Bill Rodgers Biography

Bill Rodgers, born on December 23, 1947, is an American runner, Olympian, and former record holder in the marathon. He won four Boston Marathon titles, including three straight from 1978 to 1980, and captured four consecutive New York City Marathon victories from 1976 to 1979. Under coach Frank O'Rourke, Rodgers ran the mile in 4:28:8, won the 1965 Connecticut cross country title, and placed seventh in the New England championships. Rodgers enrolled at Wesleyan University in 1966, competing in cross country and track, and earned a B.A. in sociology by 1970. In 1973, track coach Bill Squires established the Greater Boston Track Club at Boston College, and Rodgers joined as one of its elite runners. Rodgers completed the Bay State Marathon in 2:28 in October 1973, marking a key milestone in his career. He gained national recognition in 1975 by winning the Boston Marathon in 2:09:55, a time that set a new American record.