Class of 2014

Tom Chilton

Along with Terry Hull Crawford, Tom Chilton is perhaps one of the most celebrated KTC athletes ever. Chilton competed for Oak Ridge High School and was awarded a track scholarship at Tennessee Tech. After Tennessee Tech Tom joined the KTC in the early sixties and competed on a national level until 1978 as a sprinter and long jumper, with a lifetime best of 26 ft 8 in.

It should be noted that in the 1960s, before Nike and shoe company contracts, nationally ranked athletes like Chilton were often sponsored by and represented track clubs like the KTC and New York Athletic Club.

Representing the Knoxville Track Club, Chilton had the tenth best U.S. long jump in 1967. That same year Chilton placed fourth in the 1967 AAU National Championships. In 1968 Tom improved to the number seven U.S. ranking – Bob Beamon was first at over 29 ft and Ralph Boston was second that year. Chilton represented the KTC at prestigious indoor meets such as the Millrose Games and the Mason-Dixon Games.

At the Crystal Palace in London, Chilton once defeated former Olympic champion Lynn Davies in the long jump event and defeated former Olympic champs Ralph Boston and Bob Beamon in other competition meets.

Between 1965 and 1972 Chilton won eleven medals in Indoor and Outdoor National Championship meets.

Tom Chilton was even more impressive as he continued as a Masters athlete for KTC. At the age of 42 Chilton won the World Masters Championship long jump in Europe, with a jump of 7.43 meters (24 ft 4 in) and was ranked number one in the world for his age group. In a recent listing of the All-Time World Masters athletes aged 35-40, Chilton ranked sixteenth best in the world with a jump of 7.90 meters (25 ft 11 in) accomplished on August 16, 1972.

On the All-Time World Masters ranking list, his March 24, 1978 jump of 7.43 meters (24 ft 4 in) is ranked fifth best ever of athletes over age 40. His mark of 7.43 is also second best ever for U.S. athletes age 40-44 behind only Aaron Sampson who jumped 7.68 in 2002.

Chilton was elected into the Tennessee Tech Sports Hall of Fame in 1979 and also elected into the Oak Ridge Sports Hall of Fame in 1992.

Tom was employed for 43 years as a professor and an administrator for the University of South Alabama in Mobile and still continues with that University on a part time basis.

Tony Cosey

Through his participation in the Knoxville Track Club Youth Athletics Program, Tony Cosey began to lay the foundation for his professional running career. In 1991, Tony was the Amateur Athletic Union (AAU) Nationals (Young Men’s Division) runner-up in the 1500 meters (3:59). Also in the 1991 AAU Nationals, Tony anchored KTC’s National Championship 4×800 relay (7:52).

At Central High School in Knoxville, Cosey was state champ in Cross-Country in 1990-1991 and state champ in the 1600 meters in 1992 and 3200 meters in 1991, and earned two state records: 1600 meters (4:11), cross-country (14:54). He was 12-time Knoxville Scholastic League (KIL) champion between cross-country, 800 meters, 1600 meters, and 3200 meters. On the national level, Cosey was a Footlocker Cross-Country National All-American in 1991, while representing the KTC Youth Athletics Program.

Cosey was a 7-time All-American for the University of Tennessee track and cross-country team in the indoor 3000m, outdoor 5000m, outdoor 10,000m, and the outdoor 3000m steeplechase. At the NCAA Cross-Country Championships, he placed 28th in 1994 and 7th in 1995. In the SEC Cross-Country Championships, Cosey was 4th in 1993, 3rd in 1994 and 3rd in 1995. At the NCAA Championships, Cosey twice finished 4th in the indoor 3000m, finished 5th in the outdoor 10k and 9th in the 5k and 4th in the steeplechase. Cosey was Mt. SAC Relays Champion and Penn Relays Champion, both at the 3000m steeplechase, as well as an SEC and USATF National Champion in the distance medley relay.

After his UT career, Cosey competed in the 1996 Olympic Trials and became a professional athlete after signing his first contract with Adidas. He represented the United States in three World Cross-Country Championships. In 1997, he competed in the World Goodwill Games, and in 1998 he represented the US in the World University Games. In 1998, Cosey took 3rd place in the 3000m at the US Indoor Track Championships.

