Ed Burke

Event: Hammer

Inducted to Hall of Fame: 1985

Ed had two careers as a hammer thrower: pre first "retirement" and post first "retirement." In the first phase of his career, Ed won five consecutive Mt. SAC hammer titles, three national championships, broke the American record, and made the 1964 and 1968 Olympic teams.

Then, after an accident in which he struck his wife with a hammer throw, he hung up the ball and chain for twelve years. At the urging of his wife, he returned to competition in 1980, but failed to qualify for the Olympic team. He continued to compete, and in 1984, at age 44, nabbed the last qualifying spot at the U.S. Olympic Trials. In a special honor, he was selected by the U.S. Olympic team to carry the American flag into the Coliseum for the opening ceremony of the Los Angeles Games.

Ed proved that age was not a barrier to performance, as it was at age 44 that he recorded his PR mark of 243-11.

Born: 1940

• 1960: 5th, 153-3
• 1961: 4th, 168-10
• 1963: 2nd, 192-11
• 1964: 1st, 214-8 1/2 (65.44m)
• 1965: 1st, 221-2 (67.42m)
• 1966: 1st, 223-11 (68.24m)
• 1967: 1st, 220-1 (67.08m)
• 1968: 1st, 218-2 (66.50m)
• 1980: 6th, 211-9

• PR: 243-11 (74.34m)
• Olympic 7th place finish, 1964
  • 215-5 (65.66m)
• Broke American Record
  • 1967: 235-11 (71.91m)
• U.S. National Champion:
  • 1966: 220-0
  • 1967: 235-11 AR
  • 1968: 217-0