William F. Humphrey was born in San Francisco on March 3, 1873. He worked his way through the University of Santa Clara, and took a law degree at University of California’s Hasting College of Law. What most men found in family, hobbies, business or travel, Humphrey derived from his involvement at The Olympic Club. It was his life.
Certainly no one in the century long history of The Club has given so much to its development and direction as Mr. Humphrey. He helped build many of the facilities used by our athletic programs and was instrumental in fostering amateur athletics. He served as President of The Olympic Club for 46 years. Under his leadership the City Clubhouse was rebuilt after the disastrous fire of 1906. He negotiated settlement of claims, established a building fund and secured a loan for the rebuilding. Convinced that The Olympic Club should have a country home, he had the vision to negotiate the acquisition of the golf course and grounds of the struggling Lakeside Country Club. In May 1924, the golf course was redesigned and another eighteen holes were added and shortly thereafter work began on a new clubhouse. During his presidency membership increased to 3,000 and the club became financially secure.
During the first half of the 20th Century, athletic clubs throughout the United States provided promising young amateur athletes places to train and compete in organized events. This was an era before individual sports had established their own national organizations and well before the commercial sponsorship of athletes.
The athletic reputation of The Olympic Club grew beyond local recognition and was soon recognized in international venues such as the Olympic Games because Humphrey insisted that the Club teams competing for championships wear the Winged “O”.
He never ceased recruiting the best athletes that he could find to build these teams. It is therefore testimony to his efforts that The Olympic Club had the distinction of placing more members than any other organization or institution on the US teams competing in the 1924 Olympic Games. The Olympic Club sent 22 athletes to Paris. Mr. Humphrey and his Club were so well respected that he was himself elected to serve on the United States Olympic Committee.
In reviewing the Olympians elected to our own Hall of Fame, it is remarkable to notice how many of them were brought into the club while Mr. Humphrey was president.