Cosey’s personal best in the steeplechase came when it mattered most – he ran 8:21.41 in the 2000 Olympic Trials, where he finished 3rd and qualified for the 2000 US Sydney Olympic team. In the 2000 Sydney Olympics, Cosey finished 10th in the semifinals with a time of 8:35.25 and 24th overall. He is the only Knoxville-born track Olympian.

Cosey was on the KTC Board of Directors for two years and has served on numerous civic and national boards. He was a member of the Board of Directors for USA Track and Field for five years and served on their Audit Committee, Budget Committee, World and Olympic Coaches Selection Committees, and Ethics Committee. He was Vice-Chairman for the Athletes Advisory Council, and served on the Road Runner Council, Long Distance Executive Committee, and Cross-Country Executive Committee.

Cosey coached the Christian Academy of Knoxville cross-country team to their first Tennessee state title in 2012 and second place in 2013, and a fourth place for CAK in the state track & field finals. Cosey is the head coach for the CAK men’s and women’s program in both sports.

Cosey is also the current TSSAA A-AA Regional Director for both track & field and cross-country. He is the meet director annually for the TSSAA A-AA Sub-Sectionals and the Sectionals held at CAK.

Cosey was inducted into the Greater Knoxville Sports Hall of Fame in 2006. He and wife Kathryn have three children, Taylor, Mason, and Baker (two of whom have participated in the KTC Youth Athletic Program).

Michael deLisle

Michael deLisle ran in high school but very little after that until 1990, when at age 40 he resumed running and soon joined the Knoxville Track Club. His first road race was the 1990 EXPO 10k followed by frequent racing for many years thereafter. As a Masters competitor deLisle held state single-age records for 8k (27:23), 10k (35:52), and 15k (53:57), and finished 2nd in the 1993 KTC Grand Prix. He reached his peak performances at age 43, but injuries slowed him soon thereafter.

Michael became a member of the KTC Board of Directors in 1991 and served for 16 years. He was KTC Vice President under four different presidents.

He served on Mayor Victor Ashe’s first Greenways Commission that constructed the initial plan ultimately resulting in the development of the extensive greenway system enjoyed today by the entire Knoxville community.

Michael was appointed Tennessee State Representative to the Road Runners Club of America in 1991 and served until 1996. As State Rep, deLisle attended RRCA national conventions in Portland, Washington DC, Allentown and Knoxville, and was a guest speaker at races and club meetings throughout the region. He also addressed the RRCA at six different National Conventions.

From 1991-1996, deLisle directed the RRCA Volunteer Tour, a series of road races held throughout Tennessee. He served on the KTC Long Distance Committee from 1991-1998, as well as the KTC Vision Committee and Strategic Planning Committee.

In 1995, deLisle helped KTC Executive Director Allan Morgan formulate the successful bid for KTC to host the 1996 RRCA National Convention, still thought of by many as the best convention ever.

In 2004, deLisle and Marty Sonnenfeldt founded the inaugural KTC trail running series, the Mayors Cup, and he now serves as director of the Treadin’ Trodden Trails Offroad Running Series, offering an auspicious annual slate of trail races of varying lengths at city, county, and state parks throughout East Tennessee.

Michael became editor of the Club newsletter, Footnotes, in 1992, a position he still holds today. As editor, he has received seven regional and five national awards for best club newsletter, as well as multiple regional and national individual awards for best club writer. All the awards represent the KTC as a Club of excellence.

In 1997, deLisle and his wife at the time, Kris Corbitt, began building the first KTC website. deLisle took over sole operation in 2000, becoming KTC webmaster, a position he holds to this day. Under his direction, the website has twice been named a Top Site by the RRCA.

Since 2000, deLisle has also served as Club race photographer, taking and publishing thousands of KTC race photos online. deLisle was an important contributor to the 2009 and 2011 KTC Hall of Fame, producing the entire written program, the HOF website, and sharing ideas for the dinners.

In 1995 deLisle helped owner Kevin Pack open Runners Market, Knoxville’s only running specialty store, and has served as manager since then.

Michael is the proud father of son Jesse, a familiar fixture at KTC races, whose boisterous cheering and clapping have encouraged many a weary runner, and who now participates enthusiastically in road and trail races.

