Joe Bolster Jr. was Class of 1952 at Princeton University and captain of the track team that same year. In April of 2019 after witnessing the 80+ Division of the 100-Meter Dash at the Penn Relays, he decided he would enter that event in 2020. On July 6, 2019, at 90 years of age and wearing a Merrell Noden TC singlet, he toed the start line in the Masters Division of the 100-Meter Dash at the New Jersey USATF Track and Field Championships. The gun went off and, propelled by classic “pocket to socket” arm action, he reached the finish line in 28.02, copping the Gold Medal in his age group. He later quipped that he “also won the Silver and Bronze.” Joe raced two more 100s that summer and by March of 2020 he was training thrice weekly before Covid shut down the world. In April of 2020 the Penn Relays were canceled. And, sadly, on July 21, 2020, Joe Jr. passed away four months shy of his 92nd birthday.
Joe Bolster Jr. and his wife Tink.