He was an outstanding athlete and coach, a world record pole vaulter before the turn of the century, but Dr. Raymond G. Clapp's principal contribution to the sport of wrestling took place as he led the development of early-day collegiate rules and collegiate tournaments.

Dr. Clapp became chairman of the NCAA wrestling rules committee in 1927 and served for 18 years. In many respects, it could be said that he was the rules committee during its formative years. Through his leadership, a distinct and progressive code of rules for college and high school competition was developed and adopted.

He organized and conducted the first national collegiate tournament in 1928. Four years earlier, Dr. Clapp had inaugurated the Missouri Valley Conference tournament, forerunner of the present Big Eight championships.

While a student at Yale in 1896, he became the first athlete to clear 10 feet in the pole vault, soaring to the unheard of height of 10 feet, 7 inches. Two years later, he raised the world record to 11 feet, 10 inches. Also excelling in gymnastics, he was the Eastern Collegiate all-around champion in 1899.

After earning his medical degree at Keokuk College in Iowa, Dr. Clapp became professor of physical education and gymnastics coach at the University of Nebraska. In 1915, he organized a wrestling team at Nebraska which won the Western Conference championship. Six years later, his team administered one of the five defeats suffered by Oklahoma A&M during the coaching tenure of Edward C. Gallagher.

For his outstanding contribution to wrestling in the development of collegiate rules and tournaments, Raymond Gustavus Clapp is honored as a Distinguished Member of the National Wrestling Hall of Fame.