Search Results

Al Sheahen’s proto-NMN posted: San Fernando Valley TC news

Al Sheahen left an incredible legacy in masters track. But he was more than the fire-breathing editor and publisher of National Masters News and longtime WAVA officer. He once held the M40 American record in the 400 hurdles at 61.9 in 1973, and he produced an amazing newsletter chock-full of age-group resources for his hometown […]

December 23, 2016   Posted in: Uncategorized  5 Comments

Family, friends recall Al Sheahen, ‘a man of great social conscience’

Bob Sheahen, 13 years younger than his eldest brother Al, noted the irony of holding his Celebration of Life at a swanky country club. “He would never dream of having an event at a place like this,” Bob told 70 family members and friends a week ago Sunday. “My brother would have been fighting down […]

November 17, 2013   Posted in: Uncategorized  No Comments

A giant has died: Al Sheahen was our chronicler and conscience

Al Sheahen died Tuesday morning, and I can’t begin to express my shock and sadness. He was my role model in masters journalism, but meant far more to the movement. He was a national-class long hurdler, founding publisher of National Masters News, sparkplug behind the Age-Graded Tables and a longtime treasurer of WAVA (now WMA) […]

October 31, 2013   Posted in: Uncategorized  17 Comments

Al Sheahen’s ideas published on eve of historic inaugural

Al Sheahen was editor and publisher of National Masters News for many years and was an officer (and presidential candidate) in the World Association of Veteran Athletes about 10 years ago. But throughout his adult life, he’s been politically active in California  — especially in promoting the idea of a guaranteed income for every American. […]

January 20, 2009   Posted in: Uncategorized  10 Comments

Al Sheahen endorses Margerum for masters chair

Al Sheahen — a former WAVA treasurer and editor/publisher of National Masters News — has unofficially endorsed Joy Upshaw Margerum for USATF masters chair. In an email note to fellow masters pioneer Bob Fine and others, Al wrote: “Joy Upshaw-Margerum has been active for at least 12 years, not only at the national level, but […]

October 19, 2006   Posted in: Uncategorized  6 Comments

Al Sheahen picks Perkins for WMA presidency

Al Sheahen is a national treasure. Besides being the former publisher of National Masters News and a 1997 candidate for the presidency of World Masters Athletics, he remains an astute observer of masters politics. Recently I asked him to review my interviews with WMA presidential candidates Stan Perkins and Cesare Beccalli. He sent this reply […]

July 19, 2005   Posted in: Uncategorized  Comments Closed

Malaga 2018 worlds may let athletes talk back to WMA leadership

World Masters Athletics started as an athlete-driven group called WAVA, fiercely defending the right of every over-35 woman and over-40 man (at the time) to compete at worlds. But the late Al Sheahen sensed an upside-down change — with WMA leadership taking on the trappings of royalty. (Read his still-relevant “Which Way, WMA?“ from 2001. […]

April 11, 2017   Posted in: Uncategorized  3 Comments

Rex Harvey on masters doping: Penalties should be even tougher

During research for my MyNewsLA.com story on Liz Palmer, I wrote to Rex Harvey and Robert Thomas — the announced candidates to replace Gary Snyder as national masters T&F chair. Robert hasn’t responded, but Rex sent me a long note Friday. He’s in the tough-love camp, but also told me: “I would be more favorable […]

August 6, 2016   Posted in: Uncategorized  42 Comments

Most issues of National Masters News through 2006 now posted

Thanks to funding from the USATF Masters T&F Committee, our historical archive has grown. On New Year’s Eve, I uploaded five years’ worth of National Masters News to mastershistory.org. Some 316 issues are now online — every edition of every year through 2006 except 2003 and 2004 (which I misplaced from the Al Sheahen Collection). […]

December 31, 2015   Posted in: Uncategorized  2 Comments

Special treat: First 23 years of National Masters News are online

After 18 months, the dream of posting all early issues of National Masters News is realized. On Friday, I added the years 1986 through 1999 to the searchable PDF archive on mastershistory.org. See it here. (I also uploaded the missing issue of October 1984.) The homepage of our historical record features a dedication to NMN […]

March 28, 2015   Posted in: Uncategorized  4 Comments