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A Short History Of Joe Yancey And The Pioneer Club

As organizer and co-founder, thirty nine years ago, of the internationally respected Pioneer Club of New York, Joe Yancey has been a relentless force in nurturing the natural talents of track and field athletes. His unceasing dedication has produced national champions too numerous to mention.

Since its founding in 1936, the Pioneer Club has never turned down an athlete because of race, creed, or lack of ability. That proud philosophy has produced a proud record and continues to prosper today when the rest of the world is just beginning to catch up morally. Starting in 1948, The Pioneers have sent at least one representative to the Olympics every year, and in some years, notably 1952, as many as six. Continuing to top itself, the club sent nine in 1956. 

It is clear that Joe Yancey's dedication is not limited by national boundaries. The state department has sponsored him on several trips around the world to coach, lecture and conduct clinics. And other nations have sought his expertise always with excellent results. He was head coach of the Jamaican Olympic teams of 1948, '52 and '56.  Also in 1956 and again in 1960, he coached the Bahamian team, as well as the Trinidad Olympic team in '56 and the British Guyana team in '60. 
 
In the '52 Olympic games, he was responsible for Jamaica's "Flying" quarter which set a new record in the 1,600 meter relay. He also coached the Ceylon Olympic team in the third Asian Games in Tokyo and in the Commonwealth Games in Cardiff, Wales. And, in 1968, he added the U.S Virgin Islands to the list of Olympic teams he has coached.

In the New York Metropolitan area Yancey has reared some of the fathers of track development. The Pioneer Club's alumni of head coaches reaches C. W. Post, Adelphi, Princeton, King's Point, the United Athletic Association and the Shore Athletic Club.

All of these accomplishments were done on a volunteer basis and in addition to Yancey's holding a full time position as revenue officer with the Internal Revenue Service, where he has been employed for more than thirty years.

[[images: Six black & white photographs of Joe Yancey: portrait photo, profile photo speaking at microphone, in group of three men, in panoramic of ten men, profile facing left, profile facing right; pair of track shoes over printed with caption]]

[[caption]] 
SALUTE TO
JOE YANCEY
AND THE
NEW YORK PIONEER CLUB
Waldorf Astoria Hotel
50th STREET & PARK AVE
NEW YORK CITY 
[[/caption]]