Born May 31, 1938, Louisville, Ky.

"Longevity" is a word synonymous with Ron Laird's race-walking career. "Success" is another. Laird's career spanned three decades in which time he won 65 national championships. Laird's first taste of success came in 1958 when he won national titles in both the 20 and 25-kilometers walks, starting a streak that saw him win at least one American title for the next 13 years. He had seven wins in 1965, eight in 1967 and nine in 1969. Laird's amazing string eclipsed Hall of Famer Henry Laskau's record of 42 American walk titles.

At one of point, Laird won five-straight 15-kilometer titles but his highest win total in any event was seven in both the 15 kilometers and one-hour races. Laird won his final title in 1976, the same year in which he made his fourth U.S. Olympic team (1960, 1964 and 1968 were the other three). He was a fourth-place finisher at the 1963 Pan American Games and captured bronze medals in the 1963 and 1973 Lugano Cups.