Legendary coach and Colgate Games founder Fred Thompson passes

NEW YORK -- Esteemed coach and advocate for female track and field athletes Fred Thompson died on Tuesday, January 22, at the age of 85 from complications of Alzheimer’s disease.
 
Thompson was a graduate of the Boys High School and City College in Brooklyn, where he received his history degree and later earned a law degree from St. John’s University in 1958. After serving in the Army for two years, he opened a private law practice in Brooklyn.
 
He founded the Brooklyn Track Club, Atoms Track Club and the Colgate Women’s Games with the focus of supporting, educating and promoting women in track and field. The Colgate Women’s Games became the nation’s largest amateur track series for women since its inception in 1974.
 
Thompson coached Olympians Cheryl Toussaint-Eason, a 1972 Munich silver medalist in the 4x400m relay; Diane Dixon, 1984 Los Angeles Olympics 4x100m relay gold medalist and 11-time USATF Indoor Champion; and Grace Jackson-Small, a silver medalist in the 200m at the 1988 Seoul Olympics.
 
Read more about Mr. Thompson’s life and contributions to the sport of track & field here.