Don Baird (2008) - Hall of Fame - Long Beach State University Athletics

Don Baird

Induction:
2008

Don Baird was the first in a long line of outstanding pole vaulters to compete at Long Beach State. Baird competed two years for the 49ers (1975-77) and was a four-time NCAA All-American, earning honors in both the Indoor and Outdoor Championships. He placed second at the 1976 NCAA Outdoor Championships and followed that up with a 3rd place finish in 1977. Indoor, he was second in 1976 and in 1977 he was the NCAA Indoor Pole Vault Champion. Baird participated at the 1976 Olympic Games, competing for his home country of Australia, finishing in 12th place. He helped lead the 49er track teams to a seventh place finish at the 1976 NCAA Indoor Championships and an 11th place finish at the NCAA Outdoor Championships. Baird was the 1977 PCAA pole vault champion and he won the pole vault title in 1975 (17'6") at the USA Track & Field Championships. He also won the pole vault title at the 1974 Commonwealth Games in Christchurch, New Zealand. In 1975 Baird was ranked No. 7 in the world according to Track & Field News in the pole vault. After he retired from sports, Baird used his contacts in track and field to market events and find sponsors for them. In 1988 he formed School Properties and developed a network of sponsorships for high school sports.