A.C. Gilbert (February 15, 1884 – January 24, 1961) was a versatile and talented athlete from Salem who went on to great success as an inventor, magician, toy maker and businessman.
Gilbert was educated at the Tualatin Academy, the secondary school in Forest Grove that evolved into Pacific University. He excelled in weightlifting and gymnastics and also played football and wrestled. Gilbert started competing collegiately at age 16. He left Pacific after 1902 and transferred to Yale University, financing his education by working as a magician, and earning a degree in sports medicine.
He set a unique variety of athletic records, breaking the world mark for consecutive chin-ups (39) in 1900 and distance record for the running long dive (now known as the long jump) in 1902. Gilbert could climb a 25-meter rope in seven seconds.
He invented the pole vault box, digging a small hole in the ground to accommodate a pole without the six-inch spike that had been the previous standard. His new technique was successful, setting two world records in the event including a record of 12-foot 3-inches in 1906. He tied for gold with fellow American Edward Cook at the 1908 London Summer Olympics after British officials ruled his spike-less pole, although legal, was an unfair advantage. He had actually won the event by one inch.
After graduation from Yale, Gilbert chose the toy business over medicine, starting with manufacturing magic sets. Then his stroke of genius came in 1913 when he developed the Erector Set, which has endured for over 100 years. Gilbert was passionate about promoting invention and took part in many social initiatives. A.C. became known as "The man who saved Christmas" after arguing against stopping toy production in the US during World War I.
A.C. Gilbert's legacy endures in Oregon; Pacific University had named a residential hall after him and the Gilbert House Children’s Museum is in Riverfront Park in his native Salem.
Gilbert is a member of the Pacific Athletic Hall of Fame and the US Pole Vault Hall of Fame.