Jim Ryan was a proud native New Yorker, raised in Manhattan and attended local Catholic schools. He discovered his love of track and field while a student at Cardinal Hayes HS where he distinguished himself in the sprints. After graduating from college in 1953, Jim joined the NY Pioneer Club with its legendary coach, Joe Yancey. While a Pioneer, Jim was part of the team that won the Metropolitan Sprint Medley Relay and the National 4x100 Relay Indoor Championship. In later years he competed in Master’s track and field in sprints and hurdles (winning a National Championship!) and was a part-time coach of his daughter’s PAL relay team in Queens. Jim devoted decades to officiating track and field events at all levels. Beginning in the 1970s, he lent his talents to events at the high school, college, and open levels. For the CHSAA and PSAL he served as head of officials and was the chief timer for the Cardinal Hayes Invitational. At Hayes, he was known as “Mr. Track” because of his devotion to the athletes and track and field at the school. For the Metropolitan Athletics Congress, he also served as Chairman of officials. Jim was a timer/judge for the Empire State Games, Fifth Avenue Mile, and cross country meets. One of his favorite assignments was as a timer/judge at the Millrose Games, for which he gave over 20 years of service. The New York City Marathon benefitted from Jim’s tenure as coordinator of the Mile 4 station in Brooklyn for many years. In 1996 he was selected as an official for the Olympic Trials in Atlanta. In addition to these activities, he also served as an official for the PAL, St. John’s University, and the IC4A, just to name a few. Track and field was his orbit and all you had to do was ask if you needed his help and skills. For his contributions and accomplishments, Jim was inducted into the Cardinal Hayes Hall of Fame and the CHSAA Hall of Fame. He was a recipient of the Metropolitan Athletics Congress President’s Award and the Metropolitan Athletics Congress Officials Service Award. He left us in 2008 and did not get to meet his four great-grandchildren. But he would be thrilled to know that running is still active in the family history with his granddaughter and great-granddaughter….Jim’s legacy lives on.