Norbert Sander

{{short description|American marathon runner}}

{{Infobox sportsperson

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| nationality = American

| sport = Sport of athletics

| event = Marathon

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| birth_date = {{birth date|1942|8|21|df=y}}

| birth_place = United States

| death_date = {{death date and age|2017|3|17|1942|8|21|df=yes}}

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• {{nowrap|Marathon: 2:23:38 (1972)}}

| country = {{USA}}

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}}

Norbert Sander (August 21, 1942 - March 17, 2017) was an American physician and runner who won the New York City Marathon in 1974. He has been described as "one of the most influential track and field figures in the city's history,"{{Cite web|url=https://nypost.com/2007/08/17/joggernaut/|title = 'Jogger'naut|date = 17 August 2007}}{{Cite web|url=https://nypost.com/2017/03/18/only-new-york-man-to-win-nyc-marathon-dies-at-74/|title = Only New York man to win NYC Marathon dies at 74|date = 18 March 2017}} and is known for his work restoring the Fort Washington Armory.

Sander was born on August 21, 1942 in Yonkers and attended Fordham Prep where he was a member of two title-winning teams and Fordham University where he was a member of a team that set the then Penn Relays record.{{Cite web |title=https://www.nyrr.org/about/hall-of-fame/norbert-sander |url=https://www.nyrr.org/about/hall-of-fame/norbert-sander |access-date=2025-03-15 |website=NYRR Hall of Fame |language=en-US}} He graduated from Fordham University in 1964 and the Albert Einstein College of Medicine in 1971.{{Cite news |last=Haggerty |first=Nancy |title=Norbert Sander, NYC Marathon winner, Armory head, dies at 74 |url=https://www.lohud.com/story/sports/2017/03/17/norb-sander-nyc-marathon-armory/99308856/ |access-date=2025-03-15 |language=en-US}}

Sander remains the only male New Yorker to win the New York City Marathon, which he won in 1974 when the course was held in Central Park. Sander had run in the old armory as a child and beginning in 1992, oversaw its restoration and subsequently he became the Armory's President & CEO.{{Cite news |last=Vecsey |first=George |date=2008-12-05 |title=Rerun of History at Runners' Mecca |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2008/12/05/sports/othersports/05vecsey.html |access-date=2025-03-15 |work=The New York Times |language=en-US |issn=0362-4331}} In that role, he oversaw the move of the Millrose Games and other marquee track and field events to the building.{{Cite web |date=2017-03-18 |title=Fordham Hall of Famer Dr. Norbert Sander Passes Away |url=https://fordhamsports.com/news/2017/3/18/mens-track-and-field-fordham-hall-of-famer-dr-norbert-sander-passes-away |access-date=2025-03-15 |website=Fordham University Athletics |language=en}}{{Cite book |last=Cheever |first=Benjamin |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=DB0wg2A52OwC&dq=%2522Norbert+Sander%2522&pg=PA56 |title=Strides: Running Through History With an Unlikely Athlete |date=2007-09-18 |publisher=Harmony/Rodale/Convergent |isbn=978-1-60529-620-3 |pages=56 |language=en}}

Sander was a winner of the Heliodoro and Patricia Rico Lifetime Achievement Award from USA Track & Field in 2000 and the NYRR Abebe Bikila Award in 2014. Posthumously, the Armory named the Sander Invitational in his honor.{{Cite news |last=Haggerty |first=Nancy |title=Late founder of Armory Track and Field Center, Dr. Sander, to receive honors |url=https://www.lohud.com/story/sports/2017/09/14/dr-sander-receive-honors/666340001/ |access-date=2025-03-15 |language=en-US}}

Sander died of a heart attack on March 17, 2017.{{Cite news |last=Belson |first=Ken |date=2017-03-18 |title=Norbert W. Sander Jr., Champion of New York Running, Dies at 74 |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2017/03/17/sports/norbert-sander-dead-nyc-marathon-winner.html |access-date=2025-03-15 |work=The New York Times |language=en-US |issn=0362-4331}}