View source for Kenneth L. Wilson

{{Short description|American athlete}}
{{Use American English|date=April 2023}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=April 2023}}
{{Infobox sportsperson
| name = 
| nickname = 
| image = Kenneth L. Wilson 1920.jpg
| image_size = 
| caption = Wilson in 1920
| birth_date = {{Birth date|1896|3|27}}
| birth_place= [[Atwood, Illinois]], U.S.
| death_date = {{Death date and age|1979|2|2|1896|3|27}} 
| death_place = [[Wilmette, Illinois]], U.S.
| height = 183 cm 
| weight = 
| sport = Athletics
| event = [[Discus throw]], [[shot put]], [[javelin throw]]
| club = Chicago AA
| pb = DT – 37.58 m (1920)<br>JT – 52.55 m (1920)<ref name=r1/><ref name=r4/> 
| alma_mater =  
| show-medals = yes
| medaltemplates = 
}}
'''Kenneth Leon''' "'''Tug'''" '''Wilson''' (March 27, 1896 – February 2, 1979) was an American [[Track and field|track and field athlete]] and athletics administrator. He competed in the [[1920 Summer Olympics]], finishing tenth in the [[Athletics at the 1920 Summer Olympics – Men's discus throw|discus throw competition]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.olympedia.org/athletes/79203 |title=Kenneth L. Wilson |work=Olympedia |access-date=21 July 2021}}</ref> Wilson served as the second commissioner of the [[Big Ten Conference]], from 1945 to 1961, and as the president of the [[United States Olympic & Paralympic Committee|United States Olympic Committee]] from 1953 to 1965.<ref name=r1/>

== Early life ==
Wilson graduated from [[Atwood, Illinois|Atwood High School]] in 1914 and began a career in education the following school year by teaching in a country school for two years. He enrolled at the [[University of Illinois]] in 1916 and studied agriculture.

== College athletics ==
Wilson was a multi-sport athlete, playing for the [[Illinois Fighting Illini men's basketball|Fighting Illini]] on the [[1918–19 Illinois Fighting Illini men's basketball team|1919 team]] and named captain for the [[1919–20 Illinois Fighting Illini men's basketball team|1920 team]]. During the 1920 season, Wilson would play with [[Helms Athletic Foundation]] [[1920 NCAA Men's Basketball All-Americans|All-American]] [[Chuck Carney]]. He also played end for the [[Illinois Fighting Illini football|football team]] and was best known for his prowess in track and field. Wilson threw the [[Discus throw|discus]], [[Javelin throw|javelin]] and [[Shot put|shot]], making the U.S. Olympic Team in javelin and [[Athletics at the 1920 Summer Olympics – Men's discus throw|discus]]. He competed in the [[1920 Summer Olympics]] held in [[Antwerp]] by throwing the discus and placing tenth.

== Post-graduate ==
[[File:Kenneth L. Wilson.png|thumb|Wilson, {{Circa|1958}}]]
Wison graduated from Illinois in 1920 but remained at the university as an assistant to the athletic director, [[George Huff (coach)|George Huff]]. He utilized his experiences at Illinois to take the role of athletic director and head track coach at [[Drake University|Drake]] from 1922 to 1925. All of these experiences catapulted Wison into the athletic director position at [[Northwestern University]] where he remained until 1945. In 1945, Wison would be named [[Big Ten Conference#Commissioners|commissioner]] of the [[Big Ten Conference]], remaining in that position until 1961. Wilson also served as a member of the [[President's Council on Sports, Fitness, and Nutrition|President's Council on Youth Fitness]] under [[President Eisenhower]] and [[President Kennedy|Kennedy]].

== Personal information ==
Wilson married Dorothy Estelle Shade in 1924. His nickname, ''"Tug"'' was passed down from his father, Charles Wesley ''"Tug"'' Wilson.

==References==
{{reflist|refs=
<ref name=r1>[https://web.archive.org/web/20200418051828/https://www.sports-reference.com/olympics/athletes/wi/kenneth-wilson-1.html Kenneth Wilson]. sports-reference.com</ref>
<ref name=r4>[http://trackfield.brinkster.net/Profile.asp?ID=15190&Gender=M Kenneth Wilson]. trackfield.brinkster.net</ref>
}}

== External links ==
{{Commons category-inline|Kenneth L. Wilson}}{{Drake Bulldogs athletic director navbox}}
{{Northwestern Wildcats athletic director navbox}}
{{Big Ten Conference commissioner navbox}}
{{Presidents of the United States Olympic Committee}}
{{Footer USA Track & Field 1920 Summer Olympics}}

{{authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Wilson, Kenneth}}
[[Category:1896 births]]
[[Category:1979 deaths]]
[[Category:American male discus throwers]]
[[Category:Athletes (track and field) at the 1920 Summer Olympics]]
[[Category:Big Ten Conference commissioners]]
[[Category:Drake Bulldogs athletic directors]]
[[Category:Illinois Fighting Illini men's track and field athletes]]
[[Category:Northwestern Wildcats athletic directors]]
[[Category:Presidents of the United States Olympic Committee]]
[[Category:Olympic track and field athletes for the United States]]
[[Category:People from Atwood, Illinois]]
[[Category:Track and field athletes from Illinois]]
[[Category:20th-century American sportsmen]]