PHOTO GALLERY: Local man is historian of Olympics

John Lucas, Olympics historian, has his portrait taken July 6 at the Moberly Regional Medical Center. Lucas retired from Penn State in 1996 but continued to teach and was awarded a position as professor emeritus of kinesiology from Pennsylvania State University. He moved to Missouri this spring to be with his son.   |  Tatiana Fernandez

John Lucas, Olympics historian, puts on his jacket July 6 in his room at the Moberly Regional Medical Center. Over the course of his years as a lecturer, he received many presents, which he usually gave away, but this jacket he has kept. "He's probably had that jacket for over 15 years," his son, Mark Lucas, said.   |  Tatiana Fernandez

John Lucas received the Olympic Order, the highest award from the International Olympic Committee, in 1996 for his distinguished contribution to the Olympic Movement.   |  Tatiana Fernandez

John Lucas gets ready to run at the Barcelona Olympic Stadium in 1992. Lucas never competed at the Olympics but got permission to run at every stadium during every summer Olympics since 1960, except Beijing.   |  Courtesy of Mark Lucas

Mark Lucas, John Lucas' son, looks through an old family album July 9 in his office at the Department of Student Life in the MU Student Center.   |  Tatiana Fernandez

John Lucas has written four books and more than 200 articles on the Olympics. Pictured here are two of his books and notes from a speech evaluating the 1996 Atlanta games.   |  Tatiana Fernandez

Lucas coached Pennsylvania State University's cross-country and indoor and outdoor track and field teams from 1962-1968. He then taught the “History, Philosophy, and Politics of the Modern Olympic Games” course at the university for almost 30 years before retiring in 1996.   |  Courtesy of Mark Lucas

John Lucas, official North American historian for the Olympic Games, stands in his room at the Moberly Regional Medical Center on July 6.

  |  Tatiana Fernandez