Stewart Ellington

Stewart Ellington came to Knoxville to compete for the University of Tennessee track and field team, where he achieved All-American honors in cross-country and track. In 1994 he finished 18th at the NCAA Cross-Country Championships earning All-American honors. In 1995 he earned All-American honors in the 10k and 5k at the NCAA Outdoor Track & Field Championships. In 1996 he was an NCAA Indoor Track All-American in the 5k with a time of 13:55, finishing 4th.

In 1995 Ellington was honored by UT teammates by being awarded the Jon Young Memorial Captain’s Award. He was also a four-time Academic All-American.

Ellington continued his post collegiate running career dominating KTC events locally, and competing in national competitions. Since graduation from UT Ellington has proved his running versatility by excelling in races of various distances, from the mile to the marathon. Ellington currently holds thirty-three Tennessee single-age state records in distances from the mile to the marathon, holding the second most records in the state.

Some of his accomplishments include:

• Second in his age-group and eighth overall in the prestigious 1998 Gate River Run 15k in Jacksonville, Florida in a time of 46:22.
• In 2007 Ellington recorded his personal best marathon time of 2:23:55 at the AT&T Austin Marathon.
• First in his age-group (30-34) and fifth overall in the 2007 Kentucky Derby Festival Marathon in a time of 2:27.
• Winner of the KTC Grand Prix award in 2008 and 2010, and runner-up in 2009.
• In the 2009 and 2010 Chicago Marathons, Ellington finished 4th and 5th respectively in his age group (35-39), with outstanding times of 2:24 and 2:28.
• In 2009 at the Tom King half-marathon in Nashville, Ellington recorded his personal best time of 1:07:13.

Some of Ellington’s greatest accomplishments representing KTC were his strong legs in leading KTC to 3rd place in the nationally famous Hood to Coast Relay in Oregon, where only the Nike and Brooks team of professional runners beat KTC. In 2011 Ellington was an important part of the KTC team that won the 200 mile, two day, Hood to Coast Relay, upsetting the shoe company sponsored pros.

Ellington’s Hall of Fame legacy will be highlighted by his memorable back-to-back wins of the Knoxville Marathon in 2008 and 2009.The Ellington family includes wife Tammy and his two children, Grey and Reid, and Ellington has accomplished all of his disciplined training and national competition while employed as a Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist (CRNA) with AMAET Anesthesia Group at Parkwest Hospital. He has been an active, contributing member of our Club, always cheering on other runners after he has crossed the finish line.

Greg Johnson

Greg Johnson has represented the Knoxville Track Club with distinction both in his service to the Club and through exceptional running performances in local, regional and national races.

Johnson has volunteered his time and efforts to provide service to the Club in many ways: KTC Board member; race director; volunteer coach for the KTC youth athletics program; author of the Footnotes column “The Faster Master”; regular race volunteer; and currently the KTC liaison for identifying and submitting state road racing records. Johnson was a founding member of the Runners Market Racing Team and served as team captai from 2016-2018.

While his service to the Club has been exemplary, Johnson’s racing performance has been truly outstanding. Beginning with a 10k win in 1983, Johnson has won over 50 road races, most recently the Downtown Dash Mile in 2012. That’s a span of 29 years!

Johnson has been one of the most dominant Masters runners in East Tennessee, demonstrating a great range of winning times at distances from the mile run to the half-marathon. His personal bests reflect his ability and versatility:

• Mile: 4:22
• 2 mile: 9:32
• 5k: 15:24
• 4 mile: 20:25
• 8k: 25:05
• 10k: 32:22
• 15k: 49:58
• 10 miles: 52:44
• Half-marathon: 1:11:17

Throughout Johnson’s running career his race times are consistently above the 80th percentile. Anything above 80% is national class, and his recent July mile of 5:03 grades out to 87.59%, just under world class.

Truly, Johnson’s times and performances have propelled him to make his mark in Knoxville, throughout the state of Tennessee, and at the national level. In the 2009 National Senior Games in Palo Alto, California Greg finished 5th in the 5k road race final for his age group, in a time of 18:01, and 2nd in the final of the 10k road race with a time of 37:28.

Regionally, Johnson has competed and won at the Tennessee Senior Olympics, winning the 5k and 10k road races in 2008 and winning the 5k road race in 2011. Johnson currently holds ten Tennessee single-age state records in distances from the mile to the ten mile run. Of these state records, possibly the most impressive is his 10k time of 36:38 at the age of 52.

