This Sunday the annual running of the Dock Closing race in Montauk returns. This photo from The East Hampton Star’s archives dates to Sept. 25, 1975, when the race was first run as part of a series of competitions between the bar’s owner, George Watson, and Barry Marx, a customer.
First up was a sailing competition with George Watson in a 14-foot skiff and Barry Marx in a 12-foot one. Marx beat Watson but accepted Watson’s challenge to a footrace. They opened it to everyone, and while 65 people registered, only 25 actually showed up on race day. As this photo illustrates, participants ran in everything from blue jeans and work boots to “bathing trunks.”
The first run began at the Shagwong Tavern on Main Street and continued to the Dock, which at the time was described as a “longshore bar.” Taken at the starting point, this photo shows George Watson, a former New York City firefighter, in the foreground toward the front of the group, wearing yellow running sneakers, blue shorts, and a gray T-shirt.
The original 3.2-mile run went down Edgemere Road, continuing to Flamingo Road, and then to Town Road before arriving at the Dock, where runners “were treated to beer” and winners received a set of darts. George Watson’s brothers, Bob Watson and Tom Watson, took first and second place, and George came in third. Barry Marx came in 21st out of 22 finishers. Marx and Watson also participated in a rowing race after the run.
By 1978, George Watson was sponsoring a series of annual competitions that helped extend the bar’s business into the fall. In 1989, the 3.4-mile Dock Race drew everyone from nationally recognized transcontinental masters runners to George’s young son, Alex. This year’s race serves as a fund-raiser for the Montauk Food Pantry and senior center.
Andrea Meyer, a librarian and archivist, is head of collection for the East Hampton Library’s Long Island Collection.
