What the life and legacy of Steve ”Pre” Prefontaine mean to Oregon with Tom Jordan | EP 113

Steve "Pre" Prefontaine is an Oregon legend. Pre was charismatic, controversial, magnetic, gritty, outspoken, and iconic. One of the most talented athletes in Oregon history, Pre was a runner on Bill Bowerman and Bill Delinger's track team at the University of Oregon. He grew up in Coos Bay (which helped shape who he was) and was on the cover of Sports Illustrated by the time he was 18. He was the first athlete ever paid to wear Nike shoes. Pre's life was cut short in a tragic and somewhat mysterious car accident when he was 24-years-old on Skyline Boulevard in Eugene--his death remains the source of conspiracy theories and unanswered questions over 50 years later. 

 

In this episode we talk to Tom Jordan, a giant in the Oregon Track and Field world in his own right, who directed the Prefontaine Classic for 37 years--and who literally wrote the book on Pre. We discuss Pre's life--his childhood in Coos Bay, his swagger as an athlete, his battles against the AAU, his relationship with Nike, the legendary 1972 Olympics, and his untimely death. As a former athlete, reporter, and a contemporary of Pre's, Tom had a front-row seat for many of Pre's accomplishments. We conclude by talking about Pre's legacy and why he matters to Oregon.