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The Rhode Islander behind Heartbreak Hill
Episode 45
Published 4 years, 1 month ago
Description
The Boston Marathon is coming up on Monday, and everybody’s going to be talking about Heartbreak Hill. But did you know that a Rhode Islander is the reason it has that name? Ellison “Tarzan” Brown, a member of the Narragansett Indian tribe, broke defending champion "Johnny" Kelley’s heart when he beat him in the 1936 race.
Tarzan won the Boston Marathon again in 1939 and was also an Olympic athlete. In this episode, we talk with his granddaughter, Anna Brown-Jackson, about his legacy and why he deserves a statue of his own. Tips and ideas? Email us at rinews@globe.com.
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