Track and Field News – Steve Prefontaine cover – October 1974

“Pre: The Summer of His Discontent”

Outstanding article credited to the TFN staff and not an individual writer.

Focus is Pre's transition from college to post-collegiate life on the international circuit, his famous mile run on "Black Tuesday" - 9/3/74 - and his maturing into life on his own, both at home and abroad.

The "Black Tuesday" reference is to the annual burning of the grass seed fields of Oregon's Willamette Valley. This year, Pre decided to run a mile time trial in choking smoke. It ruined his stellar season as he coughed up blood and tore muscles under his rib cage from the violent coughing. (credit: Track and Field News)