Fred Behling graduated from Moorhead High School in 1942. While at Moorhead High School, he served as senior class president. Behling graduated from the University of Minnesota School of Medicine and completed his intern training in Denver, Colorado. From 1953-56 he completed a fellowship in orthopedic surgery at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota.

Behling was an orthopedic surgeon at Dakota Clinic in Fargo, North Dakota, from 1956-58. From 1958 until his retirement in 1992, Behling was an orthopedic surgeon at Palo Alto Clinic in Palo Alto, California. In 1972, he founded the Sports Medicine Department at the Palo Alto Clinic.

A pioneer in the area of sports medicine, Behling served as team physician for the San Francisco Giants, the San Francisco 49ers, and the 1973 World University Games. He served as team physician for the Stanford University football team for 34 years. The national Athletic Trainers Association awarded Behling the President’s Challenge Cup Award in 1983 for his efforts in “encouraging increased professionalism and public acceptance of the athletic training profession and for initiating legislation that has reduced the injury risks in football.” One of his accomplishments was helping to pass stricter safety regulations regarding “hitting with the top of the helmet.”

From 1992-2002, Behling was research director for Fifty Plus Lifetime Fitness. During his 34 years of medical practice, Behling served on national sports medicine associations and was chairman of the sports medicine committee of the American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons.

Fred is married to Bonnie Behling. They have four children, Barbara, Ann, Fred and Bill, and seven grandchildren. He lives in Portola Valley, California.

Update: Fred Behling died July 10, 2013.