George Stanich

After placing seventh in the 1948 NCAA high jump and sixth at the AAU championships, George Stanich of UCLA seemed an unlikely candidate for the Olympic team. He then showed dramatic improvement at the Final Trials and cleared a personal best of 6-8¼ (2.04) to take second place after a countback with Vern McGrew of Rice. At the London Olympics, McGrew was surprisingly eliminated at 6-2¾ (1.90), but Stanich was one of four athletes to clear 6-4¾ (1.95) and was awarded the bronze medal on the fewer-misses rule.

Although he started college at Sacramento City College as a baseball pitcher, Stanich was an All-American at UCLA, placing fourth at the NCAA Championships in the high jump in 1949 and seventh in 1948. He also played basketball at UCLA, under legendary coach John Wooden, and led the Bruins to their first NCAA Tournament appearance. In addition, Stanich played baseball at UCLA and later played one full season of minor league baseball (1950) with the Oakland Oaks of the Pacific Coast League (AAA), the Idaho Falls Russets (C) of the Pioneer League, and the Stockton Ports (C) of the California League, although he briefly returned to baseball in 1964 with the Modesto Reds (C) of the California League.

Stanich served two years in the US Navy before beginning a 37-year career in teaching and coaching, first at high schools, but then in community college. He also coached one year in Croatia. Stanich is a member of the UCLA Athletic Hall of Fame.

Personal Best: HJ – 2.04 (1948).