- INSIDE THE B.A.A

Boston Marathon's Hidden Museum

The very first Boston Marathon was held on April 19, 1897, one year after the first modern Olympics debuted in 1896. The founders of the Boston Marathon — then known as the American Marathon — were inspired by the revived marathon event at the inaugural Olympic Games and wanted to have a point-to-point marathon in the Boston area similar to that in Athens. The Boston Marathon has been run every year since, making it the oldest consecutively run marathon in the world.

Much of the race's 125-year history was collected, chronicled, and curated by Gloria Ratti, the former B.A.A. Vice President, Archivist, and Historian who passed away in July (see story on page 30). Gloria’s collection is on display within the B.A.A.’s office, spanning more than a century’s worth of races, champions, and dignitaries. 

In celebration of the race’s 125th anniversary, many of these archives will be on display for participants, fans, and supporters to enjoy at the Boston Marathon Expo, Fan Fest presented by Amazon, and along Boylston Street.

Gloria always made it a point to keep the original 1897 second-place prize polished to the point where anyone taking a picture could see their reflection within the silver. This is one of the only artifacts from the first Boston Marathon in 1897, and was won by James J. Kiernan of New York.

A small glimpse inside the B.A.A.'s historical collection of Boston Marathon memorabilia