Hall of Athletic Honor
Nearly 40 years after transferring to Gettysburg before his junior year in 1962, Linders remains the greatest half-miler in College history.
He smashed the school record for the 880-yard run (a race now known as the 800-meter run) in only his second meet at Gettysburg and went on to win nine times without a loss in the half-mile that season. At the 1963 Penn Relays, he anchored the Bullets' mile-relay team to a time of 3:21.8, breaking the program's 21-year-old record in that event. Gettysburg finished second to St. Joseph's at the Middle Atlantic Conference championships in tough University Division competition.
As a senior, he won every half-mile in which he competed during the regular season and anchored the squad's mile-relay team to victory at the Penn Relays, the College's first win at that prestigious meet in 22 years. At the IC4A meet held on May 30, 1964, he posted a time of 1:51.4 in the 880-yard run (1:50.8 when converted from 880 yards to 800 meters), a program record that still stands. With that precendent-shattering mark, he also became the first Bullet in program history to qualify for the NCAA championship meet.
He was also a two-year member of the cross country team, helping the Bullets post an 11-1 record in 1962.
A native of Haworth, N.J., he graduated from Gettysburg in 1964 with a degree in religion and psychology.
