(EDITOR’S NOTE: Since May of 1999, the Times News Sports Department has featured an On This Date practically every day, highlighting an event that happened in the past. With the coronavirus putting a halt to sports locally and nationally, the On This Dates have been expanded to the stories that actually ran in the next day’s newspaper. Today’s On This Date story is from May 2, 1982).

By Craig Potter

Associate Sports Editor

The 11th Annual Jim Thorpe Memorial Run will be remembered as the one with two victors.

For the record, Kevin Koch won the overall 6.2-mile race in 33:46 with Bob Thomas second at 33:53 and Clark Wentz third in 33:55.

The actual order of finish with the runners crossing the line was Thomas, Wentz and Koch.

Thomas led the race from its start at Mauch Chunk Lake for about the first 4 3/4 miles. Koch, a Lehighton native, now residing in Newport, Perry County, passed Thomas and led by as much as 300 yards coming to the last part of the race.

The course sends the runners up Rt. 903 around the Jim Thorpe Mausoleum and back to 11th Street to the high school complex for the finish.

“They didn’t have anybody to tell me to turn at the last turn to come in here to the school,” Koch explained afterwards. “I continued on to 10th Street where they did have people, and when I got to 10th Street, they told me I was to turn a block back up there.”

Thomas crossed the finish line first but when Koch came in, Thomas handed him his No. 1 ticket.

“He (Koch) would have won the whole race overall,” said Thomas. “That’s why coming in at the finish I stopped and waited for him because he deserved it.”

Sportsmanship Prevails

Thomas displayed true sportsmanship by yielding his first place trophy to Koch.

“I try to teach that (sportsmanship) to my kids on the team,” stated the Jim Thorpe cross country coach, “and I try to withhold to that. If I don’t do it, they won’t do it.”

Thomas said that this was the first time he has been involved in a race situation where sportsmanship affected the final results.

Also involved in the sportsmanship act is Clark Wentz of Palmerton for giving up second place to Thomas to take third.

Commenting on the race, Koch said, “Bob is good on the downhill and I’m better on the uphills. He ran the first portion hard, I ran the second portion hard.

“This race is a matter of what your strengths are and since it is an ungelating course, you either run real well in the first half or reall well in the second half. It isn’t even out like many other courses are.”

Thomas added that Koch ran a more even pace than he did, which was the key.

“It’s a big importance when you’re racing, running an even pace,” Thomas pointed out.

Thomas won the event last year and was striving to become only the second runner to win consecutive races. Lou Gunderman of Ringtown won the seventh, eighth and ninth annual Jim Thorpe Memorial Runs. Gunderman did not enter this year.

Georgianna Messinger, a sophomore at Palmerton High School, was the first woman to finish. The 15-year-old Lady Blue Bomber completed the course in 42:09.

Mary Jean Crooks of Allentown placed second in the overall female race with Rita Carey of Merion taking third.

Of the 162 entrants, 145 completed the course which runs through the historic Borough of Jim Thorpe across the bridge connecting both sides of the town and finishing on the Olympian football field.

The weather proved a factor as the direct sunlight made the pavement hot for the runners causing several to get blisters.

“It’s ideal for getting a suntan, not racing,” Koch quipped.

First place finishers in various male and female age groups were Mike Snisky and Amy Zimmerman - 15-and-under; John Gasper and Georgianna Messinger - high school; Kevin Koch and Marcia Boyle - open; Bob Thomas and Mary Jean Crooks - senior; Herb Townsend and Bernadette Miles - masters; and Walt Roberts - senior masters.