Harris Browning 'Brownie' Ross is often referred to as the father oflong-distance running in America. H. Browning Ross, nicknamed "Brownie" by his friends, was a lifelong resident of Woodbury in Gloucester County, New Jersey, USA from his birth up until his death. He devoted his life to spreading his love and enthusiasm for long-distance running and is often credited as the cornerstone to the development of long-distance runners in the States today.
Early years
High school
Ross did not grow up possessing a love for running. In, fact it was not until he was cut from Woodbury High School's baseball team that he took up running. It was not long before his second choice of sport was a true calling, as Ross blossomed into one of the greatest high school distance runners in the entire state of New Jersey. In the spring of 1943, his senior year, he was crowned the N.J. State Mile Champion and National Interscholastic Indoor Mile Champion.
Ross was one of Elliott's first magnificent runners at Villanova during the late 1940s. In 1948 he won the NCAAsteeplechase championship, which paved the way for his 1948 U.S. Olympic Team qualification weeks later.
Ross competed in the 1948 London Olympics where he became the only American to compete in the steeplechase final, placing 7th overall with a 9:23.2 time. After the Olympics were over Ross decided to stay in Europe and postpone his return trip to the United States because he wanted to compete in road races held in Ireland. It was there that he discovered a vast resource of running talent, and when Ross returned home he promptly alerted "Jumbo" of his findings. Elliott heeded his advice, and thus began Villanova's tradition with its long line of Irish runners. Ross, however, did not match the same success in the 1952 Olympics held in Helsinki, Finland. He qualified to compete but never reached the finals in any competition.
At the 1951 Pan American Games, Ross placed 1st in the 1500 meter run, shared 1st in the 3000 meter steeplechase, and finished 4th in the 5000 meter run. A controversy occurred in the 3000m steeplechase, where two Americans, Curt Stone and Ross, had pulled away from the field. Stone slowed down on the last straightaway and held Ross's hand as they crossed the line together. Argentine officials debated for two hours whether their actions violated rules requiring athletes to make an effort to win before finally allowing the results to stand, ranking Stone as first after a close examination of the finish photo.
''Long Distance Log''
With such passion for the sport he loved it was inevitable that Ross would continue to stay involved even after his heyday of running. In 1955 he recognized the need for distance running results to be published and widely distributed in order to increase the public's awareness of the sport. In 1956 he created the Long Distance Log the only publication devoted exclusively to long-distance running in the USA. The first issues were mimeographed on the backs of recycled high school history tests. The Log would become the major instrument to unite runners and address their concerns over the next 20 years. He was the first editor-in-chief of the magazine, which mailed monthly to about 1,000 subscribers throughout the country until 1975. In 1958 Ross founded the Philadelphia Road Runners Club, which later became the national Road Runners Club of America. The club today boasts of more than 180,000 members nationwide.
Former coach, meet and race organizer, publisher, track official and sporting goods entrepreneur in the world of long-distance running.
Two races are held in his name. The Benjamin/Ross 5k is held in June in his hometown of Woodbury, NJ and the Ross Kupcha 5k and kids run held in National Park, NJ on Easter Saturday.
An H. Browning Ross Memorial was dedicated on July 4, 2001 at the bottom of Wood Street overlooking the Woodbury High School stadium and track.
The H. Browning Ross Award was established in his memory by the Road Runners Club of America to acknowledge one individual each year who reflects the spirit of that organization.
