Bob Hall

Robert Joseph Hall (October 31, 1951 – April 12, 2026) was an American wheelchair racer and wheelchair designer. He competed in the 1975 Boston Marathon, for which he is recognized as the race's first official wheelchair champion. He contracted polio as a child, when he was 10 months old. Hall was a member of the class of 1974 at Boston State College.

While at Belmont High School, Hall was the manager (student assistant) for the basketball and football teams; his entry in his high school yearbook said he aspired to become a sportswriter.

Racing career In 1974, Hall placed first in the National Wheelchair Mile and National Wheelchair Marathon, and also won the Toledo Marathon in Ohio.

Following his marathon victory in Toledo, Hall sought permission from the Boston Athletic Association (BAA) to compete in the Boston Marathon. Hall was granted permission to enter under official conditions. He was informed that if he completed the course in under three and a half hours, he would receive an official BAA finisher’s certificate. Roberts is not recognized as a Boston Marathon champion. The Boston Marathon subsequently became the first major international marathon to allow wheelchair competitors, which was a catalyst for marathons around the world to add a wheelchair division. Hall was the wheelchair champion of the 1977 Boston Marathon, with a then-world record of 2:40:10.

In 1980, Hall completed a wheelchair trek from Florida to Boston alongside American road racer Dave McGillivray to raise money for The Jimmy Fund. The East Coast Run took 38 days over a distance of , ending at the Boston Marathon finish line, and included photo ops with the Boston Red Sox and President Jimmy Carter.

In 2002, Hall appeared on the list of Boston magazine's Top 40 Favorite Bostonians, preceded only by Errol Morris and Tom Brady.

Wheelchair design In 1978, Hall founded Hall's Wheels, a company that designed and produced lightweight, custom-built racing wheelchairs. Hall's innovations significantly improved the performance of racing wheelchairs, making them lighter and more aerodynamic.

Death Hall died from complications of pneumonia on April 12, 2026, at the age of 74. He had been under hospice care at Mount Auburn Hospital in Cambridge at the time of his death.

Recognition In 1996, Hall participated in the unveiling of a monument in Copley Square, in Boston, celebrating the 100th anniversary of the Boston Marathon. Hall was joined by several fellow champions, including Johnny Kelley, Greg Meyer, and the race's first female participant and women's champion, Bobbi Gibb.

In 2025, Hall was honored by the BAA on the 50th anniversary of his historic Boston Marathon race. He was named Grand Marshal of the 129th Boston Marathon, alongside fellow 1975 champion Bill Rodgers.

Awards and distinctions 1974 National Wheelchair Mile (6:51) 1st 1974 Toledo Ohio Marathon 1st 1975 Boston Marathon (2:58:00) 1st 1977 Boston Marathon (2:40:10) 1st 1980 Boston Marathon 3rd 1981 Boston Marathon 3rd 1991 Adaptive Sports Hall Of Fame inductee 2025 Rick and Dick Hoyt Award 2025 Boston Marathon grand marshal with Bill Rodgers 2025 UMass Boston Athletics Hall of Fame