The Man : His Races

• Raced with the best in sprint mushing demonstration races in the 1932 Lake Placid Winter Olympic Games.
• In 1967, drove a snowmobile 5000 miles from Alaska to Boston.
• Brazenly declared himself dog driving champion of the Pentagon to compete as the first non-Alaskan dog driver in the North American Sled Dog Championships in Alaska.
• At age 68, moved to Alaska for dogs and adventure with empty pockets after a business collapse and a shattered marriage. Shoveled sidewalks for food, found a job as a janitor, and built a dog team.
• Participated in 13 Iditarods, running his first one at age 72. Completed 6 with his last finish being in 1990 at the age of 84.
• Crashed President Carter's inaugural parade and was in the next two.
• Taught John Paul II how to mush.
• In 1997 organized the annual 868-mile Serum Run from Nenana to Nome, Alaska. This commemorates the 1925 dash to Nome by the fastest village dog teams to deliver diphtheria serum to save Nome.