John Lawlor holds one of the most impressive backgrounds of any Boston Universty track star. A three-time All-America in the hammer throw, he holds the record for 27 consecutive victories in the hammer.
That is just the tip of his accomplishments, however. Lawlor was a New England champion three times, held the NCAA championship record in the 16-pound hammer throw, was ICAA champion three years in a row, New England champion twice, and Penn Relay champion as a sophomore, junior and senior. In addition, he held the indoor 35-pound weight record, and was a member of the Republic of Ireland Olympic team at Tokyo and Rome.
Lawlor came to BU from Dublin, Ireland, where he starred in track & field, Irish football, hurling and rugby at St. Joseph's Prep.
He won the E. Ray Speare Memorial Award as Scholar-Athlete of the Year in his senior year at BU, when he captained the track team. He was also voted into the Scarlet Key, one of the highest academic honors at BU.
Lawlor received his Ph. D. from the university in 1970 and went on to become one of New England's leading geologists.
