East Texas A&M University Athletics

Track and Field • 1951-54

Charles Holding became the first track and field athlete in ETSU history to win an NAIA individual national championship when he won the high jump national title in 1952 with a leap of six-feet eight-inches. His dominance did not stop there as he repeated as national champion in the high jump in both 1953 and 1954. He is the only track and field athlete in A&M-Commerce history to win a national championship in the same event three times and he was also the first athlete in A&M-Commerce history to win four consecutive LSC titles in the same event.

In his prime, Holding was one of the best high jumpers in the entire world. Throughout his career, his never-ending goal was to become the first man in recorded history to perform a seven-foot high jump. According to witnesses, Holding twice accomplished the feat, but both times were unofficial results because they happened in practice. In competition, his best jump was 6-feet 10-inches, which he performed at the Lone Star Conference Championship in 1954, which easily won him the LSC title in the high jump. He went on to win the national title in 1954 with a jump of 6-feet 8-inches. He won the 1953 NAIA title with a jump of 6-feet 9.75-inches.

Holding was inducted into the NAIA Track and Field Hall of Fame in 1960 as an athlete. After his time at ETSU, he joined the United States Air Force and was a member of the Air Force track team, at one time holding the Air Force high jump record. He served in the Air Force for 28 years until his retirement.