Augustus Thorndike, M.D. (1896–1986), was the chief of surgery at

Harvard University Health Service Harvard University is a Private university, private Ivy League research university in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States. Founded in 1636 and named for its first benefactor, the History of the Puritans in North America, Puritan clergyma ...

from 1931 to 1962 and a pioneer in

sports medicine Sports medicine is a branch of medicine that deals with physical fitness and the treatment and prevention of injuries related to sports and exercise. Although most sports teams have employed team physicians for many years, it is only since the ...

. Thorndike served in

World War I World War I or the First World War (28 July 1914 – 11 November 1918), also known as the Great War, was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War I, Allies (or Entente) and the Central Powers. Fighting to ...

and was a 1919 graduate of Harvard College and a 1921 graduate of

Harvard Medical School Harvard Medical School (HMS) is the medical school of Harvard University and is located in the Longwood Medical and Academic Area, Longwood Medical Area in Boston, Massachusetts. Founded in 1782, HMS is the third oldest medical school in the Un ...

. He pioneered many advancements in sports medicine, including the rules that a

physician A physician, medical practitioner (British English), medical doctor, or simply doctor is a health professional who practices medicine, which is concerned with promoting, maintaining or restoring health through the Medical education, study, Med ...

must be present at every sports event and that a doctor must decide if an injured athlete should play. He also designed advanced equipment for football players and was the first to insist that

hockey ''Hockey'' is a family of List of stick sports, stick sports where two opposing teams use hockey sticks to propel a ball or disk into a goal. There are many types of hockey, and the individual sports vary in rules, numbers of players, apparel, ...

players wear helmets. Thorndike began working at the

Massachusetts General Hospital Massachusetts General Hospital (Mass General or MGH) is a teaching hospital located in the West End neighborhood of Boston, Massachusetts. It is the original and largest clinical education and research facility of Harvard Medical School/Harvar ...

in 1921 as a general surgeon before also offering his medical services to the Harvard University Athletic Department in 1926. It was based upon his experiences working with athletes during this period that he determined there to be a specific need to improve medical care for athletes and later that specialization in the field was necessary. In 1938, Thorndike wrote America's first book on athletic injuries.Harvard Medical embraces NBA sports science
/ref> He wrote two books, "Athletic Injuries" and "Manual of Bandaging, Strapping and Splinting".Dr. Augustus Thorndike, Specialist in Sports Medicine, Dead at 89
/ref> One of the principal reasons for which Dr. Thorndike is regarded as a "pioneer" in the industry was his insistence that only a physician was qualified to determine whether an athlete was healthy enough to compete or play their sport and that this decision should not be left to coaches. He was the first to insist that hockey players wear helmets, introduced the idea of taping, and to design improved protective gear for football players. Serving twenty-two months in the Pacific during

World War II World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...

, he was chief of surgical services and commanding officer of the Harvard Unit, 105th General Hospital, the largest army hospital overseas. In 1945, he was awarded the Legion of Merit for his work on behalf of veterans. Thorndike also directed a program for the rehabilitation of the wounded after the war. From 1956 to 1959, Thorndike served as the sixteenth president of the

Harvard Club of Boston The Harvard Club of Boston is a private social club located in Boston, Massachusetts. Its membership is open to alumni and associates of Harvard University, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Yale University, and Fletcher School of Law and D ...

.Biography in The Art Collection of the Harvard Club of Boston
/ref> He retired from Harvard in 1962. Dr. Thorndike's father, also named Augustus Thorndike (1863-1940), co-founded the Industrial School for Crippled and Deformed Children in Boston, MA in 1894 along with his colleague, Dr. Edward Bradford. It was the first school in the country for children with physical disabilities. The name was changed to Cotting School in the 1970s.

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Dr. Augustus Thorndike, 89, Sports Medicine Specialist
Harvard Medical School alumni Harvard University staff American sports physicians 1896 births 1986 deaths {{US-physician-stub