In the era predating the Jazz age William Kramer was the best distance runner in America shattering numerous national records and earning the nickname Cross-Country King.

Born in Melville Long Island January 23 1884 Kramer was a quiet boy who was overshadowed by his two older brothers who made reputations as athletes in Y.M.C.A. circles. One day Kramer told his folks that he was also going to start in a running race and the family had a good laugh at his expense which did not deter him.

Previous to his first race Kramer was examined by a doctor according to the Y.M.C.A. rules to determine his fitness to run a distance race. The M.D. told William that his heart was bad and that he shouldnt run.

Stubborn as well as quiet Kramer at once became all the more determined to try to become a distance runner. In 1906 at twenty-four years old Kramer ran his maiden one-mile race as an unknown cross-country runner for the Eastern District (Brooklyn) Branch Y.M.C.A. His father and brothers gasped in astonishment when the former farmer boy trotted home a winner in five minutes and twenty seconds.

After the race Kramer caught the expert eye of Garry Fitzgerald a former champion himself who was training the athletes of the Acorn Athletes Association. Under Fitzgeralds tutelage Kramer stepped up his training. It paid off as Kramer finished second in the 1908 National Junior Cross-Country Championships and it was then that the experts woke up to the fact that a new star had appeared on the horizon.

Kramer won the AAU Junior and Senior National Cross-Country titles of 1909 and the Senior Metropolitan Cross-Country and the National Five Mile Track Championships of 1910. This was the first time that a member of a Brooklyn club had won a national championship.

Kramer's successes won him an Olympic try-out. On June 8 1912 a midday storm created a muddy track at the NY Olympic trials held at Celtic Park. The mud did nothing to stop Kramer from establishing a new American record in the 10000 meters at 32 minutes 12 4-5 seconds. Kramer's time beat every American record from 5 1/4 miles to 6 1/4 miles setting six world records to his credit.

This amazing performance made Kramer a member of the American team for the 1012 Olympics held in Stockholm Sweden. He was expected to race in the 3000-meter team race the individual 5000 and 10000-meter races.

Ease of action and a low-key life were the greatest factors in Kramer's success as a distance runner. He ran close to the ground with a low-striding Indian lope which got him over the ground very fast. Kramer didn't smoke chew or drink and got plenty of sleep every night.

High in spirits Kramer boarded the SS Finland on the way to the 1912 Olympic Games. However two days into the voyage he pulled the tendon of Achilles of the left foot while practicing on the deck and was told by his doctors to retire from the games. Still determined Kramer decided to run the first heat in the 10000 meters. Kramer kept close at the heels of another American runner while the Swedes stayed in the middle of the field. However with nine laps still to go the injury eventually caught up to Kramer and he had to leave the track.

Although the doctors told Kramer he needed to quit running Kramer found the inventor in the US who made a rubber sponge that Kramer placed under the arch of his left foot taking the strain off the tendon.

At first Kramer suffered agony every time he strode but after a week or so the trouble began to disappear. In time he ran in a better form than ever before winning the national 2-Mile Championship in 1914 and setting himself for the 1916 Olympics. Unfortunately it was not to be as those games were canceled due to World War One. Soon after Kramer retired quietly from the running life and became a plumber.

Kramer was a person that loved running but not the spotlight. Kramer once declared to a writer that he liked the exercise and sport of racing very well but the responsibilities of being a champion was hard work. To his fans throughout his racing successes Kramer lived up to his reputation very well and he proved it by crossing the finish line.

This massive collection of memorabilia comes directly from William Kramer's estate. It includes three pairs of his track shoes three uniform shirts with team logos embroidered on front including the logo from his Long Island AC team which is shown in a variety of casual and press photos and newspaper clippings his 582 shirt number and a pair of shorts all of which may have been worn during the 1912 trip to the Olympics; a US uniform shirt patch and a pair of white wool dress slacks worn at the Opening Ceremonies of the Olympics.

Also included are Kramer's personal scrapbook of 1912 Olympics with numerous photos taken by him at the games as well as the SS Finland on the way to Stockholm including snapshots of many athletes such as Jim Thorpe and Duke Kahanamoku plus menus and a letter from Kramer to his parents about the games; an Olympic diploma a certificate for first place 10000 Olympic tryout meter run three letters from US Olympic Committee to the athletes and a letter from New York City to Olympic athletes; an invitation and menu for a special Olympic dinner at the Waldorf; two silk American flags and a souvenir book of Sweden track and field almanac Olympic edition and six (6) medals pertaining to the Games.

Awards from Kramer's US Track and Field career include eleven (11) various pre-WWI New York regional championship distance race trophies most silver or silver plate plus the "Batterman Cup a copper colored tuck handled Gould Medley Relay trophy and a framed photo of Kramer and teammates standing on either side of the trophy; twenty-seven (27) gold medals from various regional and national races including his AAU championships five are marked 10 K two are marked 14K one is marked 18K eighteen are marked solid gold or gold filled one from the amateur union has no markings; forty-five (45) various track medals in sterling silver bronze brass; four (4) gold filled pocket watches won as prizes one is inscribed with "1909 Oil City Marathon".

Also included are approximately twenty pennants from various races clubs and Ivy League colleges including the Long Island AC and the Acorn AC Yale Princeton plus two thick scrapbooks tracking Kramer's myriad of successes; various track and field programs from events in which Kramer participated numerous snapshots and photos including portraits of Kramer; an Honest Long Cut tobacco card; various correspondence including a telegram from Princeton asking Kramer to coach and letters to and from a German magazine asking to profile Kramer; a die cut Acorn AA ticket to a minstrel show several small posters of track events a 1912 copy of Athletic American magazine.

There are also four statues including a winged athlete; a statue of a woman holding her arm in the air pendulum ball clock affixed to her hand. A piece must be made to affix it to the statue; a martial figure with a sword; these statues have some damage and need restoration. The condition of the collection ranges from good to mint with most items in very good to excellent condition. LOA from William Kramer's Grandson Greg Kramer.