1987 Self Transcendence Award : April 01

Filed under Other Awards, Citations, Presentations | Sport & Athletics

Jack Keefe, 71, was awarded the Sri Chinmoy Self- Transcendence Award April 1.

The Sri Chinmoy Self-Transcendence Award is given individuals who in their own lives overcame great obstacles to improve and perfect themselves and society and thus inspire others to go far beyond preconceived notions of impossibility.

After a nearly 50-year respite from competitive swimming, Jack Keefe became one of the nation’s top backstrokers in his age group He was recently spotlighted in a two page story in the USA popular “Sports Illustrated” March 23, 1987 issue.

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IN 1985 Jack and other family members attended the meditation group programme at the UN to recognize his son, Adhiratha Keefe , after he swam across the English Channel in honour of the 40th anniversary of the UN. . .

First Self-Transcendence Award in 1986

The first Self-Transcendence award was given to Joe Michales, as part of a Programme calling attention to the UN Proclaimed 1986 International Year of Peace. The Celebration took place a the New York State Capital, Albany after a 150 mile relay run from NY United Nations Headquarters. Joe, the “Cardiac Runner, who after suffering seven heart attacks and undergoing a double bypass operation, defied all medical predictions and took up long-distance running. During his several years of running, Joe completed over 175 races. In his longest race he covered 624 miles in 15 days. A remarkable achievement for any athlete. Joe’ s great heart finally gave out a couple of months ago, but his heroic spirit lives on among us.

1987 Award

Our Self-Transcendence Award recipient tonight is someone who has been in the news lately wearing a “Sri Chinmoy Marathon Team” sweat shirt. His remarkable story was spotlighted in the 23 March 1987 Issue of Sports Illustrated. Jack (John, Joseph) Keefe~ born in Brooklyn, New York on April 26, 1915. In 1916 he contracted polio, which withered his right leg. However, Jack Keefe took this disability not as an obstacle to life I but as a challenge. With support from his family he chose to focus on what he could do. And to do it well. In 1933, just a half mile from this site (in Jamaica queens), Jack was manager of the Jamaica High School Swimming Team. That year, despite one almost useless leg, he was the Long Island Interscholastic 100 Meter Backstroke Champion. When he went on to swim at St Francis College in Brooklyn, he was captain of the swimming team in his Junior and Senior Year. A few blocks south on Parsons Blvd, is the Central Queens YMCA. It was there, that in 1935 Jack excelled on the YMCA Junior National Water Polo Championship Team; at the same time he was a member of the senior team which took 3rd Place in the National AAU Water Polo Championship. The next two years the team took second place. In 1937, when Jack Keefe weighed just 147 Ibs., he bench pressed 354 lbs, and did a one arm press of 50 lbs 100 times. From 1941-1946 Jack was a Member of New York Athletic Club Water Polo Team. There were few meets during the war, as many of the members, like Jack were serving overseas. In 1944,Jack married Wanda Davis in Alberta Canada. The first of nine children arrived the next year. Professional and family duties curtailed his swimming career for a time. Jack was often heard singing an old song “You could have gone out. with the boys every night, but instead you stayed home to bring me up right – Dear old Dad.” In fact Dad’s break from competitive swimming lasted forty years! During these years he took the family to Jones Beach and sometimes read out notable achievements from sports pages at the breakfast table. Swimming feats! such as English Channel crossings got special appreciation in that forum, as being nearly impossible. Upon retiring, Jack took up swimming again on a regular basis. In 1985 at the Empire State Games, he took first place in the 50, 100 and 200 meter men’s backstroke in the 70 to 75 age group. n 1986 in the Short Course Masters National Championships; in Florida – he captured 4th place in the 200 and 100 yard backstroke races, and fifth in the 50 yard backstroke. Jack was selected for Swimming’s “Top Ten” best times group, in the 70 to 75 year old category, in 1985 « 1986. To prepare for the recent feature article, Sports Illustrated interviewed a number of people who knew Jack. William Rynne had the Distinguished Flying Cross in World War II. He said, “People have given me many medals, dinners, but what I had was just physical courage. It doesn’t compare to the spiritual courage of Jack. He’s a genuine hero.” Mrs. Wanda Keefe, who has known Jack for over 40 year was recently requested to name ten of Jack’s best qualities. She came up with more, seeker of knowledge, a man of personal integrity, with fortitude, persistence, understanding, courage, endurance, an ability to laugh at himself, gratitude, faith, hope, kindness, cheerfulness and charity. She should know best! At this time – I would like to introduce to you the recipient of the Sri Chinmoy Self-Transcendence Award: Jack Keefe, my father. Dad, would you please come up .I’m truly proud that you have so strongly exemplified Sri Chinmoy’s philosophy of self-transcendence, long before any of us knew it by that name. When I would visit the family home in recent years, he would always inquire as to what Sri Chinmoy was doing lately. He was very impressed when we first started doing running and biking marathon events. He was interested in all the details including the range of ages of the participants.

excerpt from USA Sports Illustrated

Jack Keefe Address the gathering

Sri Chinmoy had composed a special song for the event : which was performed for the occasion.

JACK KEEFE: GOD’S FULFILMENT-DREAM

Consciousness-child, vastness-pride, Oneness-soul, fulness- ride. Jack Keefe, hero supreme, God’s Fulfilment-Dream. Jack, to you surrenders Impossibility-foe. Greatness-friend, goodness-brother, All-where you go!

Sample Publicity from the First Award Presentation in 1986, which was part of Celebration of UN Proclaimed 1986 International Year of Peace at NY Capital, Albany after a 150 mile run from NY UN Headquarters. 1986 UN Peace Relay Run : Athletic Event + Self Transcendance Award July 12 – 13