William Porter

Who was William Porter?

William Franklin Porter II was an American track and field athlete, winner of 110-meter hurdles at the 1948 Summer Olympics.

Born in Essex Township, Michigan, William Porter attended The Hill School in Pottstown, Pennsylvania and graduated class of 44'. Then attending Western Michigan University.

Porter won his only AAU Championship title in 1948 in 110 m hurdles and thus qualified to the Olympic Games. Although the best American hurdler Harrison Dillard did not qualify to the Olympics, the three Americans Porter, Clyde Scott and Craig Dixon were headlong over the rest of the field in the Olympic final. From the start to finish they ran almost neck to neck, with the others some five yards behind. In the finish, Porter gained a clear win with Scott beating Dixon by inches for second place.

After his athletics career, Porter worked for the Northwestern Alumni Association Board and later opened a sales agency in California.

William Porter died in Irvine, California.