Dick Traum

Dick Traum (November 18, 1940 – January 23, 2024) was an American disability runner and businessman who was the founder of the Achilles Track Club for disabled athletes.[1] In 1976, he completed the New York City Marathon, becoming the first runner to complete such an event with a prosthetic leg after being the first at shorter distances.[2] He also collaborated with Marathon founder Fred Lebow in drawing more disabled athletes into the marathon.[3] In the 1980s he became the first amputee to finish a 100 km ultra event, in Poland.[citation needed]

In 1993, Traum wrote A Victory for Humanity.[2]

Recognition

In 2010, Traum was inducted into the National Jewish Sports Hall of Fame. The Achilles Track Club was renamed Achilles International in 2004. Dick remained the CEO for 37-years before retiring in 2019.[4] He was inducted to the NYRR Hall of Fame in 2018.[5][6] As of 2019, he'd run the marathon distance more than seventy times and was the oldest athlete from New York City to run that year's Boston Marathon.[7]

Terry Fox credited reading an article about Traum's marathon running inspired his cross-Canada run for cancer research.[8]

Personal life

Traum died on January 23, 2024, at the age of 83.[1][9]

References

  1. ^ a b "Richard Traum Obituary - New York, NY". Dignity Memorial. Retrieved January 28, 2024.
  2. ^ a b McCann Fenton, Matthew (November 15, 1993). "The Doggedness of the Long-Distance Runner". New York Magazine. New York Media, LLC. Retrieved January 28, 2024.
  3. ^ Rubin, Ron (November 1, 2004). Anything For a T-Shirt: Fred Lebow and the New York City Marathon, the World's Greatest Footrace. Syracuse University Press. p. 107. ISBN 978-0-8156-0806-6.
  4. ^ "History". Achilles International. Retrieved September 6, 2020.
  5. ^ "Dick Traum '58, Founder of Achilles - Horace Mann School". www.horacemann.org. Retrieved December 10, 2024.
  6. ^ "Hall of Fame". nyrr.org. Retrieved December 10, 2024.
  7. ^ "Amputee Is NYC's Oldest Athlete In Boston Marathon". April 12, 2019. Retrieved January 28, 2024.
  8. ^ "Terry Fox & the Foundation - the Marathon of Hope". Archived from the original on April 20, 2010. Retrieved March 1, 2010.
  9. ^ Gabriel, Trip (January 31, 2024). "Dick Traum, 83, Dies; First to Run Marathon With a Prosthetic Leg". The New York Times. Retrieved November 19, 2024.


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