John Duncan (Jock) Semple, a sports figure...

John Duncan (Jock) Semple, a sports figure for nearly 60 years and a symbol of the Boston Marathon, died at the age of 84 from cancer of the liver and pancreas.

Known as “Mr. Marathon” for his role in the race in which he first competed in 1929, Semple was a physical therapist for local athletes. He was the trainer for the Boston Celtics in 1947-64 and for the Boston Bruins from 1971 until last fall.