Athletics Hall of Fame
A star trackman at Whitewater, Henry Jacobsen has been active in the Wisconsin Rapids area for the past thirty years, teaching business education and coaching. Jacobsen received a three-year degree from Whitewater in 1927 and then returned to receive a B.E. degree in 1932. During the first years of his studies at Whitewater, Jacobsen was a member of the track team and received three letters. He was the conference mile and two-mile champion. In 1925 he finished second in the Milwaukee Journal indoor meet in the mile run, won by Ritola of Finland. He also captured first place in a two mile exhibition with the University of Wisconsin and the on mile run at Marquette University. Additional laurels were taken by Jacobsen when he won the Cross-Country meet of the AAU at Milwaukee in 1925 and 1926. During 1925 Jacobsen received a gold medal in the five-mile Cross-Country run at Chicago, which was won by Joie Ray, former world mile champion. After graduation in 1927, Jacobsen went to Hancock, Wisconsin, where he served as coach and business education teacher for nine years. In 1936 he moved to Wisconsin Rapids and has been coach and business education teacher since that time. His most successful coaching has been in cross-country, where he has won six championships. The championships were gained in competition from 1948 to 1965. Jacobsen has been previously recognized for his work with the distinguished service medal from the General Grand Chapter of the R.A.M. of the United States.
