Back in the 1950s, Kiwi distance coach Arthur Lydiard assembled a ragtag bunch of wannabe worldbeaters, henceforth known simply as 'Arthur's Boys'.
Forged on the hilly roads of Auckland's Waitakere Ranges, their success on the international stage made Lydiard a household name across the planet and for generations to come - and Murray Halberg was their team captain.
Left with a crippled arm from a rugby accident as a teenager, Halberg put his disability behind him to win Olympic and Commonwealth Games gold, break world records and help those similarly disadvantaged into better lives through his Halberg Foundation.
"Our nickname for him was 'Sir Muzz', when he got his knighthood," remembers Barry Magee, another of the champions to emerge from that group.
"We used to tease him on the grips about that arm of his. Every other man could get quite a muscle there and we'd say. 'Murray, will you show us your muscle' and he would flex that arm of his, and there was nothing there.
"When he got his knighthood, we said, 'Muz stands for muscle... lack of it', but only Arthur's boys knew him as Sir Muzz because of that arm."
With Lydiard's passing in 2004 and that of prize pupil Peter Snell three years ago, Sir Murray's death at the age of 89 sees their combined achievements pass further into legend, with Magee now one of the few remaining that can remember those deeds.
At the 1960 Rome Olympics, where Snell and Halberg won 800m and 5000m golds within an hour of each other, Magee also reached the medal podium, taking bronze in the marathon. He shared a world record, teaming up with the duo and 800m specialist Gary Philpott for a 4x1 mile relay mark.
And he shared many memories.
"Halberg was different," recalls Magee, 88, who now lives in a Lynfield retirement village bearing his friend's name.
"I believe the magic that was different in Halberg was created by the accident he had when he was 15. He nearly died, when he burst a blood vessel in the shoulder and they took out a two-litre clot of blood.
"His first 2-3 years, he couldn't hold a knife and fork. In the early days, we tied up his running shoes and cut his meat at mealtime.
"He fought for his life and something in his brain gave him a Superman sort of status that we can't describe. He was just about unbeatable... he had this invincible type of never-give-up or never-give-in [attitude]."
Magee last saw his mate three months ago, paying him a visit in hospital, after Sir Murray Halberg had struggled with his health for the past 20 years.
"He still had that fighting spirit, but we knew it wasn't too far away, so it's not a shock. I've had a few tears today, because it's part of my running family.
"Snell has gone... we were the three medallists at the Rome Olympics, so last man standing now.
"I'm just so honoured to know the great 'Muzz', the great Murray Halberg. I don't know if New Zealand could every pay him enough tribute.
"I call him the greatest athlete I have ever raced - even Snell - that's the spirit Halberg has left in my heart."
