William Sherring 1877-1964

Photo by Alan L Brown - Posted April, 2004

Photo Source - Wikipedia

Plaque Location

The City of Hamilton
On the east side of York Boulevard
across from the northern edge of Hamilton Cemetery
1.1 km north of the intersection of
York Boulevard and Dundurn Street North

Coordinates: N 43 16.633 W 79 53.382

Plaque Text

One of Canada's greatest Marathon runners, "Billy" Sherring was born in Hamilton, and began his athletic career as a member of the YMCA Boys, Club. He entered many county fair races and in 1897 gained his first major success at Bartonville. Two years later he recorded the first of two victories in the Around-the Bay Marathon, one of the oldest long distance road races in North America, now known as the Billy Sherring Memorial Road Race. His most memorable triumph, however, was the victory which earned him an Olympic Gold Medal in Athens on May 1, 1906. In a remarkable display of stamina he defeated some 55 competitors over the gruelling 42 km course.

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Posted April 8, 2012
Billy Sherring's grandson, who is also called Bill Sherring lives in Hamilton, Ontario. The Bill Sherring of Hamilton also has a son called Bill Sherring, and he lives in B.C.

Posted January 5, 2011
Did you know that William Sherring inspired the founders of Panathinaikos Athletic Club (one of the two biggest athletic clubs in Greece) to use the shamrock as the team's crest?

Posted December 27, 2010
William Lorne Sherring is great-grandson of Billy Sherring. William (Bill) was raised in Hamilton & now lives on the BC coast

Posted September 29, 2010
Billy Sherring apparently moved to Athens two months before the Olympic Games to acclimatize himself. It paid off, obviously, with gold. Greece's Prince George (later King George II) accompanied Sherring on his final lap of this marquee event. The 1906 Olympics are a historical oddity, however. St. Louis had held a Games two years previously, and Rome was to hold them two years hence. But Greece wanted them every four years, in between. Although the IOC had approved the Athens Games with the intention of continuing such "Intercalated Games", 1906 was the only one ever held. Subsequently, the IOC demoted these Games to unofficial status, meaning Sherring's medal did not count in Olympic record books. But in 1906, of course, it was official, and did count. Ironically, the 1906 Games likely saved the modern Olympic movement, and contributed many of the traditions upheld today. -Wayne

Posted September 28, 2010
Joseph Sherring is his nephew and lives in Hamilton.

Posted May 19, 2010
I used to work with his grandson Bill Sherring in the 90's. He retired then.

Posted April 26, 2010
Dan Osier is his grandson living in Hamilton Ontario. Helen Calender is his daughter living in Hamilton also.

Posted March 25, 2010
does anyone know the names and location of any current day relatives of Billy Sherring?
thank you Bill E. Thompson

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