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"Shin Splints"
A Blog by Doug Logan

The Mighty Burner

Tuesday, November 18, 2008

Every once in a while we are blessed when a unique individual comes into our lives and leaves a lasting mark. We all lost such a colleague on November 6, 2008, in Larry James. Only a few individuals manage to live their lives as a personification of the Platonic ideal of the tripartite soul. G. Lawrence James was a beacon of wisdom, courage and temperance, and he already is sorely missed.

Larry had many titles in the course of his sixty-one years: Dean at his beloved Richard Stockton College, Major in the U.S. Marine Corps Reserves, Chairman of the Budget Committee of USATF, Olympian, Gold and Silver Medalist, Husband, Father, Son. However, I have always known Larry as the Mighty Burner. My lasting impression of him is in a Villanova singlet, gliding -- yes gliding -- around a track in the mid1960s, making speed look so effortless.

Last Saturday, we celebrated Larry's life and mourned his death during a three-hour festival of emotion at Victory First Presbyterian Church in Atlantic City, New Jersey. [How fitting that the church was named Victory!] We entered the church through a bone-chilling drizzle under grey skies, but a bright sun forced away the gloom and warmed us as we departed. Singing, praying, laughing, weeping, all of us remembered this wonderful man in our own fashion. Larry's uncle, Bishop Dr. Herbert Daughtry of the House of the Lord Church in Brooklyn, N.Y., delivered a stirring eulogy. He described the conflict felt by Larry and his teammates in the Games of 1968 in Mexico as to whether or not to compete. Larry urged his teammates to compete despite the urging of others to boycott the Games in a protest of the civil injustice of the times. He said that if they boycotted they would become a mere "asterisk" in history. Bishop Daughtry correctly noted that Larry became not an asterisk, but an "exclamation mark."

Cultivo una rosa blanca, en junio como en enero, para el amigo sincero, que me da la mano franca.

These are the opening lines of a Cuban poem, written by Jose Marti, a soldier, statesman and poet known as the Father of the Cuban Republic. The lines express the essence of pure friendship in a manner that cannot be accomplished by mere prose.

I grow a white rose, in June as well as in January, for one who comes with authentic friendship and extends his hand sincerely.

I met Larry briefly before a black-tie fundraiser in September of this year. Larry and I shared the same name, George, the saintly dragon slayer. And, slay his dragons Larry did. He suffered through his debilitating physical afflictions with a stoicism and dignity that I have never seen before. During the party he gallantly dragged his ravaged body to where I was sitting and said the following to me in halting sentences:

"I have been watching you carefully. So far, I like what I see. Don't let us down. I will help you as much as I can."

I was on the phone with Larry for two hours the night before he died. He courageously chaired an important meeting of the USATF Budget Committee and asked his usual penetrating questions. In the last minutes, as he apologized to his colleagues that he would be unable to travel to Reno for USATF's Annual Meeting, he began to weep.

He knew.

Larry, in my next garden, wherever it is, I will grow a white rose for you.

COMMENTS
This was a gret article. It really defined the man and who he was. The home going service for Larry James was a true celebration of his life and how he touched others. I am one of Larry's former runners. He had an significant impact on my life on and off the track. He will be missed but like myself, and numerous others, we will not forget.
Posted by: Walter Anderson on 11/19/2008 11:35:14 AM PT
G. Larry James is someone to whom I have had the pleasure of knowing for virtually all of my life. My father (Charles Mays) and Mr. James were teammates on the 1968 Mexico City team. Mr. James was always someone who you can depend and look too when you think all is lost...he would lift your spirits and make you feel as if everything would be fine. On 11/15, I was in attendance to celebrate his life as well as his homegoing. Mr. James is known for his athletic achievements but that has no comparison to the man he was. Mr. James had a loving wife of 37 years who represents the meaning of the old saying, "with every man, there is a strong woman"...an her name is Cynthia James. If you were priviledged to know Mr. James, one would have agree that the celebration of life that was witnessed this past Saturday was fitting for the man he was. You may be physically gone from this earth Mr. James, your spirit, love, and teachings will be here eternally. God Bless you... and God Speed
Posted by: Charles Mays Jr. on 11/19/2008 2:56:43 PM PT
I was not someone who personally knew Larry well. He once spoke at a banquet for our youth track and field program in Norristown, PA; he skillfully intrigued our athletes and parents with a terrific 'playback' of his Olympic experience from the warm-up area to the track and race. I admired him as high school athlete, because he was a humble ,but a fierce competitor. I later became a teammate of his soon to be wife's brother Greg at Morgan State. I pray for his family and I am happy to have crossed paths with him. I will always cherish the way he captivated our imaginations with his Mexico City speech/experience. God bless the family.
Posted by: Ernie Hadrick Jr. on 11/20/2008 7:43:51 PM PT
I met G. Larry James at our Seton Hall Track & Field Banquet when I was a student-athlete in 1977. For the next three decades, I ran into him at different functions and he was always encouraging and helped to mentor me to be the coach that I am today. We had several phone conversation the past year and he did not once tell me that he was sick which is a tribute to the man he was. In these conversations, he lifted my spirits about coaching, family life, faith and making future career decisions. I will always be thankful for his life and for being a special mentor. My thoughts and prayers go out to his wonderful family. Thank you Roberto Vives Director of Men's & Women's Track & Field/Cross Country
Posted by: Roberto Vives on 11/20/2008 11:01:06 PM PT
Larry James was the athletic director at my school, Richard Stockton College, but he was much more than that. He was always around for an encouraging word to our teams and he was very involved, traveling to away track meets to show his support. He just couldn't stay away from the track. He could often be found on the infield officiating with a huge smile on his face or chatting with one of the team parents. What an honor it was to have known him and benefited from his running advice and moreover his character. We'll miss you coach.
Posted by: Danielle Kleppan on 11/22/2008 10:21:35 AM PT
Wow! I am surely overwhelmed by the comments, love, and memories of my father. Thank you for the beautiful article and kind words. Mr. Logan, thank you for remembering him as the champion he was! I appreciate you celebrating his life with us.
Posted by: Tamaiya Forbey on 11/24/2008 2:11:27 PM PT
Larry James was the assistant athletic director and my track and field coach at Richard Stockton College (79-81). Larry was a great mentor and advisor to all athletes during my tenure on and off the track. Larry could always bring out the best in all of us which paved the way to being successful and responsible adults in the 21st century. God bless you Larry and family.
Posted by: Anthony W. Johnson on 4/19/2009 4:23:05 PM PT
Larry, when a captain in the reserves, served as my sst Intel Officer at Willow Grove MARTD. A finer young man you could never meet. Rest his soul, and Semper fi Marine. Bob Ballantyne Col USMCR (Ret)A
Posted by: Bob Ballantyne on 10/13/2009 9:44:31 AM PT
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Photo of Doug Logan Doug Logan is the CEO of USA Track & Field (USATF), the national governing body for track and field, long distance running, and race walking. Headquartered in Indianapolis, the organization has more than 90,000 members throughout the country.