In November, 1969, the Eastern Illinois University Cross Country Team won the NCAA College Division National Championship. Now, forty years later, members of that team will return to the campus for recognition and reunion celebrations on Family Weekend, October 2 and 3rd. Perry Edinger, Mattoon native, though not a member of that team, but with impressive credentials of his own, will make a special presentation in honor of that team, on Friday night, October 2nd at 7 PM in the First Baptist Church (2800 S. University Drive..Charleston). The program is free and open to the public. A reception will follow.
Edinger obtained a master's degree from Syracuse University in 1985 and has since been the Head Athletic Trainer at West Virginia University and Arizona State University. His running exploits include pacing Lance Armstrong (world famous bike racer) in the Boston Marathon, winning the Ultra Marathon Grand Slam Championships in 2008 (fastest time in four pre-designated 100 mile mountain races) and placing 9th in the world in the recent 135 mile race (Badwater 135) from Death Valley to Mt. Whitney (California). The race begins at 280 feet below sea level and finishes at the Mt. Whitney portals ( 8,300 feet above sea level). It took him just 29 hours and 19 minutes to complete the event. He'll make a power point presentation about his experiences in these ultra marathon events.
While the trainer at Arizona State University, Perry became friends with the now-famous and deceased Pat Tillman, an outstanding football player who turned down the NFL to go fight in the Middle East. Tillman became interested in marathon running and as unlikely as it seems, Perry coached this 235-pound defensive specialist to a 3:46 marathon. Tillman was killed in Afghanistan, but a foundation was set up in his name. Perry Edinger has been the race director for many of the Pat Tillman Foundation runs in and around the country. Edinger is also scheduled to run in the EIU Alumni Cross Country Open event on Saturday at 5:30 PM. That race is open to local runners and their is no entry fee.
Five members of the 1969 National Championship Cross Country team are scheduled to return. All of them are now retired or semi-retired except Ken Klipp who continues to coach cross country and assist with the track team at Bishop McNamara High School in Kankakee. For more than 35 years his teams have been especially successful and Ken was inducted into the Illinois Track and Cross Country Coaches Association Hall of Fame in 2005.
Joining him on campus will be Marty McIntire, who following graduation worked as a sports writer and radio broadcaster in Minnesota and South Dakota before returning to Salem, IL to work with the newspaper there. He has also worked for the Schutt Sports Manufacturing Company, makers of nationally known athletic gear including NFL and college football equipment. Jim Fehrenbacher, was originally from Olney, IL and after EIU graduation, worked in southern Illinois oil industry. He and his wife Jill (also an EIU graduate) live in Flora and their son Andy (also a former EIU student) has been a very successful track and basketball coach at Teutopolis HS.
Dike Stirrett who placed 4th of more than 400 runners on that cold day in November, 1969, continued running following graduation and for many years was one of the better marathoners in Illinois. He narrowly missed qualifying for the Olympic Trials in 1972. Immediately following his graduation he became the coach at Central High School (Champaign) and he remained there until his retirement four years ago. He continues to coach on a part time basis at Unity High School (Tolono). His son, Nick, is now a teacher and soccer coach at a prep school in Johannesburg, South Africa. Larry Mayse attended high school in Springfield, IL and following a great running career at EIU, he joined the Navy and became a pilot. Nearly 30 years later, he retired as a pilot with Delta Air Lines and now grows exotic flowers and carves glass pieces for customers all over the world (he has had two six month displays at the Smithsonian Institute in Washington, DC.) Perhaps more significant are his world wide travels and successful competition as a Tri-athlete, one of the best over age 60 men in the United States. Larry and Linda, also a tri-athlete competitor now live outside of Atlanta.
