1996 Hall of Fame Inductee
Fordham graduate Joseph "Joe" McCluskey ranks near the top of U.S. distance runners. During his remarkable career, he won 27 national titles in various distance events. He captured the steeplechase title a record nine times between 1930 and 1943. He also won U.S. outdoor titles in the 5000 (1935-1937) and 10,000 meters (1942). Indoors, he was the two-mile winner in 1940. He was also the 1932 national cross country champion and won the U.S. 15 km road title in 1941 and 1942. At Fordham, he won five IC4A 2-mile titles, two indoors, three outdoors. At the 1932 Olympics, McCluskey won the bronze medal in the steeplechase but was deprived of a silver medal because one of the officials failed to hold up the number of laps remaining in the race, prompting the athletes to run an extra lap. McCluskey was second at the end of the regular race but dropped back to third during the extra lap. During World War II, McCluskey served as a U.S. Navy lieutenant commander. He later spent almost 30 years as a New York City stockbroker. He coached the NYAC track team for 14 years and ran in Masters competition until he was 85.
1932 Olympics: 3,000 m steeplechase (3rd) 1936 Olympics: 3,000 m steeplechase (10th) 1935 USA Outdoors: 5,000 m (1st) 1936 USA Outdoors: 5,000 m (1st) 1937 USA Outdoors: 5,000 m (1st) 1942 USA Outdoors: 10,000 m (1st)
Stockbroker Coach