CHARLES ​’WHITEY’ HLAD

Charles J. (Whitey) Hlad was a star on Arthur Hill’s track and field team from 1934-38. Hlad went on to become the premier high hurdler in the country in the 1940’s and compiled a long string of indoor victories and held most of the world records. He attended Michigan State Normal College (now Eastern Michigan University) from 1938-42 and held the 45-yard hurdle record. Hlad tied the world record of 7.2 seconds in winning the 65-yard indoor hurdles at the 1942 Millrose Games in New York’s Madison Square Garden. He graduated from the University of Chicago in 1943 where he won Big Ten titles in the 120-yard hurdles (15.2) and the 200-yard hurdles (24.7), recording 25 points – the most by an individual. Hlad competed and won in the NCAA tournament, Penn and Drake Relays, and either beat or tied the exiting records. He graduated from Stanford University in 1949 with a Master’s degree in bio-physics. Hlad later served as a coach on the Olympic track team several times. He was inducted into the Arthur Hill Letterwinner’s Hall of Fame in 1962, and inducted into the Eastern Michigan University Athletics Hall of Fame in 1977. Hlad died in 1966 at the age of 46 in Denver, Co.