Jack Caffery (runner)

{{short description|Canadian long-distance runner}}

{{for|the ice hockey player|Jack Caffery (ice hockey)}}

File:Caffrey.jpg

John Peter Caffery{{efn|Also known as Jack Caffrey, and sometimes as "J. J. Caffery". His last name was variously spelled "Caffrey" or "Caffery".{{Cite news |date=1901-04-24 |title=HAMILTON'S CHAMPION LOWERS THE RECORD, THE MARATHON RACE WINNERS |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-hamilton-spectator-hamiltons-champi/145430328/ |access-date=2024-04-15 |work=The Hamilton Spectator |pages=3}}}} (May 21, 1879 – February 12, 1919) was a Canadian track and field athlete who competed in the marathon at the 1908 Summer Olympics where he finished in 11th place. Caffrey was also a two-time champion of the Boston Marathon.{{cite book |last1=Cooper |first1=Pamela |title=The American Marathon |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=cSPF71aP0qsC |year=1999 |publisher=Syracuse University Press |location=Syracuse, New York |isbn= 9780815605737 |page=21 |chapter=The City and Sport Bureaucracy|chapter-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=He0QG1aAq04C&pg=PA21 }} He won with a time of 2:39:44.4 in 1900 and with a time of 2:29:23.6 in 1901, both of which were course records for the then 25-mile course.{{cite news |title=John Caffrey Again Wins the Marathon Race, Cuts 10 Minutes From the Record He Made Last Year: Davis, the Indian, Second; Mellor of Yonkers Third -- Man From Sparta Makes Poor Showing -- Ronald McDonald Collapses After Plucky Race -- Ugly Rumors As To Cause |url=http://www.boston.com/zope_homepage/sports/marathon_archive/history/1901_globe.htm |newspaper=The Boston Globe |location=Boston |date=April 20, 1901 }}

Caffrey was the son of Irish immigrants. He was a teamster by trade and represented St. Patrick's Athletic Association/St. Patrick's Athletic Club. He was born in Hamilton, Ontario and died there from complications after falling ill with Spanish flu.{{cite web|url=https://www.olympedia.org/athletes/65983 |title=Jack Caffery |work=Olympedia |access-date=8 March 2021}}