March 31, 2011

PHILADELPHIA - On this day in 1962, John Uelses became the first person to clear 16 feet in the pole vault in Santa Barbara, CA. A few months earlier, he had become the first person to clear 16 feet indoors. He set both world records as a Marine before enrolling at La Salle and graduating in 1965.

He held the La Salle school record of 16'3 for over two decades until Greg McIntyre cleared 16'10 in 1996. He remains La Salle's only NCAA track champion (1964), was a three-time IC4A champion and two-time MAC champion. Uelses was inducted in La Salle's Hall of Athletes in 1987.

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