Fred Lebow: E90

1932-1994
b. Transylvania, Romania • d. New York, N.Y.
Sculptor: Jesus Ygnacio Dominguez

Located at Engineers' Gate, a main gateway to Central Park and in front of the NY Road Runners Club Kiosk is the small statue of Fred Lebow.
Born Fischel Lebowitz, he fled the Nazis and then the Soviets, arrived in the United States and created a successful garment- district business.
Yet, his pioneering achievement was to come later in life. In 1970, he founded The New York City Marathon when 127 runners completed four loops around Central Park.
The runners, who paid a $1 entry fee, raced the 26.2 miles through the Park with no water stops. In 1976 the Marathon route was changed to encompass all five boroughs, but the final miles are still run in Central Park today attracting 30,000 or so runners.
Here he is shown dressed in his familiar painter's cap, sweatsuit and racing shoes as he looks down at his stopwatch.