H.W. Kerrigan – Track & Field

Herbert H.K. KerriganHerbert William H.K. Kerrigan (January 24, 1879 – September 10, 1959) was an American athlete who competed mainly in the high jump. He was the first Olympian from the state of Oregon.

He was born in Portland, Oregon and died in San Francisco.

Bert Kerrigan competed for the Multnomah Athletic Club in Portland and won the Pacific Northwest high jump championships in 1894 and 1896.

In the 1906 Intercalated Games held in Athens, Greece, Kerrigan won the bronze medal jointly with Greek athlete Themistoklis Diakidis. Kerrigan had been favored to win but was injured by a wave that hit the ship carrying the U.S. team to Athens. The winning height of 5 ft 10 in (1.78 m) was the lowest winning height in Olympic history.

Kerrigan is a member of the inaugural Oregon Sports Hall of Fame Class of 1980.