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| Born | October 25, 1927 (1927-10-25) (age 98) Los Angeles, California, U.S. | ||||||||||||||
Medal record
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Franklin Wesley "Bud"Held (born October 25, 1927) is an American athlete primarily notable for his performance throwing thejavelin. He was born inLos Angeles, California.
Held started as apole vaulter atGrossmont High School nearSan Diego, where he finished in a 3-way tie for 4th place at the 1946CIF California State Meet.[1] He switched to the javelin while a student atStanford University, where he won theNCAA javelin championship in1948,1949, and1950.[2][3] Held won theAAUUSA Outdoor Track and Field Championships six times, 1949, 1951, 1953 to 55 and 1958.[4] Held set six American records in the javelin, and in 1953 became the first American to hold the world javelin record with an effort of 263 feet 10 inches (80.42 m); in so doing, Held became the first athlete ever to throw the 800-gram (1.8 lb) javelin over 80 m (260 ft).[2] He set a second world record of 268 feet 2 inches (81.74 m) in 1955, and his career best throw was 270 feet 0 inches (82.30 m) in 1956.[2]
Held was a member of the United States'1952 Olympic team where he placed ninth[5] after a shoulder injury, and missed making the1956 Olympic team by an inch.[2] He won a gold medal in the1955 Pan American Games in 1955 with a throw of 69.77 meters (228.9 ft).[6]
Held continues to compete inmasters competitions. In 1970, Held set a United States national masters javelin record of 229 ft 3 in (69.88 m).[2] On October 4, 2008, at the Club West Masters Track meet inSanta Barbara, Held set the age 80+World Record in the pole vault[7] adding to the M75 World Record he already holds. He is also ranked in thediscus.[8] He also coaches his live-in partnerNadine O'Connor,[9] who holds the women's 65+ pole vault world record, among numerous other track and field records.[10]
After his retirement from standard competition, Held became a sporting equipment businessman.[2] He foundedEktelon, inventing the world's first aluminumtennis racquet and its related stringing equipment from hisSan Diego garage, then subsequently the first aluminumracquetball racquet.[11] He also invented a hollow javelin that was used into the 1960s, but his design was later outlawed due to safety concerns.[2][12]
Held was inducted into theUSA Track & Field Hall of Fame in 1987,[2] theUSATF Masters Hall of Fame in 2005[13] and is a member of theStanford Athletic Hall of Fame.[14]
