Track & Field, Class of 2005 

When it comes to talking about distance runners at Santa Ana College there may not be a more storied athlete than the late Charlie Clark. While running for head coach John Ward in 1958 and 1959 not only did Clark make an assault on the school's recordbook, but on the national community college recordbook as well.

As a sophomore the former Santa Ana High School track star set three new national community college marks, the first when he won the Southern California Junior College Distance Championships (15:05.9) during the cross country season. Later that year Clark set national records in the two-mile and mile events.

In 1959, Clark shattered the previous two-mile record of 9:20.5 held by Bakersfield's Miles Eisenman by cutting over 15 seconds off the mark and establishing the new record at 9:05.1. If that wasn't enough the Dons' distance-specialist set a new national mark in the mile (4:11.6) and was a member of the distance medley relay that established another new national mark of 10:12.0.

Following his career at Santa Ana College, Clark took his talents to San Jose State University where he continued to excel. In 1960 the former Don captured the NCAA Cross Country Championship and the Outdoor Track & Field 3,000-meter steeplechase title with a time of 9:02.1.

After closing out his collegiate career at San Jose State University, Clark continued to compete with one of his best finishes coming in the 1963 Pan-American Games where he won the silver medal in the 5,000-meter run. Three times he represesnted the United States in the US-Russia dual track competitions.

Clark and his wife, Mary, returned to southern California in 1963 and four years later became the parents of their only daughter, Michelle. After working several. different jobs, he became a Santa Ana firefighter in 1969, a job he held until 1972 when he lost a battle with terminal cancer at the age of only 33.