Steve Roland "Pre" Prefontaine was an American long-distance runner who from 1973 to 1975 set American records at every distance from 2,000 to 10,000 meters.
42 Facts About Steve Prefontaine
2.
Steve Prefontaine competed in the 1972 Summer Olympics, and was preparing for the 1976 Olympics with the Oregon Track Club at the time of his death in 1975.
3.
One of the premier track meets in the world, the Steve Prefontaine Classic, is held annually in Eugene in his honor.
4.
Steve Prefontaine was born on January 25,1951, in Coos Bay, Oregon.
5.
Steve Prefontaine's father, Raymond George Prefontaine, was a welder who served in the US Army in World War II.
6.
Steve Prefontaine was an exuberant person, even during his formative years.
7.
Steve Prefontaine was always moving around, partaking in different activities and events.
8.
In junior high, Steve Prefontaine was on his school's football and basketball teams but was rarely allowed to play because of his short stature.
9.
When he got into Marshfield High School in the fall of 1965, Steve Prefontaine joined the cross country team, coached by Walt McClure, Jr.
10.
Steve Prefontaine went through his junior cross country season undefeated and won the state title.
11.
Steve Prefontaine obtained a national record at the Corvallis Invitational with a time of 8:41.5, only one and a half seconds slower than his goal, and 6.9 seconds better than the previous record.
12.
Steve Prefontaine won two more state titles that year after another undefeated season in both the one and two mile.
13.
Steve Prefontaine referred many of his calls to McClure, who wanted Prefontaine to attend the University of Oregon.
14.
Steve Prefontaine wanted to stay in-state for college and attend the University of Oregon.
15.
Steve Prefontaine had not heard much from Bill Bowerman, the head coach for the University of Oregon.
16.
Steve Prefontaine only received letters from Oregon once a month, whereas other universities such as Villanova were persistent in recruiting him.
17.
Steve Prefontaine had followed Prefontaine's career since he was a sophomore and agreed with McClure in his assessment of Steve being a highly talented athlete.
18.
Bowerman wrote that he was 'certain' Steve Prefontaine would become the world's greatest distance runner if he decided to run at Oregon.
19.
Sometime after Prefontaine announced that he signed a letter of intent to attend Oregon on the first of May in 1969, Bowerman wrote a letter addressed to the community of Coos Bay describing his appreciation for their role in helping Steve become a great runner.
20.
Steve Prefontaine decided to enroll at the University of Oregon to train under coach Bill Bowerman.
21.
Steve Prefontaine won four 5,000-meter titles in track three times in a row.
22.
Steve Prefontaine was a member of the Pi Kappa Alpha fraternity.
23.
Steve Prefontaine became known as a very aggressive front runner, insisting on going out hard from the start and not relinquishing leads, reminiscent of the renowned 1956 Olympic gold medalist Vladimir Kuts, another famous front runner at 5,000 meters.
24.
Steve Prefontaine found humor in the shirts and, when offered, decided to wear one for his victory lap.
25.
Steve Prefontaine rapidly gained national attention and appeared on the cover of Sports Illustrated at age 19 in June 1970.
26.
Steve Prefontaine was on the cover of Track and Field News's November 1969 issue.
27.
Steve Prefontaine set the American record of 13:22.8 in the 5,000 meters at the 1972 Olympic Trials in Eugene on July 9.
28.
An underdog at the 1972 Olympics in Munich in September, Steve Prefontaine took the lead in the 5,000 m final during the last mile and ended the slow pace of the first two miles, negative splitting the race.
29.
Steve Prefontaine talked about the importance of cross country through his own eyes.
30.
Shortly after midnight, Steve Prefontaine left the party to drive Frank Shorter to Kenny Moore's home on Prospect Drive, then descended narrow Skyline Boulevard alone, east of the university campus near Hendricks Park.
31.
Steve Prefontaine's body was buried in his hometown of Coos Bay at Sunset Memorial Park.
32.
At his death, Steve Prefontaine was probably the most popular athlete in Oregon and, along with Jim Ryun, Frank Shorter, Jeff Galloway and Bill Rodgers, was credited with sparking the national running boom of the 1970s.
33.
An annual track event, the Steve Prefontaine Classic, has been held in his memory since 1975.
34.
Runners inspired by Steve Prefontaine leave behind memorabilia to honor his memory and his continued influence, such as race numbers, medals, and running shoes.
35.
The Steve Prefontaine Memorial, featuring a relief of his face, records, and date of birth, is located at the Coos Bay Visitor Center in Coos Bay.
36.
Steve Prefontaine was inducted into the Oregon Sports Hall of Fame in 1983, where several exhibits showcase his shoes, shirts, and other memorabilia.
37.
Steve Prefontaine was inducted into the National Track and Field Hall of Fame in upper Manhattan where one of his Oregon track uniforms is on display.
38.
Steve Prefontaine remains an iconic figure at the University of Oregon to this day.
39.
Steve Prefontaine was one of the four winners, along with Nike co-founder Phil Knight; current NFL player Marcus Mariota, the 2014 Heisman Trophy winner; and Sabrina Ionescu, who had just completed an epic college basketball career for the Ducks.
40.
Steve Prefontaine is referenced in the chorus of the track "Strong", off Charles Wesley Godwin's 2021 album "How the Mighty Fall".
41.
At the time of his death in May 1975, Steve Prefontaine held every American outdoor track record between 2,000 and 10,000 meters.
42.
Steve Prefontaine was the first athlete to win four NCAA track titles in the same event.