European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - October 23, 1977, Darmstadt, Hesse Sunday october 23, 1977 the stars and stripes Page 17 i m a better athlete than Joe Namath marathoner Rodgers runs for Fame Fortune few a fut of a a v to a _ _. J by Dick Braude Melrose mass. A in the world of big time sports behemoths win More Fame than butterflies and it makes Bill Rodgers angry enough to Stop eating his bran Cereal and Maple syrup. I m a better athlete than Joe Namath. I la be running Over his grave says the 128-Pound Rodgers one of the top Mara Thon runners in the world. He looks Placid enough eating his High Energy concoction in a walkup apartment decorated with the butterflies he once caught and mounted. Lasse Viren is a better athlete than where they711 wind up in the Long run Lasse Viren of Finland Points out the finish line on a Central Park map of sunday s new York City Marathon route. Looking on Are Frank Shorter center1972 olympic Marathon Champ from Boulder colo., and Bill Rodgers of greater Boston track club the defending Champ in sunday s race in which about 5,000 will compete. A Rudd Heads second Day qualifiers for american 500 b. Allison is next by Jerry Garrett Rockingham . A Ricky Rudd this season s top Rookie turned in the Lith Best Speed Over All and was Fri Day s fastest qualifier for sunday s Ameri can 500 grand National Stock car race. The 21-year-old Rudd took his Black an Gold Chevrolet around the 1.017-mile North Carolina motor Speedway Oval at an aver age Speed of 136.162 Miles per hour about one tenth of a second faster than Bobby Al Lison the Day s next quickest runner. We had engine trouble yesterday and decided to wait until today to make sure we got things straightened out explained Rudd who out qualified Sam Sommers his closest rival in the Rookie Competition by.036 of a second. Allison whose younger brother Donnie won the pole position thursday with a Speed of 138.685 ., averaged 135.613 In his Matador. Bobby missed thursday s qualifying because his car arrived at the track too late just As qualifying ended in fact. Dave Marcis who had a full Lap on Thefield before dropping out of last year s american 500, picked up a ride in his 1978 teammate Roland Wlodyka s Chevrolet and was third on the Day at 135.443 Roland was planning to run Here but had to do a few other things. So i m Gonna run it in the race said Marcis who recently purchased Roger Penske s Stock car equipment. Our team won t be ready to race until the last race of the season a Ontario Marcis said he was surprised How Well the car ran so Early. I Only took three laps before i got Down to just about where i qualified he said. Roland bought this from Benny Parsons the third place qualifier was standing nearby and added it s a real comfortable car. I m sorta sorry we qualifying for the final six positions in the 36-car Field was scheduled saturday along with a Lascar baby grand s race gets a noon not Green Flag. Rockingham . A qualifiers through Friday for the american 500 grand National Stock car race at North Carolina motor Speedway s 1.017-mile Oval with Type of car and qualifying Speed in Miles per hour 1. Donnie Allison Chevrolet 138.685 2. Cale Yarborough Chevrolet 138.0163. Benny Parsons Chevrolet 137.828 4. Darrell Waltrip Chevrolet 137.6525. Richard Petty Dodge 137.632 6. Dick Brooks Ford 137.3177. David Pearson Mercury 137.214 8. Nell Bonnett Dodge 137.2099. Buddy Baker Ford 136.630 10. Skip Manning Chevrolet 136.249 11. Sam Sommers Chevrolet 135.980 12. Lennie Pond Chevrolet 135.84913. Bruce Hill Chevrolet 134.719 14. Janet Guthrie Chevrolet 134.71415. . Ulrych Chevrolet 134.123 16. Rocky Rudd Chevrolet 136.162 17. Bobby Allison Matador 135.613 18. Dave Marcis Chevrolet 135.443 19. James Hylton Chevrolet 133.379 20. . Mcduffie Chevrolet 133.093 21. Cecil Gordon Chevrolet 132.78022. Buddy Arrington Dodge 132.645 23. Joe Mihalic Chevrolet 132.295 24. Bobby Wawak Chevrolet 131.52525. Randy Myers Chevrolet 131.393 26. Frank Warren Dodge 131.22827. Dale Earnhardt Chevrolet. 131.026 28. Ronnie Thomas Chevrolet 130.73129. Tom Gale Ford 130.731 30. Jimmy Means Chevrolet 129.186 Muhammad All he adds referring to Finland s olympic Long distance Star As he shovels in another Mouthful of bananas milk and Brown sugar. Namath and Ali probably never have heard of Rodgers and the 29-year-old runner originally from Newington conn., demands " 1 want some Justice Rodgers and olympic Gold medallists Viren and Frank Shorter Are running sunday in the prestigious new York City Marathon. Rodgers is the defending Cham Pion. Since winning the famed Boston Mara Thon in 1975, Rodgers has captured a flock of Road races plus marathons in Holland and Japan. He was an olympic team member in Montreal. I be probably run around the world four times he says clearly annoyed that his athletic status is known mainly to his wife and members of the world s Marathon club As he Calls it. Rodgers a former teacher of emotionally disturbed youngsters in Everett mass., appears mild mannered. But no one runs 140 Miles a week rain or Shine without fierce ambition firing each step. Rodgers knows Well what it s like 10 labor in obscurity. The Wesleyan graduate spent months Wheeling bodies to the morgue at a Boston Hospital to fulfil conscientious objector status during the War in Vietnam. The Job paid $75 a week. And just Why does he run it s the notoriety i m after he admits. The Fame the glory the mystique of the Rodgers would like to make a Good living from his athletic prowess but race winners Don t get Cash except perhaps under the table donations from shoe companies and meet directors. In addition the Competition for Fame is getting stiffer. There Are now More than 300 marathons in the United states each year and a top runner like Rodgers is Active if he competes in six or eight. Rodgers however thinks he has found one Small Way to capitalize in the Good old american fashion from the running jogging Boom. This fall he plans to open a track equipment store in Boston. People Are beginning to realize that running is Good for their health and there s Money in it he says. I d like to make Money simply because i m As Good or better at what i do than someone like hockey Star Phil Rodgers says Many marathoners quit because they get Hung up on making but in an Era when dollars earned is the measure of an athlete s Success this Marathon Man clearly is waiting to hear the Cash Register ring. Bragan or. Signs Jacksonville Fla
