Dick Hoyt Will Serve As Grand Marshal Of 2015 Boston Marathon
BOSTON (CBS) -- Dick Hoyt may not be running in the 2015 Boston Marathon, but he is still going to play a major part of the race.
The B.A.A. announced on Thursday that Dick Hoyt will be the Grand Marshal of the 2015 Boston Marathon. Dick and his son Rick have been two of the Boston Marathon's most recognizable figures for over three decades, with Dick announcing his retirement from the marathon after completing last year's race.
The Hoyts ran their first Boston Marathon back in 1980, and have been an inspiration ever since. Rick was born a spastic quadriplegic with cerebral palsy and is unable to walk or talk. He asked his father to push him in a five-mile road race when he was 15, to benefit a local recently-paralyzed lacrosse player, and since then, Dick has pushed his son in a specialized wheelchair in more than 1,000 races, marathons and triathlons.
Since 2008, Boston Marathon Principal Sponsor John Hancock has been proud to serve as a corporate sponsor of Team Hoyt, supporting Dick and Rick's inspirational example.
"Year after year, Dick and Rick Hoyt toed the starting line in Hopkinton to celebrate the Boston Marathon, showing millions of runners and spectators they could achieve anything and that there are no limits," said Tom Grilk, Executive Director of the Boston Athletic Association. "Although he will not be racing this year, Dick will continue to be at the head of the field, leading 30,000 runners on their trek to Boston. Dick and Rick Hoyt will forever be synonymous with the Boston Marathon and the sport of running."
As Grand Marshal, Dick, 74, will ride in a pace car ahead of the lead runners, heralding to spectators along the course that thousands of runners will soon be coming.
Rick, 54, will again participate in the Boston Marathon, this year pushed by fellow Team Hoyt athlete Bryan Lyons.
Stay tuned for more coverage of the 119th Boston Marathon on CBSBoston.com and WBZ-TV — the exclusive local broadcast home of the Boston Marathon!
