| Personal information | |
|---|---|
| Birth name | Bernard Joseph Smith |
| Nationality | American |
| Born | 1917 (1917) Medford, Massachusetts |
| Died | (aged 77) Pembroke Pines, Florida |
| Height | 6 ft 2 in (188 cm) |
| Weight | 257 lb (117 kg) |
Medal record | |
Bernard Joseph Smith (1917 – January 25, 1993) was an American marathon runner. He was the winner of the 1942Boston Marathon with a course record of 2:26:51. His record lasted for five years until it was broken by 1947 Boston Marathon winnerSuh Yun-bok. At Boston, Smith came in fifth place at the 1941 and 1949 marathons. Outside Boston, he won the 1941USA Marathon Championships at theYonkers Marathon.
In 1917, Smith was born inMedford, Massachusetts.[1]
Smith was a milkman before he began marathon running in 1940. His firstWorld Marathon Majors races were at the 1940 and 1941Boston Marathon.[2] In 1941, he won theUSA Marathon Championships during theYonkers Marathon.[3] The following year, Smith wanted to sit out the 1942 Boston Marathon while he recuperated from the flu. After his wife convinced him to compete, Smith won the marathon and set a course record of 2:26:51.[4] Smith stopped running in 1942 when he enlisted to theUnited States Coast Guard and served three years duringWorld War II.[2]
Upon his return from the war,Smith did not compete from 1945 to 1946 and resumed running at the 1947 Boston Marathon.[5] Smith did not finish the 1947 marathon while his five year course record was broken by winnerSuh Yun-bok.[6] In the following Boston races, he did not finish in 1948 and placed in 5th at his last marathon in 1949.[2] Outside Boston, Smith was runner-up in the 1947 Western Hemisphere Marathon.[7] He also came in 5rh at the 1959 Yonkers Marathon and ran at the 1949 Western Hemisphere Marathon.[8] After ending his marathon career, Smith continued working as a milkman until 1957. Smith moved on work for a post office for three decades before retiring in 1987.[1]
| Year | Competition | Venue | Position | Event | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Representing United States | |||||
| 1940 | Boston Marathon | Boston, United States | 19th | Marathon | |
| 1941 | Boston Marathon | Boston, United States | 5th | Marathon | |
| 1942 | Boston Marathon | Boston, United States | 1st | Marathon | 2:26:51 |
| 1947 | Boston Marathon | Boston, United States | DNF | Marathon | |
| 1948 | Boston Marathon | Boston, United States | DNF | Marathon | |
| 1949 | Boston Marathon | Boston, United States | 5th | Marathon | 2:38:30 |
Smith was married and had three children.[1]
Smith died on January 25, 1993, inPembroke Pines, Florida.[1]