Johnson has finished in the top three of the Blount County Triple Crown Series every year from 2000-2015. In 1990 and 1991 he won the Road Runners Club of America (RRCA) Running Journal Volunteer Tour State Racing Series.

Jasmin Keller

Jasmin Keller was perhaps one of the greatest University of Tennessee track athletes in its storied history. Keller, competing for the UT from 1988 to 1991 was a 10-time All-American. Jasmin achieved most of her All-American awards in the 800 and 1500 meters, finishing second in the nation in each event as a junior and as a senior. Keller was also a member of Tennessee’s indoor national champion 3200m relay team in 1991.

At SEC championship meets, Keller won five indoor championships and four outdoor crowns. Among her titles were indoor victories in the 1000m(1989), mile (1990), and 4x800m relay (1988, 1990, 1991) as well as outdoor wins in the 800m(1990) and 1500m (1989, 1990, and 1991).

Keller held the UT school record in the outdoor 800m for 20 years (2:00:24) before it was broken in 2010, and she remains UT’s all-time 3rd fastest 800m runner in school history, as well as the 3rd fastest all-time in the 1500m (4:09:45). She also remains on the UT all-time top ten list in the indoor 1000m and 3000m, 3200m relay, and the distance medley relay.

Keller was a four-time runner-up in the Penn Relays 1500m and 800m, and had the fastest 1200m relay split in Penn Relays history.

In addition to her track success, Keller was a three-time All-SEC cross country selection and a 1990 All-American, helping the squad to the program’s second-ever SEC title in 1990 and a sixth place finish at the NCAA Championships in 1989. In the classroom she was accorded SEC Academic Honor Roll status in 1990 and 1991.

As a professional, Keller competed internationally for Team Adidas and was ranked in the top ten in the U.S. in both the mile and 800m for five consecutive years. She was a member of the U.S. team at the 1992 World Indoor Championships for the 1500m and won a bronze at the World University Games in the 800m.

Keller qualified and competed at the U.S. Olympic Trials in 1988, 1992, and 1996; in 1992 she was a finalist in both the 800m and the 1500m, and in 1996 she was a semi-finalist in the 1500m.

After her collegiate career Keller continued her excellence in road racing for the next 22 years, setting 19 single-age Tennessee state running records in all distances ranging from the mile to the 15k. Most impressive is her state record in the one mile road race: 4:38. She has literally won or placed high in hundreds of KTC and local road races in Tennessee.

Between 1997 and 2000 Keller won every Knoxville road race she competed in for women, sometimes finishing alongside the top 5 men. She has the record for the most Expo 10k wins for women.

Jasmin Keller is in the Lady Vols Hall of Fame and was elected into the Greater Knoxville Sports Hall of Fame in 2001.

Ed Leddy

Ed Leddy was a multiple-time All-American in track and cross- country while at East Tennessee State University. His career, both collegiate and post-collegiate, spanned many years and earned honor for him and for the Knoxville Track Club.

His NCAA National Championships results in cross country:

• 1971: 8th (won by Steve Prefontaine)
• 1972: 3rd (UT won ‘72 team title)
• 1973: 14th (won by Prefontaine)

In NCAA track and field, he took:

• 1973: 5th place Steeplechase
• 1974: 3rd place Steeplechase
• 1975: 5th place 10k

Leddy also represented Ireland at the 1972 Munich Olympics in the 3000 Meter Steeplechase, and in the 1976 Olympics competed in the 5000 Meters and 10000 Meters.

Leddy moved to Knoxville in the mid 1970’s to train for the 1976 Olympics and run for the Knoxville Track Club. He made a lasting impression personally as well as with his running accomplishments. KTC Hall of Fame member Marty Sonnenfeldt came to know Leddy and recalls, “The manner in which Ed gave me advice during those times remains with me to this day; he was always a calming force of reason.”

While running for the KTC during those years, Leddy moved the KTC name to national prominence through his performance results. The insignia “KTC” was known nationally as one of the best in track and field. Highlights include:

• 1974: 4th place at the AAU Track Nationals – 3000M Steeplechase
• 1975: Winner of the Peachtree Road Race, Atlanta, in 29:52
• 1976: 5th place at the AAU Cross -Country Nationals 5k- in 13:45
• (He was part of a team of four KTC athletes that took 3rd place as a team)
• 1976: First place at the AAU Track Nationals – 10k in 28:46

Locally Leddy won just about every road race there was to be run in Knoxville. He was the winner of the first EXPO 10k and in 1979 he won the EXPO and set the course record of 28:20.

