WHAT The Heritage Plaque, awarded posthumously by World Athletics, track and field’s world governing body, to legendary Los Angeles track and field promoter Al Franken for his contribution to the sport, will be unveiled in a special ceremony. The World Athletics Heritage Plaque is awarded for outstanding contributions to the worldwide history and development of track and field—known globally as athletics. Franken is being honored in the Legends category.
WHEN/WHEREThursday, May 28, at 11 a.m. in a special ceremony at the 1923 Club on the level 7 of the south side tower of the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. Parking is available in the Pink lot by Gate 7. Take the elevator to level 7 (the 700 level).
WHY Al Franken is regarded as one of the most important, innovative and prolific promoters in the history of the quintessential Olympic sport. Over a career spanning more than 50 years, he organized over 100 world-class meets at which 95 world records and hundreds of U.S. records were set, and more than 120 Olympic gold medalists competed. A visionary who championed the professionalization of athletics, Franken organized more world class meets than any promoter in the world, and created meets that became true classics of the sport, including: the Los Angeles / Sunkist Invitational indoor at the Sports Arena; the Jack in the Box / Michelob Invitational indoor meet at the San Diego Sports Arena; the Pepsi Invitational at UCLA; the San Francisco indoor at Cow Palace; the Kinney / Footlocker outdoor meet at Cal Berkeley.
WHO Three-time Olympian and former triple jump world record holder Willie Banks, the U.S. representative on the World Athletics Council, will represent World Athletics at the ceremony.
GUESTS The ceremony will be attended by many prominent U.S. and foreign prominent track figurers, athletes and coaches, including celebrities from the Los Angeles area. Among them: Kenya’s Kipchoge Keino, who launched the great tradition of African distance running; Eamonn Coghlan of Ireland, the best indoor mile ever, “The Chairman of the Boards;” Maurice Greene, Olympic 100-meter gold medalist, former world record holder and 5-time World Champion; Kenyan-born Bernard Lagat, a two-time World Championships gold medalist for the United States; former long jumper Martha Watson, a four-time Olympian; Don Quarrie, the 1976 Olympic 200-meter champion from Jamaica and USC alumnus; Ron Allice, former USC director of track and field; Bob Larsen, former UCLA head coach; Herman Frazier, 1976 Olympic gold medalist in the 4×400-meter relay; Steve Williams, the world’s best sprinter in the 1970s; Olympic 800 meters medalist Johnny Gray; Obea Moore and Henry Thomas, two of the most heralded prep athletes produced by Southern California; Lakers legend Michael Cooper, and Mitch Gaylord, 1984 Olympic gold medalist in gymnastics.
Franken’s son, Don Franken, who worked with his father for 25 years, will accept the Heritage Plaque from World Athletics. It will remain on permanent display at the L.A. Coliseum, which—along with the former Los Angeles Sports Arena—was one of the principal venues where Franken organized more invitational meets than anyone in history. ###
