A sprinter for the Irish-American A.C. in his competitive days, Daniel "Dan" Ferris joined the Amateur Athletic Union in 1907 as the personal secretary to another Hall of Famer, James Sullivan. When Sullivan stepped down in 1914, Ferris succeeded him as AAU secretary-treasurer and remained in the job for the next 43 years. Under his leadership, the AAU, which governed U.S. track and field during that period, thrived and instituted many programs that benefited the sport, including the Junior Olympics and the USA-USSR dual track meet series. Ferris attended every Olympic Games from 1912 through 1976, the year in which he stepped down from his post with the IAAF, the governing body of track and field.
Track & field administrator