Part of Lowell Celebrates Kerouac Festival. Jack Kerouac was remarkable athlete, by any standard. He was a champion sprinter and hurdler, a speedy baseball outfielder, and a gridiron phenom. In this talk, writer Jay Atkinson sheds light on Kerouac’s athletic prowess and its influence on its work. A former two sport college athlete, Atkinson is the author of two novels, a story collection, and five narrative nonfiction books. Atkinson teaches writing at Boston University.