Wednesday, August 10, 1938, just before 3:35 p.m.: Ellison “Tarzan” Brown adjusts his bib on the starting line of the Old Orchard Beach 10 Mile Marathon. Also lining up that day were reigning Boston Marathon champ Les Pawson and 10K specialist Hawk Zamparelli. The top three seeds had run impressive times in the weeks leading up to the race, including Zamparelli’s 48:33 at the Bunker Hill Day ten-miler on June 17th. Pawson posted a 53:58 for ten miles in Haverhill on June 24, and the following day ran 55:47 in West Roxbury. On July 4th at a 10-miler in Worcester, Brown ran 55:16 to Pawson’s 57:45. One week later in New Bedford, he ran 1:05:07 for 12 miles, beating Johnny Kelley by more than a minute, Pawson by nearly four and Zamparelli by more than eight. At a 10-miler on July 28th in Somersworth, Brown ran 50:15 to beat Zamparelli, Kelley and Pawson. Three days later, on July 31st at a 12-miler in Webster, Mass., Brown ran 1:03:13, with Zamparelli 2nd in 1:05:10. On Aug. 5th, Brown, Pawson and Zamparelli went 1-2-3 at a 10-miler in Providence, with Brown timed in 52:05. Brown continued his dominance at OOB with a 51:18.6 timing: Zamparelli was 45 seconds back in 52:03.6, and Pawson posted a 52:44.2 for third.(Thomas C. Bennett Maine Running History May 2020)
Maine Running History
Thomas C. Bennett · ·
The top competitors prior to the start of the 1938 Old Orchard Beach Ten Mile Marathon: Hawk Zamparelli (#5), Les Pawson (#4), Clarence DeMar (#9), Paul Donato (off DeMar’s left shoulder), and Tarzan Brown (#12). Bonus points to anyone who knows how many Boston Marathon, Mount Washington, and New England XC wins represented by those five gentlemen. (Photo courtesy of Old Orchard Beach Historical Society)