Forrest Smithson (September 26, 1884 – November 25, 1962) was an Oregon Agricultural College (now Oregon State University) theology student who, according to legend, ran hurdles races with a bible in his hand. He won the gold medal in the 110 m hurdles at the 1908 Summer Olympics.
Smithson was an AAU champion in 1907 and 1909 in the 120 yd (110 m) hurdles. He also attended Notre Dame but did not graduate from either college.
At the London Olympics, the main favorites were Smithson’s teammates John Garrels and Arthur Shaw who had earlier equaled Alvin Kraenzlein’s world record of 15.2 seconds. The 110 m hurdles were not contested on a track as usual, but in a special path in the stadium grass. Only Americans reached the final, which was held on the last day of the London Games. Smithson defeated Garrels and set a new world record of 15.0 seconds. The picture of Smithson with the bible in the final gave rise to a story that he was protesting the race being run on a Sunday. That was not actually the case, the final was on a Saturday. Forrest Smithson was a committed Christian and most likely posed for the photo after the race as a show of faith.
He later became a Baptist minister and lived out his life in the San Francisco Bay Area.
Forrest Smithson was one of the first athletes inducted into the Oregon State University Athletics Hall of Fame.