1886 - 1957
Frank Mann, who served for almost 25 years as athletic trainer at the University of Kentucky, is the original advocate for college athletic trainers. In 1906 he started his athletic training career at the University of Indiana, working next at Iowa, the University of Chicago and Purdue before landing at Kentucky.
1908 - 1954
Thomas “Fitz” Lutz is remembered for inventing a facemask that saved a season for a Georgia Bulldogs star and kept the team rolling through its Golden Era. Lutz, UGA's head athletic trainer from 1938-42, was the Baltimore Colts' head athletic trainer for three seasons before going to the University of North Carolina in 1950.
1891 - 1974
Michigan State athletes remember Jack Heppinstall as a morale booster and father figure. During his 45 years at MSU, he used an estimated 900 miles of tape and tended approximately 15,000 athletes. Heppinstall, who returned to his native England as a U.S. Olympic Team athletic trainer in 1948, was a leader in the first NATA.
1884 - 1965
Every Sunday for years, Tad Gormley hosted the “Gormley Games,” a track meet staged at City Park near Loyola University. Gormley, whose first love was track and field, served at Tulane, Loyola and Louisiana State as head athletic trainer and track coach. An outdoor stadium in New Orleans still bears his name.
1890-Unknown
From 1947-57 Bill Fallon was head athletic trainer at the Naval Academy, previously serving athletes at Michigan, Missouri, Wisconsin, California, St. Mary's and the Navy Pre-Flight School. Fallon also cared for the 1920, 1932, 1936 and 1952 U.S. Olympic Teams.
1874 - 1977
Carl Erickson, a legend to many generations of Northwestern University athletes, was best known by his nickname of “Gloomy” because of his sullen facial expression. Yet Erickson is remembered for his affection for Wildcat athletes, whom he cared for from 1928-51.
1887 - 1970
Well-known Texas politician and coach Lilburn Dimmitt turned his attention to athletic training at Texas A&M, serving the Aggies from 1934-48. It was during his years as a coach, however, that he earned his greatest claim to fame: coaching Olympic track star Babe Didrickson.
1884 - 1962
Oliver DeVictor served as athletic trainer at Penn State, Pittsburgh, Washington-St. Louis and Missouri universities long enough to make 10 bowl trips, including three visits to the Rose Bowl. He retired as head athletic trainer at Missouri in 1958 after 23 years of service.
1888 - 1971
Frank Cramer, who - along with his brother, Chuck - nurtured NATA through its infancy, helped shape the profession. The brothers' company produced The First Aider publication and hosted Cramer Camps, attracting hundreds of people to the profession. They are recognized in the elite Sporting Goods Hall of Fame and are heralded as cornerstones of sports medicine.
1892 - 1984
When Chuck Cramer concocted a balm to ease his sprained ankle, he launched an industry that has complemented sports medicine since 1922. Cramer went on to produce a number of athletic training products with his brother, Frank. They served on the first-ever Olympic athletic training staff, in 1932, and they organized and funded NATA in its early years.