Education
Pennsylvania State University.
Pennsylvania State University.
Born in Yonkers, New York, Alan Helffrich was one of America’s greatest middle distance runners in the 1920s. Helffrich was the only runner to defeat Paavo Nurmi when the Finn toured the United States in 1925, scoring a victory in the half-mile run at the Yankee Stadium. After his running career, Helffrich officiated at athletics meets in New York City from 1930 to 1955 and served, until his death at age 93, as president of the New York Chapter of the United States Olympians.