Red Sox

2022 Boston Marathon means extra to Rich Hill after father’s recent death

Lloyd Hill Sr. finished the race 37 times.

Red Sox starting pitcher Rich Hill throws during the first inning of a baseball game against the Detroit Tigers. Carlos Osorio/AP Photo

By Trevor Hass

April 17, 2022

This year’s Boston Marathon carries extra weight for Red Sox pitcher Rich Hill, a Milton native, after his father, Lloyd, died Friday at age 94.

Lloyd Hill Sr. ran the Boston Marathon 37 times according to WBZ’s Dan Roche, who chatted with Rich Hill about his father’s legacy.

“Words can’t describe how kind he was towards everybody and the way he treated everyone,” Hill told Roche. “But also, running 37 Boston Marathons was an amazing feat. We just found that out the other day. I always thought it was in the ’20s, then I asked him, and he said, ‘No, we started in 1958.'”

That led to more conversations with his father about the event’s significance in the family. Hill fondly recalls seeing his father at the finish line and said other times Lloyd would simply take the Red Line home to Milton.

My condolences to Rich and his family. Never easy to lose a parent – no matter what the age. Lloyd lived a full life and raised a good son. I'm sure he'll be watching his son from the front row up above on Marathon Monday!
R-I-P Lloyd Hill@redsox @bostonmarathon @baa https://t.co/xaGsY9ldyO
— Dan Roche (@RochieWBZ) April 17, 2022

Hill, who is scheduled to pitch Monday against the Twins, said there’s a lot of emotions and a lot of feelings around Marathon Monday. He values how much it meant to his father and many, many more.

“I know it’s really special to Boston and the people here in Boston,” Hill said to Roche. “It’s very unique, because it’s a one-of-a-kind thing here in this city, and for the state of Massachusetts. It will be a special day.”