Founder of Peachtree Road Race Passes Away

I met Tim Singleton for the one and only time in 2011, when he was inducted into the Atlanta Sports Hall of Fame, an organization founded by my friend, Larry Winter.

Singleton, who passed away Wednesday at age 76, thrilled the audience that night with his stories about how a small, humble little competition he started in 1970 became a legendary Atlanta tradition - the Peachtree Road Race.

The idea for a t-shirt for the finishers? Just something extra that Singleton thought would be nice to give to the participants. Now, it's one of the most sought-after and treasured garments each year in our city.

Singleton starred at Druid Hills High and then played football and ran track at Georgia Tech in the 1950s. He was Georgia State’s cross-country coach from 1966-72. He was also the founding member of the Atlanta Track Club.

Known as "Papa Peachtree,"Singleton participated in 73 marathons.

In all of Atlanta sports history, there are only a few giants who have left behind a legacy so vast, wide and everlasting that it grows larger and more deeply ingrained into our city's consciousness with each passing year.

Tim Singleton was one of those giants.