European Stars And Stripes (Newspaper) - April 23, 1986, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Wednesday april 23, 1986 the stars and stripes Page 21 a photo Marathon winners in Boston Rob de Castella of Australia left photo Breaks the tape earning $60,000 for a record 2 07 51 performance. At women s division in 2 24 54, talks with another compete monday at the finish line of the 90th Boston Marathon right Ingrid Kristiansen of Norway the Winner of the Tor before the starting gun. Boston Marathon proves Money talks by Arlene Levinson Boston a for the first time in the history of the world s oldest annual Marathon the Boston race was offering Money. And it showed. A pair of Mercedes Benz automobiles one Gray the other Navy Blue stood like a couple of trophies on wheels monday behind the Fin ish line for the 90th Boston Marathon. The cars were to go to the top men s finisher and the leading women s finisher. There was $250,000 in prize Money and there were bonuses for record times. There had been Large promotional receptions. There were free lunches on race Day and elaborate kits for All in the press area. A Cable television network had the rights and showed the race live. At Eliot s lounge the favorite Post race haunt of marathoners bartender and for Mer racer Tommy Leonard stared up at the to screen with a look of satisfaction. Like Many other fans he too is All for the commercialization. I always say the Best audience deserves the Best Field said Leonard referring to recent years when Many top runners turned away from Boston because no Money was offered. Leonard said that in the past few years with the dwindling interest from the world s Best the Boston race was like watching a Little fun  since the Early 1980s, Boston saw a decline in the Quality of runners As Money became More of an Issue among competitors. The Boston athletic association Long resisted suggestions that monetary prizes be offered As other races already did. This stand took its toll with fewer of the world s Best Marathon racers competing. Last year s 5,500 entrants were about 1,300 fewer than the year before. The prize Money has revived what some feared was a dying contest. Prize Money starts at $1,000 to each 15th-place finisher in the open division and goes on up to $30,000 for the top Man and woman. The prize Money totalling $250,000, is furnished by John Hancock financial services which has a 10-year, $1 million contract with the Boston athletic association founder and operator of the race to sponsor the race. Leonard got a jump on the new style of promotion three years ago when he decided to create a Walkway of the running  just outside the bar Entrance Are two slabs of Cement in which 11 of the world s Best runners and coaches left their signatures and Bare footprints. Leonard s interest in the race goes Back to 1953, the first of 24 marathons in which he competed. Since 1973, he has worked at the Eliot whose owners allowed him to hang a picture gallery of celebrated runners and festooned it with banners from marathons in new York Chicago and Paris. There were about 100 people in the bar at the Start of this year s race. No Money for mayor Boston a Boston mayor Ray mond l. Flynn one of the chief advocates of prize Money for the Boston Marathon did t win any in monday s race for his finish. He was a Long Way Back in the pack of 3,754 who finished the , a former Providence College basketball player who has run the 26-mile,385-Yard race before covered the distance in a personal Best time of 3 hours 52 min utes 45 seconds. Kelley s 52nd finish Boston up John a. Kelley the Boston Marathon s beloved elder states Man finished the event for the 52nd time and responded by thrusting out his arms in Triumph and saying he was off for a cold Beer and a warm  78-year-old Kelley completed the race in about 4/2 hours surviving a heavy downpour and finishing to the cheers of hundreds Many of whom stuck it out in the rain to see him. Kelley a resident of East Dennis has won two marathons finished second in seven came in third once fourth twice and fifth three times. I did t have to walk once he said see Money on Page 26