Going through and cleaning out some old files recently I found a video clip of Wilt Chamberlain competing in the hop-step-jump (nomenclature of the 1950's) and the high jump at the Kansas and Drake Relays (just the HJ) in 1958. I recalled seeing pictures of Wilt many years ago in track shorts and spikes running and jumping but could not remember all the details. And Wilt had also supported the sport and frequently appeared at track meets during and after his NBA career. From the first day he came to the University of Kansas to play under the guidance of the legendary Forrest "Fog" Allen and then head coach Dick Harp, the main question was , "How long until he would jump to the NBA?" That was something no one did in those days before graduating or flunking out of college. You had to wait until your class graduated before the NBA would take you. Wilt jumped but not straight to the NBA. Instead he went to the Harlam Globetrotters.
I showed this video to some friends who wanted to know more about Wilt's track career, like how high, how far? Typical track nut questions. The answers were 45 feet 9 inches in the hop step jump and 6' 6 3/4" in the high jump. We had to scour a few old newspaper vaults to find those results. It's clear from the clippings, Wilt was a major part of pre-meet publicity and post meet as well. He finished fourth in the HSJ and second in the HJ at Kansas and won the HJ at Drake with his PR in that event. In one clipping the Kansas coach Bill Easton predicted a 7 foot jump by the 7' 3" Wilt, but it didn't come to pass, because by the end of the season he was on his way to the Globetrotters.
Initially he had planned a tour of South America with two teams one white one black competing with each other. That idea must have fallen through the planks because he would end up playing with the Harlem Globetrotters until his university class graduated.
From Google. TBT - Wilt Chamberlain played a full season with the Globetrotters in 1958-59. Even after starting his NBA career, he still played parts of several other seasons with the Globetrotters, joining the team when he could between NBA seasons.
This was the day the music died in Lawrence (May 24, 1958) when Wilt drove off campus in a new red convertible heading to Philadelphia where he planned to go pro by organizing the South American tour mentioned above.
Wilt's verifiable college marks are:
1956 (Freshman)
High Jump - 6'4 7/8" (1st in Big Seven Freshmen meet)
Shot Put - 47'5.25" (3rd in Big Seven Freshmen meet)
Triple Jump - 46'2" (4th in Kansas Relays)
In those days the Freshman meet was a postal competition where marks were sent in by the coaches from the various schools and places determined by a statistician. There was known to be a bit of truth exaggeration in that meet.
1957 (Sophomore)
High Jump - 6'5" (1st in Big Seven Outdoor Conference)
Triple Jump - 45'9" (3rd in Kansas Relays)
1958 (Junior)
High Jump - 6' 6.75" (tied-1st in Big Seven Indoor Conference)
Here are some more clippings from those days with comments below in case they are too difficult to read as posted here.
Here there are three mentions of Wilt. First he was DJing a music show (uncompensated) from campus. He played basketball against Oklahoma on Friday night and got permission, whose I don't know, to jump in the Big 7 Conference indoor meet the next night in Kansas City. He tied for first place in that meet, and it is noted that he was second in 1957 at the Kansas Relays.
There are myths about Wilt running a 49 second 440, a 1:58 880, and throwing the high school shot put 57 feet at Overbrook High School in Philadelphia, but there is no data to back that up.
Wilt showing his flexibility in the Des Moines Register at the Drake Relays
For a good account of Wilt's involvement in women's track and field see this article by Linda Huey who was one of the early members of Wilt's Wonder Women Track Club.
Not sure if this is Penn, not much crowd so probably not
Kansas Relays TJ 1958
Wilt had a second career…in volleyball. He loved to play on the beach and indoors. Eventually became head of International Volleyball. I met him on a beach in Manhattan Beach in early ‘70’s and played co-ed doubles against him many times. He became a friend when I mentioned I had run in Relay Circuit at Texas, Kansas and Drake. We traded some stories…he had some beauties…usually involving women. He knew all about Wanamaker Millrose Mile and was impressed when I mentioned I had won it in 1968. He was a very good athlete…not just a big man. He was usually at the beach with several bikini clad girls and would always leave with one (or more). Once told me that the beach was easier than a bar as far as picking up women. As you might know he was a legend as far as how many women he had “known.” He made a claim in his book he had slept with 20,000 women! Very nice, soft spoken guy.
Preston Davis
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