Bill was our starter for the "Eugene Challenge Cross Country Race that happened in conjunction with the University of Oregon's inaugural Bill Dellinger Invitational cross country meet.

Bill Dellinger and Pat Tyson were our honorary starters for the Kids race at the 2005 Eugene Challenge Mile.

"BILL DELLINGER ATHLETE-COACH (Inducted 2000)

Born March 23, 1934, Grants Pass, Ore.

A contributor to the sport both as an athlete and coach, Bill Dellinger will be forever remembered as one of the greatest coach-athletes ever produced by the state of Oregon. Dellinger, who attended Springfield H.S., went to college in nearby Eugene where he became an outstanding distance runner for the Ducks under the tutelage of the late Hall of Fame coach Bill Bowerman. He competed in the 5,000 in three Olympic Games and was the bronze medalist in 1964. He also was the 1959 Pan American Games 5,000 champion, as well as winning three national titles and setting several national records. After coaching in high school and junior college, he returned to Oregon in 1966 as cross country coach and became head track coach in 1973. Under his coaching, the Ducks won the 1984 NCAA outdoor track title and four NCAA cross country championships. Among the athletes he coached were Steve Prefontaine, Alberto Salazar, Rudy Chapa and Joaquim Cruz. He returned to the Olympics in 1984 as an assistant coach. He retired at the end of the 1998 cross country season but continued coaching in a consulting capacity. He suffered a stroke in August 2000 in Rhode Island." ( from usatf.org)