Background
He was born in New York City and died in White Plains, New New York
long-distance runner middle-distance runner sportsperson
He was born in New York City and died in White Plains, New New York
At the 1904 Summer Olympics in Saint Louis, Missouri, Pilgrim competed in the 400 metre competition and 800 metre races, without success. In the 1906 Summer Olympics at Athens, Pilgrim was an 11th-hour addition to the team He travelled to Athens on his own, missing the wave that washed over the deck of the American team"s ship in Gibraltar.
The wave injured about half-dozen athletes aboard the deck, including one of the favorites in the 400 metres, Harry Hillman.
Pilgrim advanced to the final in the 400 metres, and was third before the final straight. This medal does not appear in results or tables published by the International Olympic Committee, which retroactively downgraded the 1906 Summer Olympics and does not consider them to have been true "Games of the Olympiad."
At the 1908 Summer Olympics in London Pilgrim competed in the 400 metre competition.
He did not advance to the semifinals. He worked the rest of his career at NYAC, where one of his medals is on display.