15 Memorable Photos Of Boston Marathons Past

The Boston Marathon is over a century old — the first race was held in 1897 — and is cited as being the "world's oldest annual marathon." Here's a look at what the marathon looked like in black and white — during the '30s through the '60s.

1. Onlookers watch participants of the 1930 marathon.

Image by Austrian Archives(S)/Imagno/Getty Images

2. In 1946, Stylianos Kyriakides of Greece took the winning title.

Image by Charles Dixon/The Boston Globe via Getty Images

3. Stylianos Kyriakides tackles Heartbreak Hill in Newton. This is said to be the most difficult part of the race. The incline isn't so steep, but as the last stretch of the run — at 20.5 miles — it can be a killer.

Image by Charles Dixon/The Boston Globe via Getty Images

4. Here, two South Korean men train for the Boston Marathon in 1947. South Korea won the marathon that year when Suh Yun-bok crossed the finish line with a world record-beating time.

Image by John Florea/Time Life Pictures/Getty Images

5. The 1956 winner — Antti Viskari of Finland — crosses the finish line.

Image by John G. Zimmerman /Sports Illustrated/Getty Images

6. Tommy Leonard, another participant in the 1956 marathon, dashes through the streets of Boston.

Image by John G. Zimmerman /Sports Illustrated/Getty Images

7. Antti Viskari receives the winner's laurels.

Image by John G. Zimmerman /Sports Illustrated/Getty Images

8. Another action shot of 1956 winner Antti Viskari.

l="emailShare2150150_1079599"/>

Image by John G. Zimmerman /Sports Illustrated/Getty Images

9. 1959 runners in Natick Square.

Image by Paul Connell/The Boston Globe via Getty Images

10. Here's marathon legend John Kelley participating in the 1962 marathon. Although he didn't win that year, he won in 1935 and 1945 and also set a record for completing a total of 61 Boston marathons.

Image by Paul Connell/The Boston Globe via Getty Images

11. A crowd of runners crossing the starting line in 1963.

Image by Ted Russell//Time Life Pictures/Getty Images

12. The winner of the 1963 Boston Marathon, Aurele Vanderdriessche, crosses the finish line (the Belgian man won the following year as well).

Image by Ted Russell/Time Life Pictures/Getty Images

13. Runners of the 1965 marathon.

Image by Jerry Cooke /Sports Illustrated/Getty Images

14. Roberta ("Bobbi") Gibb, the first woman to run the marathon, crossing the finish line in 1966. At that time, women weren't allowed to participate in the marathon and when Roberta's application was denied, she snuck in and ran anyway and was recogn

Image by Fred Kaplan /Sports Illustrated/Getty Images

15. Here's Bobbi Gibb again, running the marathon in 1967. She'd take the winning title in the Women's Open this year and in 1968. (She was recognized as the winner of this title by the Boston Athletic Association even though women were still not

Image by Paul Connell/The Boston Globe via Getty Images

Visit the source: http://www.buzzfeed.com/leonoraepstein/15-memorable-photos-of-boston-marathons-past
Article author: leonoraepstein