History
Who Was Tom Moore?
Tom Moore (April 14, 1914 – May 10, 2002) was known for his decades of service as the meet director for the Modesto Relays. For most of its 67-year run in Modesto, Moore’s name would go on to become synonymous with this event. Moore attracted top-name talent, adjusted the lighting toward the track, and secured major sponsorships (such as S&W Foods), which brought notoriety to the otherwise sleepy Central Valley town. In 1994, Moore was able to find a new sponsor for the Modesto Relays — Coca-Cola.
Tom Moore served as the head of the U.S. Olympic Committee’s task force to select a bidding city for the 2012 Summer Olympics. He was elected to the National Track and Field Hall of Fame as an Event Director in 1988. In 2007, he was given the Howard Schmertz Lifetime Achievement Award by the U.S. Track Meet Directors’ Association.
Moore started his track career as a hurdler. When he was a competitor for the University of California at Berkeley, he tied the world record in the 120-Yard High Hurdles at 14.2 seconds. In 1935, he was the U.S. Champion in the 400-Meter Hurdles. After his athletic career, he gained a reputation as a top track-and-field official.
Due to all these great accomplishments and his support of track and field in the Central Valley, the Central Valley Roadrunners Youth Track & Field Club is honored to dedicate this meet to Tom Moore.
