Switzer was officially thrown out of the race and a photo of Semple ripping at the number was published around the world. But during the race Semple spotted her, ran off the press bus and grabbed the top of her number before he was hit with a body block by a friend of Switzer’s. Switzer had gained an entry number by using only her first initial. Amateur Athletic Association to sanction women marathoners in the early 1970s.īut he was a stickler for rules and is best remembered for chasing Katherine Switzer, who participated in the Boston Marathon in 1967, when the race was still barred to women. He is credited with adding qualifying times for the race and with getting the U.S. Semple for years was official registrar for the race, which has grown from about 150 entrants after World War II to nearly 7,000 today.

He finished in the top 10 in the race seven times but had his greatest impact on the 26.2-mile event as an administrator. Semple ran in his first American marathon in 1926 and his first Boston Marathon in 1929.

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