Charles English McGinnis (October 4, 1906 – April 29, 1995) was an American

track and field Track and field is a sport that includes athletic contests based on running, jumping, and throwing skills. The name is derived from where the sport takes place, a running track and a grass field for the throwing and some of the jumping events ...

athlete who competed mainly in the

pole vault Pole vaulting, also known as pole jumping, is a track and field event in which an athlete uses a long and flexible pole, usually made from fiberglass or carbon fiber, as an aid to jump over a bar. Pole jumping competitions were known to the Myc ...

. He competed for the United States in the

1928 Summer Olympics The 1928 Summer Olympics ( nl, Olympische Zomerspelen 1928), officially known as the Games of the IX Olympiad ( nl, Spelen van de IXe Olympiade) and commonly known as Amsterdam 1928, was an international multi-sport event that was celebrated from ...

held in

Amsterdam Amsterdam ( , , , lit. ''The Dam on the River Amstel'') is the Capital of the Netherlands, capital and Municipalities of the Netherlands, most populous city of the Netherlands, with The Hague being the seat of government. It has a population ...

Netherlands ) , anthem = ( en, "William of Nassau") , image_map = , map_caption = , subdivision_type = Sovereign state , subdivision_name = Kingdom of the Netherlands , established_title = Before independence , established_date = Spanish Netherl ...

in the high jump and the pole vault. He won the bronze medal in the pole vault. McGinnis attended the University of Wisconsin, lettering for the Badgers from 1925-27. He won the 1925 Big Ten Conference indoor high jump title at 6 feet, 2 1/2 inches and earned All-America honors in 1926 by placing sixth in the high jump at 6-feet, 4 1/2 inch. McGinnis led the Badgers to the 1927 Big Ten team title after winning the pole vault at 12-7, the 60-yard high hurdles in 7.6 seconds, and the high jump at 6-5. He added Big Ten Outdoor titles in the 120-yard high hurdles in 15.2 seconds and the pole vault at 13-3 as a senior in 1927. McGinnis served as the team captain in 1927. He was inducted into the UW Athletic Hall of Fame in 1993.

References

Charles McGinnis at databaseOlympics.com
1906 births 1995 deaths American male pole vaulters Athletes (track and field) at the 1928 Summer Olympics Olympic bronze medalists for the United States in track and field Medalists at the 1928 Summer Olympics Wisconsin Badgers men's track and field athletes {{US-athletics-Olympic-medalist-stub