Sam Walker excelled in several sports. In high school he was an All-State fullback in football. Walker also broke the national high school record for the shot put with a mark of 72-3¼ (22.03 m), set at Corpus Christi, Texas on 27 April 1968. He also was US ranked nine times in the shot put (1970-71, 1973-79), with a top ranking of fourth in 1975. Walker competed at the 1972 and 1980 Olympic Trials in the shot put, placing 11th in 1972 and seventh in 1980. He attended Southern Methodist University, graduating in 1973 with a degree in business. While there he placed second in the shot at the 1971 NCAAs, finishing fourth in 1972 and 1973. Walker was third in the AAU shot put in 1973, placing in the top six every year from 1972-78, except for 1976 when he was concentrating in weightlifting. Walker made the 1976 US Olympic weightlifting team by placing second at the AAU meet, where he recorded his career bests of 152.5 kg in the snatch, 210.0 kg in the clean & jerk, and a total of 362.5 kg.
United States