Post
#87, 25 July 2017
While
searching several Notre Dame websites, I came upon several articles about our
classmate Dr. Bill Hurd. They covered more ground about his life than an earlier class-blog article reported about his accomplishments (link).
The first article below described Bill’s honor as
the recipient of university’s 2002 Moose Krause Award. The second story
describes him as the 1992 recipient of the university’s Harvey G. Foster Award, “Established in 1982, the Harvey
G. Foster Award is conferred on an alum (living or deceased), some of whom are
athletes or in athletic endeavors, who have distinguished themselves through
civic or University activities.” (link).
That’s a new definition of being a Double Domer! Congratulations on and thank
you for your wonderful career of giving, Bill.
The
first article below appeared on the Notre Dame Athletic News website in 2002 (link):
Bill Hurd Presented
With 2002 Moose Krause Award
Former All-America sprinter and current renowned eye surgeon receives Monogram Club's highest honor.
Former All-America sprinter and current renowned eye surgeon receives Monogram Club's highest honor.
Dr.
Bill Hurd was honored at the June 6 Monogram Club dinner with the Moose Krause
Award, the highest honor presented by the Monogram Club to a member most worthy
of distinction. A world-class sprinter and 1969 Notre Dame graduate with a
degree in electrical engineering, Hurd now is a noted eye surgeon - with an
ophthalmology practice in Memphis that specializes in cataract, glaucoma and diabetic
treatment and keratorefractive surgery.
Hurd
- who was presented the Krause Award by former Irish football player Bob Minnix
- annually spends 2-3 weeks providing voluntary eye surgery to the poor in
Africa, Mexico and Brazil. On the most recent trip to Madagascar, he and two
other doctors saw 1,100 patients in 10 days and he performed 35 eye surgeries -
with Hurd and his colleagues increasingly in demand as their reputation grows.
Many of the needy patients are almost completely blind and some walk long
distances for the lifechanging surgeries. One elderly woman was able to see her
grandchildren for the first time after surgery performed by Hurd.
Hurd's
days of distinction as a collegian included being named Notre Dame's
"athlete of the year" for 1967-68 - edging football stars Rocky
Bleier and Dave Martin and basketball great Bob Arnzen - and establishing the
American indoor record in the 300-yard dash (29.8). He set eight Notre Dame
records and totaled five All-American finishes at the 1968 and '69 NCAA meets
(only two Notre Dame student-athletes ever have totaled more All-America
honors).
He
also was a finalist (top eight) at the Olympic Trials in the 100 and 200
meters, finishing fifth in the 100 to just miss a spot on the Olympic squad
(his competitors included the likes of Jim Hines, John Carlos, Tommy Smith and
Mel Gray).
Hurd
- who added graduate degrees from M.I.T. (master's in management science) and
Meaharry Medical School in Nashville - was a Rhodes Scholarship regional
finalist and received Notre Dame's Harvey Foster Award in 1992 (recognizing
alumni for distinguished civic activity) and the NCAA's prestigious Silver
Anniversary Award in 1994 (recognizing career success and community service).
He holds two U.S./foreign patents for optical devices, including a slit-lamp,
mountable intraocular biometer.
Also
an accomplished jazz musician, Hurd currently is completing work on his fourth
CD, in which he plays the saxophone and flute.
"The
Notre Dame alumni network is very comprehensive worldwide. Even to this day,
everywhere I go people are very impressed that I went to Notre Dame," says
Hurd, who is living proof of his belief that engineers can make great doctors.
"A
college degree from Notre Dame generates tremendous respect. I could have gone
to West Point or M.I.T. for my undergrad - but I felt that going to Notre Dame
made me so much more well-rounded. And my life is all the better for it."
Hurd
and his wife Rhynette, an attorney, have sent both of their sons to Notre Dame
(Ryan Hurd is a rising junior sprinter on the track team).
(from left) Monogram Club president Jim Carroll,
presenter Bob Minnix, Krause Award recipient Bill Hurd and Monogram Club vice
president Dave Duerson.
The following article appeared on page 21 of the 2008-09 Cross Country
/Track & Field website (link):
Click on the photos to see larger images.
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