Byrne on his wedding to longtime companion Bernice DeMello on March 25.
Byrne
has attended 22 straight Penn Relays since 1993. An operation to remove
what turned out to be a benign tumor is his brain in 1999 has forced
him to use a wheelchair. But it hasn't slowed him down."He still attends many meets, including Penn, with his longtime companion and now wife of one month, Bernice DeMello.
Mary Cain reacts with excitement after Byrne tells her she just set the national sophomore mile record at the 2012 Penn Relays.
For
his contributions to the sport, Byrne was given the prestigious Donald
H. Potts Award by the Penn Relays committee, an award that comes with a
plaque, a yellow officials cap and a gold watch, the same coveted watch
that is given to the winners in the Championship of America events.
While
he has many great memories of the Penn Relays, he list seven among his
favorite. At the top of the list is when he was honored as the Carnival
Referee in 1999. He also cherished the time he was able to give the
great Mary Cain her gold watch after the distance ace from Bronxville,
New York set a national sophomore and NY state record of 4:39.28 in
2012.
Warwick, Rhode Island - One of New York's great Track and Field Historian's and Record Keepers, Larry Byrne, passed away earlier today. Byrne was more than just a passive contributor to the sport, supplying the now-famous "Blue Book," which for many years before the advent of the internet, would list the Top 50 All-Time Marks for New York State High School Track and Field. He was also involved in Cross Country, publishing a "Green Book," of marks run at the famed Van Cortlandt Park. Larry will also be remembered most for his dedication to the Penn Relays, attending 55 renditions of the annual event.
In 2013, Larry Byrne began collaborating with MileSplit NY, to help preserve the historical nature of his work. It was then we crowned the Larry Byrne Archives, a resource for all historical data from New York State, organized into a singular database and location. Through his tireless efforts, names dating back to the 60's and before, will not go forgotten in the annals of Track and Field History.
