Manchester Road Race Unveils Newest Poster

The Manchester Road Race Committee has announced the newest addition to its “Finish Line Series” of limited edition posters.

This year’s printing features the 1945 and 1946 winner, Charlie “Doc” Robbins. A star distance runner at Manchester High School and the University of Connecticut, Robbins made 50 consecutive appearances in the Road Race, often running barefoot.

The poster series was introduced in 2014, in conjunction with an exhibit on the history of the Road Race. The two inaugural posters in the collection depict nine-time champion Amby Burfoot winning the 1971 Manchester Road Race, and Julia Chase-Brand’s history-making run in 1961, when she became the first female to complete the road race course.

Like the previous issues, this year’s poster was designed by Manchester resident Harrison “Whitey” Jenkins. Jenkins, a graphic designer, used a newspaper photo of Robbins taken by the Manchester Herald in 1978. The committee plans to continue to offer other road race posters, marking its history and traditions, in subsequent years.

All three of the colorful, 18” X 24” posters are available for $10. A limited number of last year’s posters, signed by Burfoot and Chase-Brand, remain available for $25. Proceeds from the sale of the posters will be donated to the Manchester Historical Society, which maintains a collection of Manchester Road Race artifacts.

The posters are available at Frame Dimensions located at 681 Main Street, Manchester and 995 Farmington Avenue, West Hartford. Frame Dimensions, voted one of the “Best of Hartford” businesses by Hartford Magazine, is offering a special framing package consisting of dry-mounting and a metal frame starting at $70.

Photo courtesy of Manchester Road Race Committee