Bowerman, William J.

William Jay "Bill" Bowerman was born February 19, 1911 in Portland, Oregon. Bill’s mother grew up in Fossil, Oregon, to which the family returned after Bill's parents divorced in 1913. Bill had an older brother and sister, Dan and Mary Elizabeth “Beth.” Bill also had a twin brother, Thomas, who died in a tragic elevator accident when they were two years old.

Bill attended Fossil Grade School, and Medford and Seattle schools, before returning to Medford for high school. Bill played in the high school band and played football his senior year. Bill first met Barbara Young, the woman he would marry, in high school in Medford. Bill came to the University of Oregon in 1929 to play football and study journalism. After one year studying journalism, Bill switched to a business major, which he did not like, but decided to complete anyway. He competed in track while finishing up pre-med courses. After graduation, Bill was set to teach school for two years and then attend medical school. He taught biology and coached football at Franklin High School in Portland in 1934. In 1935 he moved back to Medford to teach and coach football. In 1936 he added the coaching responsibilities for basketball as well as football. He started a track team at Medford High School in 1937, and gave up his basketball coaching duties to become the track coach.

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