Robert J. Black of Providence was widely recognized as the State of Rhode Island’s greatest distance runner of all-time. He was a two-time National (NCAA) cross-country champion, and was named All-American in several categories as a runner for the then Rhode Island State College, now URI. He is the only person ever to win four consecutive Intercollegiate cross-country titles. He was chosen as the Words Unlimited Rhode Island Athlete of the Year in 1948, and wad inducted into the URI Athletic Hall of Fame in 1972. He worked in social agencies throughout Rhode Island and retired after 29 years from the Department of Corrections as Chief of Classification Services.