Leddy currently resides in Knoxville and is the Director of Marketing for Pilot Corporation. Leddy was inducted into the East Tennessee State University Hall of Fame some years ago. One of the goals of the KTC Hall of Fame is to honor KTC athletes as well as founders and administrators. One very deserving outstanding athlete is Ed Leddy.

Herb Neff

Herbert P. Neff Jr, who was accustomed to reaching great heights, died at his home in Knoxville, after a lengthy bout with cancer, in 2000 at the age of 70.

Neff achieved much in athletics and academics. The slender, 6-foot 6 athlete won the SEC high jump championship in 1950 (6 ft 3.75 in) and 1951 (6 ft 6.5 in) as a member of the University of Tennessee’s track team. As a sophomore Neff won the SEC high jump final, and he also won the prestigious Penn Relays.

Neff was a two time track All-American, finishing 3rd at the NCAA Championships in 1951 and barely missed making the US Olympic team in 1952. Also in 1951 he officially jumped 6 ft 8.25 in at the Georgia AAU meet, just three inches shy of the world record at the time.

He learned to high jump in a sawdust pit on the family lawn. His first coach was his younger brother, Bob, who became one of the state’s top high school track and field coaches.

As a basketball player for the Vols, Neff’s 36 rebounds against Georgia in 1952 have never been bettered by a Vol. He had scored 28 points two weeks earlier against Tulane, and followed with 17 point efforts against Kentucky and Georgia Tech. He led the 1951-52 Vols in scoring (14.1 average) and rebounding (14.7).

After graduating from UT Neff was active in UT’s successful track & field recruitment process, helping Chuck Rohe bring many great athletes to Knoxville.

Neff was one of the original founders of the Knoxville Track Club in 1962. Neff also represented the KTC for many years in high jump competitions. As a member of the KTC track & field officials group, he officiated high school and college track & field meets for 21 years after graduation. Neff was recognized as the South’s best high jump official, working the SEC championships and all of UT’s and KTC’s meets. Neff even returned as a KTC track official in 1997.

Neff was an outstanding masters track & field competitor. At age 33 while competing for the Knoxville Track Club he high-jumped 6 ft 7 in at Warner Park, Chattanooga, to set a national age group record.

Neff also was an ardent volleyball player and traveled the nation competing in tournaments with the Knoxville YMCA team.

Neff earned his Bachelor and Masters degrees from UT and his Doctorate at Auburn. Neff was a UT professor of electrical engineering for more than 45 years, a researcher, and an author of three books concerning electro-magnetic fields.

Ben Plotnicki

Ben Plotnicki retired in 1977 after 32 years as a member of the UT Health, Physical Education and Recreation faculty. Plotnicki died in 1981 at the age of 68.

Plotnicki helped organize the Knoxville Track Club and was highly regarded as a starter and track and field official. He served as starter for 28 years, including several Southeastern Conference championship meets, state high school championships and the 1969 NCAA meet at Tom Black Track.

“In the 10 years I’ve been here, he was probably the most authoritative and highest-ranking person in track and field in Knoxville,” said UT track coach Stan Huntsman. “He did as much for the quality of track here and in the Southeast as any one person. Besides that, he was a gentleman in the truest sense.”

As one of the eight charter members of the Knoxville Track Club Plotnicki was one of the driving forces behind the Club’s growth and success.

Plotnicki was credited with helping bring Chuck Rohe to UT, a move that put the Vols into national and international track competition and success. In the spring of 1962 Plotnicki and others took three car loads of runners to an open AAU meet at Furman University; this was the inaugural KTC track team and the beginning of its competitive activities. The team came back with the first place team trophy and also a recommendation for the new UT track coach. At the meet, after seeing Furman head track coach Chuck Rohe in operation, Plotnicki recommended Rohe to the late Bowden Wyatt, then head UT football coach and athletic director, as the track coach. Rohe was subsequently hired.

Plotnicki played professional football two years as a tailback, with the Wilmington, Delaware, and Paterson, New Jersey teams, for $75 to $80 a game while NFL players were earning about $100.

After completing his military duty with the Navy as a physical instructor, Plotnicki returned to UT and received his Masters degree in 1945, and remained at UT as an instructor. He received the Doctor of Education degree from Boston University in 1960.

