Willie Banks
Encyclopedia
William Augustus Banks III (born March 11, 1956) is an American athlete. Born at Travis Air Force Base
, California
, he grew up in San Diego County and went to Oceanside High School
. Banks is an Eagle Scout
.
He was a track & field
athlete competing in the triple jump
. On June 16, 1985 he set a world record of 17.97 m (58 feet 11.5 inches) at the national championships in Indianapolis
, Indiana
, USA.
He finished second in the NCAA
Championships in 1977 and 1978. He earned his B.A. and Juris Doctor
(J.D.
) from UCLA
, but was unable to pass the bar exam.
He broke the American record in 1981.
He was a member of the 1980, 1984, and 1988 Olympic
teams.
He participated on the 1983 and 1987 World Championship
teams.
He was awarded the Track & Field News
and United States Olympic Committee
Athlete of the Year in 1985.
He served USA Track & Field as chair of the Athletes Advisory Committee in addition to serving as an organization vice president.
Banks will always be remembered as one of the most flamboyant athletes to compete in track and field. He is the originator of the now common hand clapping that takes place during many track and field events. His exuberant personality was also present in his jumping. He has been reported as laughing during some of his jumps. When he set the world record
of 17.97 m at the 1985 USA Outdoor Track and Field Championships
, his attention seemed more intent on completing his jump in order to cheer for teammate Claudette Groenendaal who was completing her 800 metres
on the track adjacent to the runway at the same time. He held that record for over ten years until Jonathan Edwards
broke it for the first time in 1995 with 17.98m. He also jumped 18.20m at Indianapolis in 1988, but this was assisted by an illegal 5.2 m/s wind.
He is still competing, clearing an impressive 14.00m to head the 2006 world masters rankings http://www.mastersathletics.net/ in the 50-54 age group, just 7 cm behind that age-group's world record. He won the 2007 World Masters Athletics Championships
in that same age group.
He was inducted into the USA National Track & Field Hall of Fame in 1999.
Banks is President of the US Olympians Association. His term runs from 2005 to 2008.
In 2008 he joined the newly reconstituted USATF Board of Directors.
Banks was on a panel on an ESPN
"Outside the Lines" episode regarding athlete involvement in social issues, dated May 18, 2008.
Travis Air Force Base
Travis Air Force Base is a United States Air Force air base under the operational control of the Air Mobility Command , located three miles east of the central business district of Fairfield, in Solano County, California, United States. The base is named for Brigadier General Robert F...
, California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
, he grew up in San Diego County and went to Oceanside High School
Oceanside High School
-Campus:Oceanside High School rests between the beach and Interstate 5. The remodeled campus includes many palm trees and new sport fields. There is a three-story Science & technology building and Senior Hall...
. Banks is an Eagle Scout
Eagle Scout (Boy Scouts of America)
Eagle Scout is the highest rank attainable in the Boy Scouting program of the Boy Scouts of America . A Scout who attains this rank is called an Eagle Scout or Eagle. Since its introduction in 1911, the Eagle Scout rank has been earned by more than 2 million young men...
.
He was a track & field
Track and field
Track and field is a sport comprising various competitive athletic contests based around the activities of running, jumping and throwing. The name of the sport derives from the venue for the competitions: a stadium which features an oval running track surrounding a grassy area...
athlete competing in the triple jump
Triple jump
The triple jump is a track and field sport, similar to the long jump, but involving a “hop, bound and jump” routine, whereby the competitor runs down the track and performs a hop, a bound and then a jump into the sand pit.The triple jump has its origins in the Ancient Olympics and has been a...
. On June 16, 1985 he set a world record of 17.97 m (58 feet 11.5 inches) at the national championships in Indianapolis
Indianapolis
Indianapolis is the capital of the U.S. state of Indiana, and the county seat of Marion County, Indiana. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city's population is 839,489. It is by far Indiana's largest city and, as of the 2010 U.S...
, Indiana
Indiana
Indiana is a US state, admitted to the United States as the 19th on December 11, 1816. It is located in the Midwestern United States and Great Lakes Region. With 6,483,802 residents, the state is ranked 15th in population and 16th in population density. Indiana is ranked 38th in land area and is...
, USA.
He finished second in the NCAA
National Collegiate Athletic Association
The National Collegiate Athletic Association is a semi-voluntary association of 1,281 institutions, conferences, organizations and individuals that organizes the athletic programs of many colleges and universities in the United States...
