1979
Inductee
About Will H. Thompson
1848-1918
Competitor, Influence on the Sport...
Will Henry Thompson was an American archer, poet and lawyer. His brother Maurice, he was a founder of the National Archery Association in 1879 in Crawfordsville, Indiana. Maurice was the inaugural president and William was president in 1882, 1903 and 1904.
Will H. Thompson's Achievements
William won two bronze medals in Archery at the 1904 Summer Olympics in Missouri in the double York round, when Robert Williams archer Robert Williams won silver and his second bronze in the double American round. In the team competition he won the gold medal.
He was born in Calhoun, Georgia and died in Seattle, Washington.[2] His Seattle house is an 18 room mansion in the Mount Baker district that he lived in from 1897 until 1917 is now an official Seattle Landmark and is also on the National Register of Historic Places.
Notes of Interest
• Brother of 1972 Archery Hall of Fame Inductee J. Maurice Thompson
• Helped Organize the National Archery Association, 1879; President of the NAA, 1882, 1903, ‘04
• Participated in 18 NAA Tournaments, 1879-1913, Always Placing in theTop 10; 5-Time NAA Champion, 1879, 1901, ‘02, ‘03, and ‘08
• 2-Time Bronze Medalist in St. Louis Summer Olympics, 1904
