Comment On Silas From Prominent Sports Writer
J.E. "Gee" Ahern
J.E. "Gee" Ahern, sports editor for the Halifax Herald, said the following of Silas:
Silas, the farmer boy from Noel, Hants County, would probably have been a Canadian marathon champion had he entered the running game earlier in life. Silas was years older than his rivals when he first entered the Halifax Herald Modified Marathon of ten miles back in World War One.
However his late start at running didn’t stop the Noel star from setting up a Canadian wide reputation in marathons, modified and full, and he was strong enough in 1928 to win a place on the Canadian Olympic team and compete in the marathon in Amsterdam, Holland. Silas did not win but finished near the top and defeated the great Clarence DeMar of the United States team.
We remember Silas’ great running of the Herald marathon from Dartmouth to Halifax in 1928 when he led a strong field. It wasn’t until years later that we learned that in order to reach Halifax from Noel, Silas walked 11 miles to a rail way station [in Kennetcook] in his county and entered the big run without a complaint.
A wonderful man on and off the race course was Silas McLellan. We found him a real gentleman when taking part in runs we promoted for this newspaper and never heard him grumble.….Silas is the type of athlete we believe brings prestige to the Nova Scotia Sports Hall of Fame. Silas was one of the first runners chosen by the Board of Directors for an honoured section of the hall. No athlete was more deserving of the honour.
Link to Silas' file with the Nova Scotia Sports Hall of Fame: click here.
Silas, the farmer boy from Noel, Hants County, would probably have been a Canadian marathon champion had he entered the running game earlier in life. Silas was years older than his rivals when he first entered the Halifax Herald Modified Marathon of ten miles back in World War One.
However his late start at running didn’t stop the Noel star from setting up a Canadian wide reputation in marathons, modified and full, and he was strong enough in 1928 to win a place on the Canadian Olympic team and compete in the marathon in Amsterdam, Holland. Silas did not win but finished near the top and defeated the great Clarence DeMar of the United States team.
We remember Silas’ great running of the Herald marathon from Dartmouth to Halifax in 1928 when he led a strong field. It wasn’t until years later that we learned that in order to reach Halifax from Noel, Silas walked 11 miles to a rail way station [in Kennetcook] in his county and entered the big run without a complaint.
A wonderful man on and off the race course was Silas McLellan. We found him a real gentleman when taking part in runs we promoted for this newspaper and never heard him grumble.….Silas is the type of athlete we believe brings prestige to the Nova Scotia Sports Hall of Fame. Silas was one of the first runners chosen by the Board of Directors for an honoured section of the hall. No athlete was more deserving of the honour.
Link to Silas' file with the Nova Scotia Sports Hall of Fame: click here.