Happy 80th birthday to 2X Hall of Famer Bud Held

I doubt Bud Held will ever forget this birthday. Today he turns 80, a couple days after an evacuation order was lifted for all residents of Del Mar, his coastal abode north of San Diego where fires have forced 500K from their homes. I had hoped to tell some cute stories about Bud, but recent events dictate against it. So I’ll just say, “Happy M80, Bud!” Despite a bum leg, he continues to set age-group world records in the vault, an event he enjoyed in his 1940s youth. Now that he’s 80, though, he’s going to let it all hang out — going for records in the javelin and other throws as well as the vault. In 2008, he has a good shot at three or four. And all this despite a bum knee he keeps wrapped up in a contraption he devised.


A couple years ago, my son’s high school newspaper ran a story about Bud, a two-time Olympian and former world record holder in the javelin who graduated from the school, Grossmont High. All the info was from the Web.
And yet the student writer could just as easily have picked up the phone and called Bud. He lives only a half-hour away. And he’s listed. It’s easy to take Bud for granted as a friend and frequent presence at masters meets, but the fact is he’s a living legend. He’s a rare two-fer: member of the National Track & Field Hall of Fame and the USATF Masters Hall of Fame.
Bud may be a living legend, but he never acts like one.
And to truly appreciate this gent, check out what he and brother Dick did for the sport, especially the invention of the modern javelin.
And a cool interview has stood the test of time.
Happy birthday, Bud. Stay strong and get your butt over that bar!

Print Friendly

October 25, 2007

2 Responses

  1. John Altendorf - October 26, 2007

    Happy Birthday Bud. And congratulations on all your achievements. I’m proud to know you (and of course, Nadine.) It’s great that Ken is so on top of things to bring these points of interest to the rest of us. I look forward to seeing you compete and set some new age group world records.
    Regards,
    – John

  2. Leslie Dean - April 30, 2012

    Hi, I was wondering if you knew where Bud was now? My husband’s father was his nephew on his mother’s side and we would love to meet him.

Leave a Reply