His world records have been surpassed (mainly by Guido Müeller) and his name has been absent from world meet results for decades. But be certain of this: Jack Greenwood was the greatest masters hurdler of his or any generation. His death Friday was first reported in a Wikipedia entry and confirmed by his son Riley via email Sunday. “Health complications” were listed as cause. He was 88. Voted into the Masters Hall of Fame in 1997 (along with David Pain), Jack was part of the historic 1972 USMITT Tour to Europe, where Pain seeded masters mania for all time. Jack dominated the long and short hurdles from M45 through M70, winning four world titles at the debut 1975 WAVA World Championships in Toronto. (He won at 100 and 200 as well.)

He still holds American records in the M60 and M65 300s (43.49 at 1989 Eugene worlds and 45.20 at 1991 Turku worlds.) His marks from the 1970s through the early 1990s are still among the all-time bests.

He was the first M55 to go sub-60 in the 400 hurdles. He was the first M50 and M60 to go sub-15 in the short hurdles (14.7 in 1978 and 14.98 in 1986). Search mastershistory.org, and you’ll find more than 150 references to Jack.

As I noted in April 2008, when I last spoke to him, Jack was excited about learning his records were targets. I wrote:

Jack Greenwood, 82, was surprised to learn that someone had broken his M50 world record in the 400 hurdles. Not because he thought the record was that great, but because he didn’t know anyone was still running the event. Tonight I called Jack at home in mile-high Aurora, Colorado (his number is listed in the 1998 USATF membership directory), and he was a delight. “By golly, that’s all right,” he said of Howard Moscrop’s 57.68 to beat Jack’s 58.1 from 1976. “I wish him good luck, and I’d like him to see if he could lower it some more. It’s fine with me.” Jack says he hasn’t gotten National Masters News in five years, and has no Internet access at home, so he wasn’t aware that the event was still being contested.

Jack was a frequent star of headlines, and awards, in National Masters News.

I read the British newspaper article on Howard’s mark to Jack, and his reaction was one of gratitude: “I’m glad someone broke (the record), and good to know it’s an Englishman.”

I asked why, and Jack explained: “My ancestors were from around Manchester.”

Jack’s paternal ancestors were from England, he said, and his mother’s side of the family was Danish. He also cited the friends he had made in England as part of the David Pain USMITT tour of Europe in 1972. He fondly recalled his friendship with an English athlete named Keith Whittaker, and wondered if he were still alive. I said I’d check it out.

Jack was especially proud of his Jayhawk connections. I interviewed him around 1975 — for Kansas Alumni magazine.

Jack quit competing years ago. His left knee — his lead leg in the hurdles — is arthritic. He said he injured it after the 1991 Helsinki WAVA world championships. But he still runs several times a week. He says he runs or jogs a half-mile every other day and throws in several sessions a week of sprints. He says he does the 50, 60, 80 and 110 (yard) dashes and calls it a day.

His wife of 53 years, Nancy, told me on the phone that Jack has had three heart procedures in recent years, but Jack doesn’t remember when the last operation was. Not important anyway. He says his doctor approves of his running regimen, telling him recently: “Whatever you’re doing, you’re doing right.”

The Greenwoods have two sons — a schoolteacher (Riley) and one who works in electronics — and one grandchild living in Kansas, who they’ll see in a couple weeks. The grandchild has Internet access, so I hope you’ll send your greetings to Jack via this blog.

Jack Greenwood, a member of the USATF Masters Hall of Fame, is one of my heroes, and not just because we ran the same race and we both attended the University of Kansas. He’s simply one of the greatest age-group athletes in history. This wasn’t something I realized when I first spoke to him 30 years ago for an article in Kansas Alumni magazine.

It was an honor to chat with him — again

Jack was associated with Kansas for many years — as a state high school champion, a star for the University of Kansas and as a resident of Medicine Lodge during his early masters career. But in recent decades he had lived in Aurora, Colorado.

Riley Greenwood — himself a Kansas high school hurdle champ — wrote me: “As you say, my father was one of a kind talent both at KU and in the masters program. Please feel free to notify those you think would be interested in knowing of Dad’s passing. I will be contacting KU, but if you know anyone with in the masters program or USA track, please do so.”

I’ll let everyone know of plans for services.

I never saw Jack run. But his legend is clear in my mind. His longevity in both hurdles (as well as his versatility; he was a decathlete as well) make him a giant in our sport. Thanks for showing us the way, Jack.