Track and Field Hall of Fame

Peorian Herb Jamison represented the United States in the first modern Olympic Games held in Athens, Greece in 1896. Jamison was a student at Princeton when he was asked to join a 13-man United States team at the resumption of the Olympic Games.

In Athens, Jamison chalked up the fastest qualifying time in the 400-meter dash, but placed second in the finals, winning a silver medal with a time of 55.2 seconds. It is believed Jamison placed third in the 100-meter dash. As a senior at Peoria High School in 1893, he was the only triple winner in the very first Illinois State High School Track and Field Meet. Jamison died in 1938 at the age of 62 after many years in the insurance business.