Championships in 1977 and 1978. He earned his B.A. and Juris Doctor
Juris Doctor
Juris Doctor is a professional doctorate and first professional graduate degree in law.The degree was first awarded by Harvard University in the United States in the late 19th century and was created as a modern version of the old European doctor of law degree Juris Doctor (see etymology and...
(J.D.
Juris Doctor
Juris Doctor is a professional doctorate and first professional graduate degree in law.The degree was first awarded by Harvard University in the United States in the late 19th century and was created as a modern version of the old European doctor of law degree Juris Doctor (see etymology and...
) from UCLA
University of California, Los Angeles
The University of California, Los Angeles is a public research university located in the Westwood neighborhood of Los Angeles, California, USA. It was founded in 1919 as the "Southern Branch" of the University of California and is the second oldest of the ten campuses...
, but was unable to pass the bar exam.
He broke the American record in 1981.
He was a member of the 1980, 1984, and 1988 Olympic
Olympic Games
The Olympic Games is a major international event featuring summer and winter sports, in which thousands of athletes participate in a variety of competitions. The Olympic Games have come to be regarded as the world’s foremost sports competition where more than 200 nations participate...
teams.
He participated on the 1983 and 1987 World Championship
IAAF World Championships in Athletics
The World Championships in Athletics is an event organized by the International Association of Athletics Federations . Originally, it was organised every four years, but this changed in 1991, and it has since been organised biennially.-History:...
teams.
He was awarded the Track & Field News
Track & Field News
Track & Field News is a magazine founded in 1948 by brothers Bert Nelson & Cordner Nelson, focused on the world of track and field.The magazine provides coverage of athletics in the U.S.A. from the high school to national level as well as covering the sport on an international bases. The magazine...
and United States Olympic Committee
United States Olympic Committee
The United States Olympic Committee is a non-profit organization that serves as the National Olympic Committee and National Paralympic Committee for the United States and coordinates the relationship between the United States Anti-Doping Agency and the World Anti-Doping Agency and various...
Athlete of the Year in 1985.
He served USA Track & Field as chair of the Athletes Advisory Committee in addition to serving as an organization vice president.
Banks will always be remembered as one of the most flamboyant athletes to compete in track and field. He is the originator of the now common hand clapping that takes place during many track and field events. His exuberant personality was also present in his jumping. He has been reported as laughing during some of his jumps. When he set the world record
World record
A world record is usually the best global performance ever recorded and verified in a specific skill or sport. The book Guinness World Records collates and publishes notable records of all types, from first and best to worst human achievements, to extremes in the natural world and beyond...
of 17.97 m at the 1985 USA Outdoor Track and Field Championships
USA Outdoor Track and Field Championships
The USA Outdoor Track and Field Championships is an annual track and field competition organized by USA Track & Field, which serves as the American national championships for the sport...
, his attention seemed more intent on completing his jump in order to cheer for teammate Claudette Groenendaal who was completing her 800 metres
800 metres
The 800 meter race is a common track running event. It is the shortest common middle distance track event. The 800 meter is run over two laps of the track and has always been an Olympic event. During indoor track season the event is usually run on a 200 meter track, therefore requiring four laps...
on the track adjacent to the runway at the same time. He held that record for over ten years until Jonathan Edwards
Jonathan Edwards (athlete)
Jonathan David Edwards, CBE, is a former British triple jumper. He is a former Olympic, Commonwealth, European and World champion, and has held the world record in the event since 1995....
broke it for the first time in 1995 with 17.98m. He also jumped 18.20m at Indianapolis in 1988, but this was assisted by an illegal 5.2 m/s wind.
He is still competing, clearing an impressive 14.00m to head the 2006 world masters rankings http://www.mastersathletics.net/ in the 50-54 age group, just 7 cm behind that age-group's world record. He won the 2007 World Masters Athletics Championships
World Masters Athletics Championships
The World Masters Athletics Championships are the biannual championships for athletics events held under the auspices of World Masters Athletics, formerly called the World Association of Veteran Athletes, for athletes over the age of 35 years old....
in that same age group.
He was inducted into the USA National Track & Field Hall of Fame in 1999.
Banks is President of the US Olympians Association. His term runs from 2005 to 2008.
In 2008 he joined the newly reconstituted USATF Board of Directors.
Banks was on a panel on an ESPN
ESPN
Entertainment and Sports Programming Network, commonly known as ESPN, is an American global cable television network focusing on sports-related programming including live and pre-taped event telecasts, sports talk shows, and other original programming....
"Outside the Lines" episode regarding athlete involvement in social issues, dated May 18, 2008.