Wilbur Harrison
Smith Bohm was
born on February 8, 1890, in Edwardsville, Illinois. He was a noted athlete at Edwardsville High School, graduating in 1909.
In 1909, he would attend the St. Charles (MO) Military Academy and later attend the Missouri Military Academy in Mexico, Missouri.
In 1913, he attended the Castle Heights School in Lebanon, Tennessee.
Bohm attended the University of Idaho to study law. While there, he was treated by osteopath for typhiod fever and recovered enough to play football and take part in track at Idaho. He changed his studies from law to pre-medicine. Bohm would enter the American School of Osteopathy, now the Kirksville College of Osteopathic Medicine, in Kirksville, Missouri, in the fall of 1917. Bohm interrupted his studies to serve in the Army during World War I and, after he was discharged, he graduated with his Doctor of Osteopathy degree in 1921.
After graduation, Bohm worked at the Bay Osteopathic Clinic in
Oakland, California. In 1922, he moved back to Edwardsville to set up a
private practice. At Edwardsville, he would work as an athletic trainer
for several athletic clubs in Illinois and Missouri.
On April 8, 1926, Washington State hired Bohm as their athletic trainer. He would remain until 1943.
Bohm would be a member of the U.S. Olympic Team training staff in
1932 with Frank Cramer, Chuck Cramer, Jake Weber and Billy Morris. In 1936, Bohm would work at the Berlin Olympic Games. In 1935, he earned a bachelor’s degree in health and physical education from Springfield College and in 1938 received his Master’s degree in health and physical education from Springfield.
Bohm would be the fourth, and final, President of the original NATA from 1942-44. He was hired by the Washington Redskins in 1943, He resigned from the Redskins in 1948 to become the head athletic trainer for the Cincinnati Reds. Bohm would stay with the Reds through 1950.
In the spring of 1952, Bohm was hired as a temporary replacement for Bob Bauman at St. Louis University. Later that year, he returned to work for the Redskins. In 1953, he took a position with the St. Louis Cardinals and, in 1954, he was working for the New York football Giants. During 1956, Bohm also worked for the Calgary Stampeders in the Canadian Football League.
Bohm would semi-retire in 1956. From 1956 to 1963, he would work
spring training with the St. Louis Cardinals. According to Dr. Bohm’s
niece, once the Cardinals began traveling to away games by plane rather
than by bus or train, Bohm only worked spring training because he did
not like to fly.
Bohm was a noted speaker and author, being one of the first to research issues in athletic training. He spoke at hundreds of medical and coaching meetings in the U.S. and around the world. He was on programs of the nternational Sports Congress, Japanese Medicine.
Bohm authored many articles and five books.
In 1962, Dr. Bohm was elected to the first class in the NATA Hall of Fame. In 1963, he was admitted to membership in the Royal Society for the Promotion of Health in Great Britain and elected a Fellow in 1968.
Bohm always returned to Edwardsville and, upon retirement, lived in
the house in which he was born. He died September 13, 1971, at age 81.
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