Moore (69), then a year-and-a-half past his Oregon Duck career, made the cover of the December ’67 T&FN for his win at the AAU Cross Country. (CHICAGO AMERICAN)
THE SPHERES OF TRACK & FIELD, distance running and sportswriting were rocked on May 4 by the sad news that Kenny Moore — who left a hugely respected and beloved mark in all these areas — had passed. You will find a detailed obituary here.
Many received the news through a Facebook post by coach Peter Thompson, a longtime friend of Moore’s.
Here is the text of Thompson’s post, republished with permission. (Below it don’t miss a link to a great article Moore wrote for T&FN on Steve Prefontaine.)
KENNY MOORE – Athlete and Writer R.I.P. (December 1, 1943 to May 4, 2022)
Kenny’s wife, Connie Johnston Moore, would like to share this message with you and with others, written from their long-time Hawaiian home:
“Kenny found his opening this morning. It was about 7. He was already pretty distant and peaceful and then his breathing stopped. It was a very loving time for me with him. I think he knew he could leave with this morning being our last sunrise. I know you are sad but be grateful for him. It was his time and it was a relatively easy letting go I think for him. I hope you can spread the word for me. Take your time. Just love Kenny, love love love him. We were all privileged to know him and have him in our life. Peace and Love to you and everyone in Eugene.”
Kenny Moore has been one of the great story tellers of American sport for decades.
As an athlete, he found himself right in the middle of some of those great stories while putting his own stamp on running and track and field greatness.
He was known as ‘Ken’ Moore when he graduated North Eugene high school and arrived at the University of Oregon. He would letter three years each in track and cross country.
Always a versatile distance runner, Ken was a three time All-American on the track, with three more top national finishes in the 3-mile, 5,000 meters and the steeplechase. Moore was a 1963 cross country All-American and was part of back-to-back teams that finished 2nd in the nation.
As a post-collegiate racer, he flexed his muscle at greater distances, winning the 1967 US Cross Country Championship and dominating the demanding Bay to Breakers road race in San Francisco. Ken won the 12K monster six consecutive years from 1968-1973.
In 1970, Moore placed second in the prestigious Fukuoka International Marathon with a loop-course American record and personal best time of 2:11.36.
Moore competed on the biggest stage of all twice. He finished 14th in the marathon at the Mexico City Olympics then qualified again in 1972, finishing dead even with training partner Frank Shorter. Shorter would take the gold and glory on the final day of the Munich games in the shadow of the terrorist attacks. Moore just missed the podium, finishing 4th.
These experiences and these times provided extensive material for the writer who would become known as Kenny Moore. In 25 years at Sports Illustrated, Moore told the big stories, championed the protection of amateur athletes and co-wrote the definitive biography of the enigmatic Steve Prefontaine that inspired the film Without Limits. Moore has also written a biography of his Oregon coach, the legendary Bill Bowerman [Bowerman and the Men of Oregon: The Story of Oregon’s Legendary Coach and Nike’s Cofounder].
His activism helped win the freedom of imprisoned Ethiopian marathon champion Mamo Wolde.
Always relentless in his pursuits, we welcome Kenny Moore to the Oregon Sports Hall of Fame.
While Moore’s renown as a track and running writer arose largely around a superb oeuvre of Sports Illustrated articles penned over many years and his books, for the II March 1972 edition of T&FN, he wrote a fabulous feature article on his friend and fellow Oregon-bred distance runner Steve Prefontaine as the Duck superstar raced into the Munich Olympic season. You can read it here. The online version was installment No. 5 in The Pre Chronicles, a 19-part compilation of our Pre reportage 1968–’75.
