When Tim McLoone first stepped onto the track as a freshman at Seton Hall Prep in South Orange, NJ, he, of course, had no idea that that was just the beginning of a journey that would lead him to be inducted into the New Jersey Hall of Fame in 2018. From there, he would go on to lead a varied life that would have many referring to him as a “Renaissance Man”.
Tim continued his running career at Harvard University, where he was named to the All-American and All-Ivy teams. From there, he continued running and racing (which he still does today) while also involving himself in the event management side of the sport, culminating in his being named Executive Director of the US Men’s Olympic Trials in 1988. Tim also became best known for his TV appearances interviewing competitors “on the run” in major races such as the NYC and Los Angeles Marathons, the latter for which he won an Emmy Award. He continues his love of the sport today as the Head Coach of cross country and track at Rumson-Fair Haven High School, also in NJ.
Tim’s love of sports led him to a position with the then-New Jersey Nets of the NBA, serving as their first Director of Game Operations and announcing “Voice” at the Meadowlands Arena. He later transitioned to college hoops in the same capacity for Seton Hall University Basketball, a position he holds to this day.
Tim’s other passion, however, was music, and he has performed for many years with his group, “Tim McLoone and The Shirleys,” performing with many entertainment luminaries such as Bruce Springsteen, Jon Bon Jovi, Darlene Love, and Ben E. King. Incredibly, at the same time, he also ventured into the restaurant business, opening “McLoone’s Rum Runner” in Sea Bright, NJ, in 1987. In the ensuing years, that company has grown to 10 locations, including “The Robinson Ale House” brand, with more on the way.
If you ask Tim, he will tell you that his greatest accomplishment, though, was his most selfless one – the creation in 1993 of “Holiday Express,” the charitable organization that entertains and brings “the gift of human kindness” to thousands of the most disadvantaged among us each year. Throughout November and December, over 100 professional musicians and 1500 adult volunteers create magical holiday parties for places such as long-term residential psychiatric facilities, homeless shelters, soup kitchens, AIDS hospices, and the like, which, if Holiday Express were not there, would receive little or no attention during the holiday season. Although most of these events take place in the Tri-state area, Holiday Express has also traveled to Columbine High School in Colorado after those tragic shootings and to the Gulf area after Hurricane Katrina, providing a little joy in those overwhelmingly difficult times.
Tim credits his wife, Beth, and their four children, Molly, Jack, Connor, and Hannah, with providing him with the love and support to do all of these things. A “Renaissance Man”, indeed. They currently reside in Little Silver, NJ.