Boston: A Century of Running: Celebrating the 100th Anniversary of the Boston Athletic Association Marathon

The modern marathon was inaugurated at the 1896 Olympics; the following year, the Boston Athletic Association began an American version, so the 1996 Boston race will be the centennial of what is indisputably the most prestigious running event in the nation. Held on April 19, the anniversary of the battle of Lexington, the race has a rich history, its most notable contestants including Clarence DeMar, who won seven times between 1911 and 1930 and last ran in 1954 at the age of 65; John A. Kelley, who first competed in 1928, ran his 61st and last marathon in 1992 and is immortalized with a statue; and Michael Dukakis, who went on to fame in other endeavors. The Boston, as runners call it, was a largely North American event until 1946, when air travel brought contestants from all over the world and saw the first European winner; in the next 27 years, only three Americans won. The first female participant, Roberta Gibb, ran unofficially in 1966, and women became official entrants six years later. Prize money was first offered in 1986; and the race, which had drawn 15 runners in 1897, now attracts thousands. Higdon (Run Fast) has put together an absorbing history, with 200-plus photos and dozens of sidebars. (Oct.)