What a Life

Get up early and go to bed late for 90 years and you'll meet a lot of people.  I know. I did that.  And as I reflect on that passing parade there are three or four individuals who stand out as uniquely exceptional.  One of that small group is the iconic coach of Track & Field at the University of Oregon, William Jay (Bill) Bowerman.

He had already become a legend when I joined the athletic department in 1969 and over the years we became friends.  I, like hundreds of other admirers, was drawn to his charismatic aura and a number of years after we had both moved on from the University of Oregon, I had an epiphany: a book must be written about Bill Bowerman's life.  I even presumed to think I could write it. So I called Bill and arranged a lunch date for the following week.

We chatted about some of the old times and as the soup and sandwiches cleared the table, I said to him, "You've had an incredible life, Bill.  It's got to be put into a book."

Bill's face brightened and he said with a huge grin, "That's a great idea, Landers.  We'll get Kenny Moore to write it."

Bill Bowerman did not achieve his fame by mistaking PE runners for Olympians.

He was, of course, dead on.  As a gifted writer for Sports Illustrated, Kenny had run for Bill at Oregon and evolved into an Olympic marathoner. He was living in Hawaii when I called to pitch the idea and he loved it. "I'll be back to the mainland next month and we'll get Phil Knight (Bowerman's partner in founding Nike) on board to underwrite the project."  Phil Knight gave his enthusiastic approval and agreed to finance the mission.*  With some help from me doing research (20-some hours of Bowerman interviews on tape that is now in the Nike archives) Kenny's masterful talent brought the story of William Jay Bowerman to life.

Bowerman and the Men of Oregon (2006 Rodale, inc.)

If you have any interest in track & field (or even if you don't) you will miss a fascinating page-turner if you haven't read this incredible biography of a uniquely unusual man.

*In my later interview with Knight he told me he was a shy Freshman who, after his first season of track, went to Bowerman and asked what he could do to improve his performance. Bowerman said, "Run faster."