Hall of Fame
One of the most prolific runners ever to lace up shoes at Macalester College, Ron Bole's accomplishments in cross country and track for the Scots still burn brightly today.
Bole bursted into the limelight immediately as a rookie in 1958, finishing fifth in the MIAC cross country meet for the Scots, who scored a perfect "15" (had the top five finishers) points en route to the team championship. He then placed 22nd in the NAIA cross country championships at Omaha, Neb. As a sophomore, he finished 16th in the NCAA championships in Wheaton, Ill.
Things would only get better, as Bole captured the MIAC individual title as a junior in 1960 and he defended his title as a senior in the following year. His first win led the Scots to the conference team championship.
The spring of 1959 was the start of 10 straight MIAC track and field championships for Macalester and Bole played an important role in each of them. He won conference titles in the mile (1960 and 1962) and 880 (1960 and 1962), and was a member of the mile relay team that won three (1959, 1960, and 1962) league championships. His 880 time of 1:57.9 in the 1962 conference meet broke a ten-year-old league record.
Bole was the photo editor of the Yearbook and a photographer for the Mac Weekly, in addition to being active in the "M" Club and the Presbyterian College Fellowship.
Upon his graduation, Bole embarked on a 14-year teaching career in physical education and athletics. He received his M.A. from Central Michigan University (1964) and Ph.D. from the University of Illinois (1970). He changed careers in 1975 and since then he has been working for E.F. Hutton and National City Bank of Minneapolis, where he is currently vice-president and principal of NCB Financial Futures, Inc. (a subsidiary of National City Bank).
Bole lists meeting his wife, Elizabeth (Class of '62), as one of his most memorable experiences of his days at Macalester. They have two sons - David, 18 and Jeff, 16 - and they reside in Roseville.
Bole has hardly lost a step in his running. He recently ran the mile in 4:48 and his 10K time of 33:29 at last year's Get in Gear race in the Twin Cities ranked him third in the nation in the 45-year-old category.
