William Hamilton (athlete)

William Franklin "Red" Hamilton (August 11, 1883 – August 1, 1955) was an American sprinter who competed at the 1908 Summer Olympics in London.

Hamilton was a member of the 1600 m medley relay team that won the gold medal. He ran the first leg of 200 meters and was followed by Nate Cartmell (200 m), John Taylor (400 m) and Mel Sheppard (800 m). Hamilton gave the team a six-yard lead over the nearest competitor, running a split time of 22.0 seconds. Hamilton also competed in the 100 m and the 200 m events. He won the first-round heat of the 100 m in a time of 11.2 seconds, but did not start the second round. In the 200 m, he was eliminated in the semifinal.

Hamilton studied and competed for the Iowa Teachers College, now known as the University of Northern Iowa.