Gehrmann was WIAA State cross country champ as a Pulaski senior in 1945 and a state track champion as well.

Don Gehrmann

Later, he ran for the University of Wisconsin and became the first runner in the history of the NCAA Track & Field Championships to win the mile three times. He also competed in the 1948 Olympics.

He won NCAA championships in the outdoor mile twice (running 4:09.6 in 1949 and 4:12.4 in 1950. Don claimed his first national title in the outdoor 1,500 meters (3:54.3) in 1948. Gehrmann took first place in 87 of 99 collegiate races (ranging from 880 yards to two miles) and he won 39 consecutive major mile races from 1948-51.

He was a member of the U.S. Olympic team in 1948 (at London), he finished seventh in the 1,500 meters.

Other notable statistics:

• Won 10 Big Ten track titles, including four straight (1947-50) in the outdoor mile
• Held world record for both the indoor and outdoor 1,000-yard runs
• Named the Big Ten's "Greatest Miler" for the first 50 years of the conference's existence
• Helped Wisconsin's cross country teams to Big Ten titles in 1949 and 1950
• Gehrmann won individual Big Ten cross country titles in 1947 and 1948
• Won the Outstanding Performer Award at the Drake Relays three times
• Named to the State of Wisconsin Athletic Hall of Fame, the Drake Relays Hall of Fame and the Madison Pen and Mike Club Hall of Fame