John J. Kelley

Boston Marathon Champion & Two-Time Olympian Honored with Statue

MYSTIC, CT (October 21, 2014) – John J. Kelley “The Younger”, winner of the 1957 Boston Marathon, was honored on September 21st with a larger than life statue in his hometown of Mystic, CT.

Kelley, who died in 2011 at the age of 80, competed in two Olympics (1956 and 1960) and won the marathon at the 1959 Pan American Games in addition to running in 32 Boston Marathons.

Following his running career, Kelley coached high school runners including Amby Burfoot who went on to win the 1968 Boston Marathon and Julia Chase, the first woman to successfully challenge the gender barrier in the Amateur Athletic Union.

In front of a crowd of 300 with 6 former Boston Marathon champions, including the legendary Bill Rodgers – winner of 4 Boston Marathons and 4 New York City Marathons, the seven-and-a-half-foot bronze statue of Kelley and his running partner (Brutus) was unveiled in a parklet across the street from the historic Mystic Pizza restaurant.  The fundraising project was spearheaded by Jim Roy, another one of Kelley’s former runners.

“I can’t even imagine how many times I’m going to visit that statue and run by it,” Burfoot said. “I’m going to change some of my daily running courses so they go by the statue.”

The 1,000 pound sculpture was created by renowned sculptor Brian P. Hanlon, himself an avid runner.

ABOUT HANLON SCULPTURE STUDIO

Brian P. Hanlon is a classically-trained master sculptor and founder of Hanlon Sculpture Studio; a full-service art studio that designs, creates, and installs awe-inspiring and signature monuments featuring bronze, aluminum, stainless steel and granite sculptures, illustrative and informational graphics, and interactive kiosks.

Hanlon Sculpture Studio provides complete site design services from sculptures to hard and softscapes, and offers total project management from design to installation and unveiling.  In collaboration with administrative and athletic staff at colleges and universities, the studio develops the scope of artwork projects that are designed to enhance the spirit, pride and tradition of athletics and the campus community.