PHILADELPHIA – The University of Pennsylvania track & field program is saddened to learn of the recent passing of two legends, John R. Haines W'56 and Jerome "Jerry" Williams C'69.
 
John R. Haines W'56
 
Haines had a decorated career at Penn and was inducted into the Penn Athletics Hall of Fame Class II on May 16, 1998. A 1956 graduate of the Wharton School, he is the only student-athlete to win four consecutive national AAU/USATF championships in the indoor sprint, capturing the 60-yard dash from 1953-56.  
 
In addition to the four national championships, Haines won the event three times at the IC4As, and in 1955 and 1956, he equaled the American and Collegiate record in the event. Over his career, Haines won six IC4A championships, five Heptagonal championships, a Penn Relays title, and was named All-American three times.
 
While at Penn, Haines competed in the 1956 Olympic trials where he was a finalist in the 100-meter dash. His senior year, he was selected as one of seven American athletes by the U.S. State Department for a goodwill tour of West Africa.  
 
Haines—who once held the Penn Relays record in the 100-yard dash—displayed his devotion to the Relays by spending 56 years as an official, for more than 30 years as Chief Umpire. He was the longest tenured active official before his passing. Greatly respected by his colleagues among the Penn Relays officials, he was honored with the annual Herman Mancini Officials Award and in 2016 served as the Penn Relay Carnival's Honorary Referee.
 
Haines is survived by his wife, Susan Haines; his children Joyce, John, Mark, Christopher, Matthew, and Sarah; and by several grandchildren and great-grandchildren.
 
Jerome "Jerry" Williams C'69
 
Williams had a significant running career at Penn in the late 1960s, becoming one of the program's most prolific middle-distance runners during that era. A captain for both the cross country and track teams, in 1968 he broke a program record that had stood since the 1930s when he clocked a 4:06.4 mile.
 
At the Heptagonal Cross-Country Championships, Williams was top finisher for the Quakers in 1967 and 1968, crossing the finish line in ninth place both years. His 1968 time (25:03) was 22 seconds better than the year before and he became the first men's runner to qualify individually for that year's NCAA Cross-Country Championships, taking 79th place on New York City's famed Van Cortlandt Park course with a time of 31:10.
 
Following his Penn running career, Williams completed 39 marathons including 10 runnings of the prestigious Boston Marathon with the last coming at the age of 61. Following his graduation from Penn, Williams earned a Master's degree in industrial administration from Union College and a Doctoral degree from the University of Colorado. When he earned his Doctoral degree in 1986, Williams was the only African-American to receive a Ph.D. in marketing in the entire country.
 
Williams is survived by his wife, Lillian; his children Denean, Derek, Daniel, Dante and Dachia Williams-Oropeza; his siblings Aaron, Carol, Linda Chamberlain and Eric Walton; and 12 grandchildren.