A two-time National Decathlon champion (1938 and 1939) at Western Reserve University, he was a dominate figure in track during the heyday of the old Cleveland collegiate “Big Four.” Averaged approximately 30 points per meet during his college career which came to an end in 1940, scoring in the high and broad jumps, pole vault, sprints, hurdles and discus. An all-around athlete who competed in four other sports at WRU, he was twice named the Cleveland AAU’s Outstanding Athlete.