William Buckingham "Father Bill" Curtis was one of the most important proponents of organized athletics in the late 1800s in America. Curtis had a remarkable career as a competitor, official, sports editor, organizer, and administrator. He was known as "Father Bill" in the athletic world. The death of Curtis at the age of 63 while climbing Mount Washington brought forth an outpouring of testimonials from the sports world and recognition as a "father of American amateur athletics".

Mount Washington, also known as Agiocochook, is an ultra-prominent mountain in the state of New Hampshire. It is the highest peak in the Northeastern United States at 6,288.2 ft (1,916.6 m) and the most topographically prominent mountain east of the Mississippi River.