Channeling the Ashenfelter Brothers

Sixty years later, and the results are eerily similar...

Those who have been paying attention know that I revere Horace Ashenfelter.  That reverence extends to his brothers Don and Bill.  All three ran for Penn State in the late 40's/early 50's.  State College must have been a wondrous place back then.  Just think of the hoards of students from that era that have retired to the various Retirement Villages that have sprung up in recent years in Happy Valley.  Penn State had to be a dynamic place in the joyous years following World War II.  I would bet that the Ashenfelter Brothers had a heck of a good time while students!

Fast forward 60 years, and another set of three brothers from Pennsylvania matriculated to the same school and joined the Nittany Lion Track and cross country squad.  Although they weren't students there all at the same time, I'm willing to overlook that point.  The other facts just happen to line up quite well.

• Both sets of three brothers are from Pennsylvania.
• Both sets of three brothers ran cross-country and track for PSU.
• All three brothers from both groups competed in the mile run.

And most importantly,

•  At a competition all three brothers ran the mile in the same race and both groups averaged 4:24! *

The Fuller Brothers ran the Harrisburg Mile this week, with Brian winning the elite race in 4:16.  Kevin ran 4:23 and Mark ran 4:34.  Since two are graduates and Kevin is in the middle of summer distance training for his return to PSU's cross-country team, the times are quite good.

When I realized the three of them were running the mile race, I immediately remembered the results of the 1949 Penn Relays 4 x Mile event.  PSU won the event, (with the three Ashenfelter brothers on the team), and they averaged 4:24 per man.

Now I'm wondering which Fuller will end up joining the FBI....

You'll know we are closer to our goals when an Ashenfelter and a Fuller are on the same foursome at our annual golf tourney.