Arthur Franklin Walker, Jr., c/o 1963

Walker was playing club basketball his freshman year at Morehouse College when he got an unexpected invitation from the college’s track coach. He invited Walker to turn out for track.  “The first track meet I saw coach took me with him,” Walker said. “My job was to go to the meet.”  Walker’s unexpected introduction to track began with him high jumping and long jumping at Morehouse College after his coach invited him to turn out. He didn’t triple jump until his junior year and two weeks after he first started to practice doing the triple jump he competed with his team at a national meet in 1962. And surprisingly, Walker won that meet, igniting his impressive climb to the Olympics.

Art Walker was AAU triple jump champion in 1965-66 and 1968 and won the event at the indoor AAUs in 1967. Walker also won four consecutive titles (1965-68) at the Mt. SAC Relays. He competed at the 1965 Universiade, finishing fifth. He finished sixth in the 1962 NCAAs, representing Morehouse College.

Personal Bests: LJ – 7.52 (24-8¼) (1964); TJ – 16.81 (55-1¾) (1968).

SIAC HALL OF FAME - 1996