Wayne State University Athletics

Doherty, a native Detroiter who described his own career as one of "persistence," remembers, "I was out for high school track at Western High for four years, did not win a letter, but was awarded one at the end for 'long and faithful effort.' At Detroit City College (WSU's earlier name) I was no more than a dual-meet point-winner with no outstanding event but enough consistency among the 10 events for the decathlon."

He won four WSU letters. He also won the National AAU Decathlon in 1928 and 1929 and the bronze medal in the decathlon at the Amsterdam Olympics. He set an American record for the event in 1929 at Denver with 7784 points, conquering the 5000-foot altitude as well. All 10 events were held in one day, the custom of five events on each of two days not starting until the 1930s.

Doherty earned his B. A. degree in 1927 and went on to gain his Ph.D. at Michigan in 1948. He coached at Detroit Southwestern High School (1929), Princeton (1930), Michigan (1930-1948) and Pennsylvania (1948-1961), before retiring in 1968. While at Penn, he was the director of the Penn Relays and the first USA-USSR dual track meet and was the president of the National Track Coaches Association and previously elected to the Helms Track and Field Hall of Fame and the National Track and Field Hall of Fame.