Bob Hall (wheelchair athlete)

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Bob Hall
Bob Hall 1986.jpg
Bob Hall in 1986
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National teamUSA
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CountryUSA
SportWheelchair racing
Club Greater Boston Track Club

Robert "Bob" Hall is an American wheelchair racer and wheelchair designer. He competed in the 1975 Boston Marathon, becoming the first official Marathon wheelchair champion.

Contents

Early life

Hall contracted polio as a child in 1952, [1] which led to his use of a wheelchair throughout his life.

Racing career

In 1974, Hall placed first in the National Wheelchair Mile and National Wheelchair Marathon, [2] and also won the Toledo Marathon in Ohio. [3]

Following his marathon victory in Toledo, Hall sought permission from the Boston Athletic Association (BAA) to compete in the Boston Marathon. Hall was granted permission to enter under official conditions. He was informed that if he completed the course in under three and a half hours, he would receive an official BAA Finisher’s Certificate. [3] On April 21, 1975, Hall successfully completed the Boston Marathon in 2 hours and 58 minutes, earning official recognition. [2] His performance played a key role in convincing the BAA to formally recognize wheelchair racing as an official division of the event. [4] The Boston Marathon subsequently became the first major international marathon to allow wheelchair competitors, [5] which was a catalyst for marathons around the world to add a wheelchair division. [6]

Hall also won Boston in 1977, with a then-world-record of 2:40:10. [2]

In 1976, Hall requested entry to the New York City Marathon, but was refused. In 1978, Hall filed a discrimination lawsuit against the New York Road Runners Club, who then allowed him to partake in the 1978 and 1979 events. In 1982, after NYRR appealed the suit, the Court ruled in favor of the Club. However, New York City Mayor Ed Koch intervened and threatened to cancel the race if wheelchair athletes were not allowed to participate. [7]

In 1980, Hall completed a wheelchair trek from Florida to Boston alongside American Road Racer Dave McGillivray [8] to raise money for the Jimmy Fund. The East Coast Run took 38 days over a distance of 1,520-miles miles, finished at the Boston Marathon Finish line, and included photo ops with the Boston Red Sox and US President Jimmy Carter. [9] In 2002, the feat earned Hall a spot on the list of Boston Magazine's Top 40 Favorite Bostonians, preceded only by Errol Morris and Tom Brady. [10]

Wheelchair design

In 1978, Hall founded Hall's Wheels, a company that designed and produced lightweight, custom-built racing wheelchairs. Hall's innovations significantly improved the performance of racing wheelchairs, making them lighter and more aerodynamic. [11] [12]

Recognition

In 1996, Hall participated in the unveiling of a monument in Copley Square, Boston, MA, celebrating the 100th anniversary of the Boston Marathon. Hall was joined by several fellow Champions, including John A Kelley, Greg Meyer, and the race's first female participant and Women's Champion, Roberta "Bobbi" Gibb. [13]

In 2025, Hall was honored by the BAA on the 50th anniversary of his historic Boston Marathon race. He was named Grand Marshal of the 129th Boston Marathon, alongside fellow 1975 Champion Bill Rodgers. [14]

Awards and distinctions

References

  1. ↑ Hanc, John (2013-04-01). The B.A.A. at 125: The Official History of the Boston Athletic Association, 1887-2012. Simon and Schuster. ISBN   978-1-61321-392-6.
  2. 1 2 3 Clerici, Paul C. (2013-07-02). History of the Greater Boston Track Club. Arcadia Publishing. ISBN   978-1-62584-216-9.
  3. 1 2 "Against the Wind: Bob Hall". 2011-07-27. Archived from the original on 27 July 2011. Retrieved 2025-04-07.
  4. ↑ Petersen, Justin (2015-01-01). Boston Marathon. Scobre Press Corporation. ISBN   978-1-62920-157-3.
  5. ↑ "Against the Wind: Racing the Wind 2". 2011-07-27. Archived from the original on 27 July 2011. Retrieved 2025-04-07.
  6. ↑ Heller, Tamar; Harris, Sarah Parker (2012). Disability Through the Life Course. SAGE. ISBN   978-1-4129-8767-7.
  7. ↑ dell'Uva, Lorenzo Maria (2023-08-01). The Never-Ending Run: The complete guide to the New York City Marathon: the history, the race, the info, the tips and the wonders of the most famous marathon in the world. Lorenzo Maria dell'Uva. ISBN   979-12-224-3031-7.
  8. ↑ The Last Pick: The Boston Marathon Race Director's Road to Success. Harmony/Rodale/Convergent. 4 April 2006. ISBN   978-1-60529-454-4.
  9. ↑ The Last Pick: The Boston Marathon Race Director's Road to Success. Harmony/Rodale/Convergent. 4 April 2006. ISBN   978-1-60529-454-4.
  10. ↑ "40 Bostonians We Love". 15 May 2006.
  11. ↑ Antonelli, Paola (2003). Objects of Design from The Museum of Modern Art. The Museum of Modern Art. ISBN   978-0-87070-611-0.
  12. ↑ Utterback, James M.; Ekman, Sten; Sanderson, Susan Walsh; Vedin, Bengt-arne; Verganti, Roberto; Tether, Bruce; Alvarez, Eduardo (2006-12-01). Design-inspired Innovation. World Scientific. ISBN   978-981-4365-53-6.
  13. ↑ Johnson, Richard A.; Johnson, Robert Hamilton (2009-04-01). The Boston Marathon. Arcadia Publishing. ISBN   978-0-7385-6350-3.
  14. ↑ Tenser, Phil (2025-04-01). "B.A.A. honors Boston Marathon wheelchair racing pioneer Bob Hall". WCVB. Retrieved 2025-04-07.
  15. ↑ https://beaconsathletics.com/news/2025/8/28/general-umass-boston-athletics-announces-2025-hall-of-fame-inductees-elizabeth-glavan-17-hulerie-mcguffie-16-colin-larkin-18-bob-hall-74-and-2015-2016-mens-hockey-team.aspx#:~:text=%E2%80%93%20August%202025%20%E2%80%94%20The%20University%20of,all%20been%20selected%20for%20induction
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