Plotnicki received many honors, including the Tennessee Association of Health, Physical Education and Recreation Distinguished Service Honor in 1965.

The Plotnicki Mile at the Sea Ray Relays is named in his honor. The UT Department of Health, Physical Education and Recreation honor him with the Plotnicki Award, “recognizing undergraduates for their professional promise and personal growth, with special consideration for fitness of mind, body, and spirit.”

Plotnicki’s significant contribution to the formation and growth of the KTC can best be remembered by his worthy selection to the KTC Hall of Fame.

Bill Schmidt

Bill Schmidt enjoyed an All-America collegiate career as javelin thrower. In his senior year he won both the Texas and Drake Relays and finished second at the Kansas Relays. Schmidt won the Missouri Valley Conference title and as team captain, led the University of North Texas to the team title with a meet record in the javelin. Schmidt had a second place finish in the 1970 NCAA Track & Field Championships in Des Moines, Iowa and a second place at the USTFF Championships in Wichita, Kansas. His longest collegiate javelin throw recorded an awesome 280 ft 7 in.

To follow-up his collegiate career Schmidt won the 1971 World Military Championships in Turku, Finland, setting a new world military record in the javelin while representing the U.S. Army. Bill Schmidt then topped that win when he won the bronze medal in the 1972 Olympic javelin throw in Munich, Germany. Schmidt still remains the only male American to medal in the javelin event in the last 61 years.

University of Tennessee track coach Stan Huntsman brought Schmidt to Knoxville as an assistant track coach in 1973, where he became involved with and represented the Knoxville Track Club. Schmidt earned a Masters Degree from UT in Business Education in 1976. Schmidt later taught at Central High School in Knoxville, and coached boys and girls cross-country and track.

Schmidt won the USA National Championship in the javelin at UCLA in 1978 while representing the Knoxville Track Club and was named “Javelin Thrower of the Decade” (1970s) in the U.S. by Track and Field News. His career best was 283 ft 2 in.

From his ties to the University of Tennessee and the Knoxville Track Club, Schmidt went on to become a giant in his sports marketing profession. Schmidt was the Director of Sports for the 1982 World’s Fair in Knoxville. Working with renowned sports writer Tom Siler, Schmidt organized and managed 23 sporting events during the Fair: including an NFL exhibition game, an NBA exhibition game, USA vs USSR in swimming, the US Track and Field (USATF) Championships, and a PGA event. With this as a background, he was hired by Stokely Van Camp as sports marketing director to market their signature product, Gatorade, and relocated to Indianapolis.

Stokely loaned Schmidt to Peter Ueberroth for the 1984 Olympic Games in Los Angeles. Schmidt was Vice President of Sports at the games and helped the Los Angeles Games turn the largest profit in Olympic history: $225,000,000 dollars.

In his 15 years with Gatorade, the brand went from $84 million to $1.75 billion in sales in 24 countries. While his contracts with the NFL, NBA, MLB, NASCAR, Peyton Manning and Mia Hamm were notable, his contract with Michael Jordan, written on a napkin in Charlotte, NC, was the most rewarding for Gatorade. There Schmidt was instrumental in helping to develop the iconic “Be Like Mike” advertising campaign.

Schmidt went on to be CEO of Oakley, Inc., and presently has his own consulting firm, Pegasus Sports Marketing in Knoxville. He has also served as an Adjunct Professor in the Department of Exercise, Sport and Leisure Studies at the University of Tennessee.

While it’s recorded that a couple KTC athletes have won several USTFF Senior National Track Championships, Schmidt is believed to be the only athlete to represent KTC and win an Open U.S. National Championship in 1978.

Schmidt was elected into the Greater Knoxville Sports Hall of Fame in 2013.

Will Skelton

Whether running, walking or biking you can safely enjoy the scenery, parks, and neighborhoods on more than 45 miles of greenways withinin Knoxville’s city limits while getting a good day’s exercise.

That was the dream Will Skelton envisioned in 1991 when he helped form the Knox Greenways Coalition, a non-profit advocacy group, initially funded by the local Sierra Club, to advance greenways in the City and Knox County.

The Coalition had several goals, including adopting a comprehensive greenways systems proposal, hiring a fulltime greenways coordinator, and prompting the start of greenway development, all of which were subsequently realized.

