This past January, Steve Prefontaine would have celebrated his 64th birthday. Despite his tragic death at the young age of 24, Prefontaine was one of the most successful and influential distance runners in American history. His good looks, outspoken nature, and his uncanny heart made Pre the face of distance running for his era, and he remains possibly the most recognized distance runner this country has ever known. With the growth of Nike and the “”jogging boom,” Prefontaine became a darling of American Olympic athletes after his death, and his life was captured in two films: Prefontaine (1997) and Without Limits(1998). One of the hottest debates among runners is which of these two films is superior, and over my past winter break, Jarrett and I had a chance to engage in this discussion, as I favored Jared Leto’s Prefontaine, with Jarrett preferred Without Limits while eating three bowls of cereal for dinner and wearing the same Oregon hoodie for the sixteenth consecutive night after changing out of his work digs. Jarrett argued that Without Limitsbetter immortalizes as a deity, while Leto’s performance, while probably closer to the truth, makes Pre more human, and what fun is that. For me, the distinguishing characteristic that pushedPrefontaine above was its focus on what Prefontaine off the track. Obviously, what Steve Prefontaine did in distance running is incredible, as he dominated the 5k and 10k among Americans in an unprecedented fashion, and had he have lived through an entire career, would have been an Olympic medalist. However, what Prefontaine did fighting for not only his rights, but the rights of all American Olympic athletes cannot be overlooked, and to leave this contribution out of his legacy is an injustice for all the good that he did and his impact on Olympic athletes today.
Before I continue, I feel that I should give a little background. I find Pre’s
story with amateurism especially fascinating, as it ties in directly with my current education at Cornell’s School of Industrial and Labor Relations. I am currently in my second semester at the school, and much of my time here has been spent studying the history and strategies of the labor movement. One aspect of this history I have found particularly engaging is labor activism in athletics. Last semester I was able to do a project on Curt Flood and his battle over the reserve clause, and I have never been more enthusiastic about a long essay. Pre’s battle over amateurism fits right in this history, as he was demanding something he felt was a right. Usually, it is not the big name athletes (many of you would be hard pressed to tell me who Curt Flood is) to take the stage in activism, but Prefontaine was ahead of his time, and his fame and stark nature was perfect to bring attention to this battle. Now that we’ve established I am a nerd just like Jarrett (as if writing for a blog wasn’t enough proof), we can return to Pre.
If you’ve seen either of the movies depicting Prefontaine’s life, you probably know he struggled against the AAU or Amateur Athletes Union. At the time, the AAU was responsible for overseeing the United States’ Olympic athletes, meaning they had to maintain amateur status. Maintaining amateur status meant not receiving any compensation for their performances. In other words, in addition to training and competing at an international level, U.S. Olympic athletes had to find a means of supporting themselves. Athletes in other countries also had to maintain their amateur status, as is depicted with Prefontaine’s rival Lasse Virén, a Finnish athlete who did not receive compensation for his races, but was given a cushy government “job,” which allowed him to all his time and energy on distance running. I don’t know how many of you have trained to double in the 5k and 10k at the Olympic Games like Virén did, but it sure seems to me that sort of endeavor would require one’s full attention. Unlike Virén and athletes from around the world, Prefontaine and other U.S. Olympians had to work other jobs (bartending in Pre’s case) in addition to their training, a fulltime commitment already. This undoubtedly put U.S. athletes at a major disadvantage. In addition, The AAU controlled where U.S. athletes were able to compete, and instead of allowing their athletes to challenge the top individuals, competitions were selected based on revenue potential. Athletes could not reach their full potential, as they were never challenging the class in their events. In Prefontaine, our hero does earn a minor victory, as the AAU allows Pre and Olympian buddies like Mac Wilkins to compete with their Finnish rivals, although Virén does not make the trip.
Steve Prefontaine’s impact on amateurism does not end with the meet against the Fins, although his life did shortly after the meet. Three years after Pre’s death in 1975, the Amateur Sports Act of 1978 was signed by Jimmy Carter, which essentially broke the AAU’s hold over U.S. Olympians. The act established the U.S. Olympic Committee, and in turn, governing bodies like U.S.A. Track and Field. This individual nation governing bodies had the ability to advocate for the rights of athletes and support just the individuals in their given sport. In the following decades, amateurism was phased out of the Olympics. Steve Prefontaine was very much in the public eye, unlike most runners, but his outspoken ways brought attention to the AAU, and undoubtedly impacted the changes which occurred in U.S. policy towards Olympians.
There is no question to me that Steve Prefontaine will be remembered for what he did in running; he set national records in a manner that any sports fan could support. Since his death, Pre’s records have fallen, but he remains in the mind of all who follow competitive running. In addition to this memory, I can’t help but feel his impact on U.S. athletes has not faded. Pre leveled the playing field for U.S. Olympians, allowing guys like Galen Rupp, Bernard Lagat, and Matt Centrowitz to succeed on the international level. For this contribution to the athletes we all follow and cheer for today, I will never forget Steve Prefontaine.
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