Class Notes
Dr. Norbert Sander’ 60
Fordham Prep is saddened by the sudden passing of Dr. Norbert Sander’ 60, past NYC Marathon winner, the driving force behind the Fort Washington Armory and a member of the Prep ' s Hall of Honor.
Norb arrived at Rose Hill in 1956, and early on he decided that the track would be his main athletic interest. He was a member of the historic 1958 and 1959 cross-country teams that took City Championships. An internist specializing in family medicine, Dr. Sander maintained a practice for many years and raised four daughters. Running continued to be a major part of his life, highlighted by his 1974 New York City Marathon victory. Norb Sander is the only New Yorker to have won this race.
In 1992, Sander stood on a debris-strewn balcony in the Fort Washington Armory at 168th Street in New York City. With its huge vaulted ceiling and 96,000 square feet of wooden floor, the armory had been New York City’ s premier arena for indoor track from about 1910 to the mid-1980s. Time and neglect, however, had taken their toll. Norb had good memories of competing on the Armory’ s original wooden track during his Prep and college days. Standing on that balcony in 1992, he laid out his dream: to restore the track facility to its former premier status.
He raised more than $ 25 million to refurbish the building from top to bottom. In addition to its restored track, the renovated Armory Track and Field Center includes a learning center, Armory Prep, and community center where local youth work towards high school equivalency
tests or hone valuable academic skills. During the first decade of the 2000s, the Center became the premier indoor track and field facility in America with more than 400,000 visitors a year, and the home of the National Track & Field Hall of Fame.
A trackman and a Fordham man through and through, Norb served as president and CEO of the Armory Track and Field Center and on the board of directors of the New York Road Runners Club. He was the Prep’ s commencement speaker in 2005, and was generous with his time and talent at the University, as well. In the words of Frank McLaughlin’ 65, longtime executive director of athletics at Fordham University, Norb was“ very loyal to the Prep, the university, and to the sport of track. He’ s always looking to help people.”
Robert Wagner’ 54
The Prep community is saddened by the passing of former counselor, Robert Wagner. Bob worked at Fordham Prep in two stints( 1960-1965, 1988-2004). A devoted and loving husband, father and grandfather, Bob’ s care for Prep students and staff through the decades was a consolation and an inspiration to thousands. Bob lived a life built on the pillars of family, Fordham and faith, and his joy in living that life was evident to all who were lucky enough to count him as a colleague and friend.
The decision as to which college a student will attend is made nightly. It involves whether or not he will do that night’ s homework to the best of his ability.— Bob Wagner
58 | RAMVIEW