Illustrious history of New York Athletic Club recognised with Heritage Plaque

The New York Athletic Club, which was founded in 1868 and boasts an honours board of Olympic and world champions and world record-breakers, has in recognition of that history been awarded the World Athletics Heritage Plaque.

World Athletics Council Member Willie Banks, a world record-breaker and world medallist in the triple jump, made the announcement this afternoon at the New York Athletic Club’s Olympic Celebration Reception for its members in Place Vendome in the centre of Paris.

The plaque, which was presented by Banks to John Duggan, President of New York Athletic Club (NYAC), will be permanently displayed in the Hall of Fame in the club’s prestigious Manhattan City House.

The award marks the start of a four-year heritage agreement between the Museum of World Athletics (MOWA) and the NYAC. Central to this cooperation will be exploring the potential of both organisations’ historic collections of athletics memorabilia donated by world and Olympic medallists and world record-breakers, among others, to promote the sport.

The World Athletics Heritage Plaque is a location-based recognition, awarded for “an outstanding contribution to the worldwide history and development of the sport of track & field athletics and of out of stadia athletics disciplines such as cross country, mountain, road, trail and ultra-running, and race walking.”

“It seems most appropriate to make this award to the New York Athletic Club in Paris," said Banks, commenting on behalf of World Athletics. "A century ago, in the French capital, her club members won Olympic gold in the 200m and composed three of the victorious USA quartet at the 4x400m relay, and took silvers in the 100m, high jump and hammer throw. Go back even further to the first Paris Olympics of 1900 and seven club members between them won 13 Olympic track and field titles.

“The Olympic success of the track and field athletes of the New York Athletic Club continues to the present, with Valarie Allman lining up tomorrow evening to defend her Olympic title which she won in Tokyo three years ago.

“Founded in 1868, the development and codification of the modern sport of athletics both nationally and internationally owes a great debt to this club. The New York Athletic Club is entwinned in the history of the Olympic movement across a number of sports but your beginnings were in track and field, and this plaque salutes that history."

Duggan, commenting on behalf of the New York Athletic Club, said: “It is a privilege to receive this wonderful recognition from the Museum of World Athletics and I am especially proud that we are able to do so here, at these Olympic Games in Paris, the city in which, 100 years ago in 1924, the New York Athletic Club won 14 medals.

“As many of you may know, when it was founded, in 1868, track and field – or athletics, as it is known outside of the United States – was the Club’s primary sport. Through the many years since, some of the most celebrated names in track and field history have worn our famous winged foot emblem, among them, Ray Ewry, Horace Ashenfelter, Al Oerter, Eamonn Coghlan, Michelle Carter and Valarie Allman. I hope, therefore, that it is evident that the NYAC’s commitment to world class track and field is as steadfast today as it was back in 1868.

“To receive the Museum of World Athletics Heritage Plaque is as meaningful to us as any of the almost 300 Olympic medals that our athletes have accumulated over the years. The plaque will be displayed proudly in the NYAC Hall of Fame in our City House in midtown Manhattan, a constant reminder to all of our members and guests that the New York Athletic Club is an athletics club with a distinguished history, one that our world class athletes will keep writing at these Olympic Games in Paris and long into the future."

Who’s who of athletics greats

The NYAC notably staged the first USA track and field championships in 1879, and the following two editions in Mott Haven, New York. The club and its members played a major role in the formation of the rules of the sport of athletics nationally, many of which became the basis for the international rules book created following the foundation of the IAAF in 1912. 

The NYAC’s membership past and present is a veritable “who’s who” of athletics greats.

Thomas Burke took two gold medals (the 100m and 400m) at the inaugural Olympic Games of the modern era in Athens in 1896.

Ray Ewry, who stands between Paavo Nurmi (12 medals) and Carl Lewis (10 medals) as the second most successful Olympian in athletics history with 10 golds, garnered in the standing high jump, long jump and triple jumps in the early 1900s.

Al Oerter, the four-time Olympic discus champion from 1956 to 1968, is another standout club member, one of only two athletes in history to have won four consecutive Olympic titles in the same event.

While in recent years, female club members have continued the club’s athletics success with Michelle Carter and Valarie Allman, respectively the Rio shot put and Tokyo discus throw Olympic champions. 

Here are just some of the other illustrious club members…

Bernie Wefers - supposedly the “world’s fastest man” in the mid-1890s. Winner of the 100yds and 220yds at the London AC vs NYAC international meeting in NY in 1895.

John Flanagan - Olympic champion, hammer throw, 1900, 1904, 1908.

Jackson Scholz - Olympic champion, 200m, 1924.

Charlie Moore - Olympic champion, 400m hurdles, 1952.

Horace Ashenfelter - Olympic champion, 3000m steeplechase, 1952.

Lindy Remigino - Olympic champion, 100m and 4x100m, 1952.

Tom Courtney - Olympic champion, 800m and 4x400m, 1956.

Eamonn Coghlan - world champion, 5000m, 1983. World indoor record-holder, one mile, 3:49.78, 1983.

Meb Keflezighi - winner NYC Marathon, 2009. Winner Boston Marathon, 2014.

Natasha Hastings - Olympic champion, 4x400m, 2016.

Visit the NYAC Hall of Fame to discover the club’s illustrious roll of honour. 

Chris Turner for World Athletics Heritage