1968 Olympian, Longtime Contributor And Hayward Field Meet Official Dies

By Doug Binder, DyeStat Editor

A fixture at Hayward Field for more than half a century, first as an athlete and later as an official, Wade Bell died Thursday at the age of 79. 

Bell grew up in Utah and came to the University of Oregon to be coached by Bill Bowerman. He was among the first athletes to race in Bowerman's hand-made spikes. 

Bell was the 17th American to run a sub-four minute mile and earned his spot on the U.S. Olympic team in 1968 in the 800 meters. He once held American records in the 1,000 yards and later the 1,000 meters. 

Bell was a partner in the Eugene accounting firm Bell and Morgan LLC.

He was a starting line marshal for many years, working at meets every type of meet, from community open meets to Oregon state high school championships, to the World Championships.  He had worked a couple of days at the recent U.S. Olympic Team Trials before he was hospitalized.