Paul Spangler

Dr. Paul E. Spangler (March 18, 1899 – March 29, 1994) was a retired U.S. Navy surgeon, who took up the sport of running at the age of 67. Spangler business career and athletic career were both very successful.

Early life Spangler was born on March 18, 1899, in Oregon. He graduated from the University of Oregon and the Harvard Medical School. He joined the Navy for World War II. He was Chief of Surgery at the naval hospital near Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941. He retired from the Navy in 1959, then joined the charitable hospital ship SS Hope as its chief medical officer. He later moved to San Luis Obispo, California, and took the job as Chief Surgeon at the nearby California Men's Colony prison which he held for ten years until he "was retired" in 1969 "because he was too old."

Running career Spangler was chairman of his chapter of the American Heart Association. He also holds the 85-year-old record for 3,000 metres. He completed the New York Marathon later in 1989

In his 28 year running career, Spangler claimed 85 national age group records at various distances. He was a pioneer into the limits of Senior athletics by frequently being the oldest competitor. paving the way for successors into the upper age brackets.

He died shortly after turning 95 while doing one of his regular 7 mile training runs.

USA Track & Field (USATF) named its annual award for the outstanding Masters Long Distance Running athlete after Spangler.

Spangler was USATF "Age Group" winner seven times (1993, 1991, 1990, 1989, 1986, 1985, and 1982).

Spangler was elected into the USATF Masters Hall of Fame in its second year, 1997.