1915-1980
Bill “Ropes” Robertson, who served for 35 years as the Oregon State University athletic trainer, was the first full-time athletic trainer for the Beavers. Robertson was also an athletic trainer for the U.S. Olympic Team in the 1964 Games in Tokyo and returned to the Far East in 1967 to do a series of clinics for the U.S. Department of Defense.
1914 - 1985
Dean Nesmith became a legend during his long tenure at the University of Kansas, from 1938-83. He administered to some of the world's greatest athletes, including Gale Sayers, Wilt Chamberlain, Jim Ryun and Jo White. Nesmith served as athletic trainer at the 1960 Olympics in Rome.
1918 - 1999
Charles Medlar taped, wrapped, rehabilitated and befriended Penn State University athletes from 1946-82. He also was the university's head baseball coach and an assistant professor, mentoring up-and-coming athletic training students. Medlar provided coverage for the Olympics in 1964 and 1968.
1908 - 1984
Roland “Kickapoo” Logan, the founder, editor and publisher of “Athletic Training News” from 1949-58, started in 1930 at the University of Kansas, later working at George Washington, Pittsburgh, West Point, North Carolina, Navy, Pasadena College and the Boston Red Sox. Logan invented more than 20 athletic training products, lectured at 400+ clinics and was an accomplished artist, winning the American Institute of Fine Arts medal for his original oil paintings.
Listen to Roland "Kickapoo" Logan singing.
1905 - 1993
An athletic trainer for numerous All-Star games and U.S. track events, Ed Byrne also wrote for professional publications. Byrne, who spent 20+ years as athletic trainer at the University of California at Berkley, was one of three athletic trainers for the junior AAU team in its 1973 track and field meets.
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Samuel Lankford, who worked at the University of Florida and later at Virginia Tech, was associated with athletic training publication as early as 1930. For several years Lankford was an editor for the National Athletic Journal. Among his professional contributions are two books and numerous articles on athletic training and conditioning.
1915 - 1986
Dwayne “Spike” Dixon was a fixture in Indiana University's athletic training department beginning in 1946. In 1961 he began to focus on teaching athletic training skills and developing curricula. In addition to his lectures, classes, consulting and athletic training duties, Dixon wrote “The Dixonary of Training Techniques.”
1908 - 1978
Richard Cole's legacy is one of public relations: he was a frequent speaker and author, educating others about the profession. Cole, who graduated from Iowa State in 1931 was head athletic trainer and associate professor of physical education at Rhode Island from 1946-75.
1914 - 2005
Elmer Brown, like his twin brother Delmer, was widely known in Texas. Between his first coaching job at Laredo High School in 1938 and his position at the Texas College of Osteopathic Medicine in Fort Worth, he worked at six high schools and universities. A graduate of North Texas State, Brown landed at Texas Christian University in 1951 and worked there until his retirement.
1914 - 2003
Delmer Brown spent his entire career in Texas, where he helped build the profession's credibility. After earning a degree in 1938 from North Texas State, Brown was a coach and athletic trainer for three Texas high schools as well as Baylor, East Texas State University and Texas Tech.