In the fall of 1991, when the City had only 1½ miles of paved greenways, Mayor Victor Ashe appointed the Knoxville Greenways Commission, with Skelton as its chairman, to develop plans for greenways and trails. Skelton, active in real estate law was tasked to find feasible routes for greenways and to convince landowners to grant easements for greenways.

“We wanted to get them all over town so everybody would have a greenway not too far away from where they lived,” Skelton said, “and by doing that, everybody became more familiar with them and it helped sell greenways.”

Skelton’s efforts have led to measurable results enjoyed by runners across Knoxville and Knox County. Many KTC runners train on the greenways and some of the KTC’s favorite races are run on the greenways, including a few stretches of the Knoxville Marathon.

Skelton’s community-wide efforts have been recognized with the formal naming of the Will Skelton Greenway in the Island Home and Forks of the River area of South Knoxville.

Joe Walsh, Director, City of Knoxville Parks & Recreation has this to say about Will: “In my mind, Will is the ‘Godfather’ of the Knoxville greenway system. Without his hard work and vision, I am sure we would not have the number of miles we currently enjoy in Knoxville. He not only knocked on doors to secure easements that were essential in the construction of the greenways, but he was out there with a machete in hand, blazing trails with red flags, as we laid out the many miles of greenway trails all over the city. His support and leadership are not to be understated.”

Skelton continues to champion greenway growth in Knoxville as a member of the Advisory Board of Legacy Parks Foundation and as Chairman Emeritus of the Knoxville Greenways Commission.

Skelton is one of the longest sitting KTC Board members in the Club’s history, also serving on the executive committee much of that time. In addition to running in many of the KTC races, usually with his longtime girlfriend Kim Robinette, Skelton has worked on many Club issues and projects. Over a three year period he worked at almost every work session when the KTC installed mileage markers on all of the City of Knoxville and Knox County greenways.

After receiving a law degree from the UT College of Law, Skelton served as a captain in the US Marine Corps 1966-1969. Thereafter he practiced law until his retirement in 2007 as a partner with the law firms of Baker, Worthington, Crossley, Stansberry & Woolf, and Bass Berry & Sims. In addition to greenways, Skelton has been a leader on many environmental and wilderness preservation issues, including serving as coordinator of the Coalition that persuaded Congress to designate 66,389 acres of the Cherokee National Forest as wilderness in 1994 and 1995 and subsequently editing the first comprehensive hiking guide to the Cherokee National Forest, published by UT Press in 1992 and 2005.

The Knoxville Track Club is extremely proud of the total commitment and contributions Will Skelton has made to our community and our Club.

Sam Venable Sr.

Sam A. Venable Sr., officiated sports events and worked at hundreds of track meets even before there was a Knoxville Track Club to share the job.

Venable was one of the eight founding members of the Knoxville Track Club. He was a past president of the KTC and the Knoxville YMCA.

Sam Venable, educator, member of the Knox County Board of Education and one of Tennessee’s most widely known sports figures, died in June of 1972 at the age of 57. Venable was an associate professor of physical education at UT, where he graduated in 1935 and received his Masters degree in 1946.

Venable taught seven years in the Knoxville School System before World War II, in which he served as an infantry major. He moved to UT after the war.

In addition to his teaching duties at UT, Venable was a long time track and field official with the KTC official’s organization. He officiated at all of the UT and local high school track meets throughout the 1960s. Venable was also official scorer at UT basketball games and annually served as tournament director of TSSAA basketball.

“We carried the downs-markers and chain together at Tennessee football games for 22 years,” said Maynard Glenn, City Recreation Bureau Director. “I suppose Sam was the greatest all-around man I’ve ever known. He did more things for others than he ever did for himself. He was thoughtful and kind and religious and completely honest.”

“Sam Venable was my teacher,” said Dr. Andy Kosar, former head of the men’s physical education department at UT. “He had many jobs and many skills and yet a wit and warmth you seldom see. I recall him asking the blessing at our first T-Club alumni dinner. He said ‘Lord, forgive us for the sports stories we are about to exaggerate.'”

Venable was, for perhaps 20 years, the driving force in UT’s intramural program.

“No person in my memory has done more to encourage wholesome sports than Sam Venable,” said Andy Holt, UT’s president emeritus.

One purpose of the KTC Hall of Fame is to remember and honor members like Sam who have contributed greatly to the success of the Club.