by Larry Eder
Bill Dellinger, one of America’s finest distance runners and finest coaches, has died. He passed on June 27, 2025, at the amazing age of 91, over a decade since he had serious health issues.
A little about Bill Dellinger that you may not know.
- Bill Dellinger was in the U.S. Air Force, stationed in Alaska. During that time, Bill trained alone. He did his repeats on a beach counting his steps, and noted his increases in pace and decreases in pace. His training methods were a combination of his experiences with Coach Bill Bowerman at Oregon, his own experiences and a incredible focus on detail and common sense.
- Bill Dellinger won two NCAA titles, the Mile in 1954 and the 5,000m in 1956. During 1956, Bill Dellinger broke the American record for the 5,000 meters three times in that season! Bill set World records at 2 miles (8:50), 3 miles (13:37) and an American record at 1,500 meters (3:41.50).
Bill Dellinger, before hs was Olympic bronze medalist, University of 1955 Oregon yearbook, U of Oregon Sports. Bill competed in the 1956, 1960 and 1964 Olympics. He is also a US military veteran. - Bill Dellinger was a pragmatist. His first experience in the Olympics showed him setting an American record in the 5,000 meters, yet being very far behind the rest of the world. Dellinger trained relentlessly, so that by 1960, he was running with the rest of the world. By 1964, Bill Dellinger and Bill Schul went bronze and gold in the Olympic 5,000 meters, in the best performances EVER by US distance runners in the Olympic 5,000 meters. His drive was relentless.
- As a coach, Bill began at Thurston High school. He then joined Coach Bill Bowerman, his former coach at Oregon in 1968, taking over as head coach in 1973 from Bowerman. Bill’s coaching experience at high school and junior college helped prepare him for his tenure at the University of Oregon when he won the 1984 NCAA Outdoor Track and Field title with 113 points and also four NCAA Cross Country Titles. Among his storied athletes were Steve Prefontaine, Joaquim Cruz, Rudy Chapa, Alberto Salazar, Jim Hill, Ken Martin to just name a few. His athletes loved him. He earned their respect with his straight talking, humorous monologues and his attention to detail in their training and racing. Bill Dellinger was an Olympic assistant Coach in 1984. His time at Oregon came to an end after the 1998 cross country season, where he remained a consulting coach.
Steve Prefontaine, post workout with Coach Bill Dellinger, photo courtesy of The Eugene Register-Guard - Bill Dellinger suffered a stroke in 2000, and built himself back to health, continuing to coach for many years. He lived twenty-five more years after the stroke and worked with another generation or three of athletes. His former athletes and friends kept his spirits up by visiting him on many occasions. His continued coaching, with athletes like Nick Rogers (2000 Olympian, 2001 World Champ team member, 5,000 meters). I believe that continued coaching kept him alive for two more decades.
Mike Shriver, Pat Tyson, Eamonn Coghlan, Jeff Benjamin, Bill Dellinger, Craig Virgin, from Jeff Benjamin - This writer will be forever indebted to Coach Dellinger for two reasons. The first happened in 1979-1982, when I was coaching at Bellarmine Prep and Santa Clara University. I met Coach Dellinger and Coach Chaplin at the NCAA Cross Country coaches meetings and peppered both with questions. Coach Dellinger and Coach Chaplin were so patient with me and so helpful on suggestions on training especially about the idea of easy days and focused training. Later in my racing career, I used Coach Dellinger’s training suggestions for 10,000m drills (and 5,000m drills) to improve my track 10,000m by several minutes. The callousing effect of 25 laps on the track, one at current race pace (75 seconds) and one at six minute pace (90 seconds) helped me drop a minute at 5,000m and two plus minutes at 10,000m. Coach Dellinger was a realist, he knew that if an athlete achieved successes in training, it would build to better racing.
- The description in the USATF Hall of Fame on Bill Dellinger noted “that he was one of the greatest-athlete-coaches to come out of Oregon.” I believe that is an understatement, Bill Dellinger was one of the finest coaches-athletes in American distance running.
In a pic from the 2021 Olympic Trials -L-R, John Combe, Jeff Benjamin, Coach Bill Dellinger, Coach Pat Tyson, Tony Gulotta, by Jeff Benjamin - And finally, I am quoting the press release from the University of Oregon, with a wonderful thought by Rudy Chapa, one of Coach Bill Dellinger’s storied athletes: “Coach Bill Dellinger was one of the greatest coaches ever…He gave us so much more than guidance on the track; he gave us his heart. Bill was deeply loved, and he will be profoundly missed by his athletes, the Eugene-Springfield community, and the entire world of track and field.”
