What does a jazz cornetist have to do with running? Find out this Monday, July 23rd at 6:30 pm at the Davenport Public Library | Main. Representatives from the Bix 7 will be on hand to talk about the history and legacy of the 43-year-old race.
Here are some quick facts about the inaugural race, published in the Quad-City Times on Sunday, July 27, 1975:
The first Bix 7-Mile Run took place on Saturday, July 26th, 1975 at 10 am. The starting/finish line was located at 2nd and Main streets. 84 runners paid the $2 entry fee and over 500 spectators cheered them on along the race course. The runners were greeted at the finish line with ragtime music performed by musicians from the Bix Beiderbecke Memorial Jazz Festival. The first Bix 7 winner was Lucian Rosa, a 31 year old student of the University of Wisconsin at Parkside and Olympic runner from Sri-Lanka. His time was 34 minutes, 33.8 seconds, an average of 4:56 per mile. The race was sponsored and organized by the Quad Cities’ Cornbelt Running Club and the Downtown Davenport Association
Learn more about how the race has changed over the years from the experts and through archival items in our collection.
Quad-City Times, Tuesday, July 22, 1975 p. 5
(posted by Cristina)
