Education
Wilson was an outstanding high-school pole vaulter. As a student of Warren High School (Downey, California), he was coached by John Mitchell.
In 1964 as a junior, Wilson came to the attention of Sports Illustrated magazine. SI published his "whizzer of 15 feet" in their March 16 edition and awarded him an "Award of Merit" for setting the interscholastic age record.
He broke the age record by becoming the first 16-year-old to clear 16 feet.
A year later, in 1965, as a senior, he won CIF Southern Section and CIF California State Meet titles and had achieved an age best in the pole vault of 16 ft 6.75 in (505 m).
On 20 March 1965, he vaulted 16-6 3/4 at the Southern Counties meet as a Senior. At the CIF Southern Section Track Championships, held on 28 May 1965 at Cerritos College, Wilson won with a height of 16-0.
He set records with his performances at the CIF Southern Section Championships (16-1 1/2) and California State Championships (15-6 1/2). His personal best height of 16-6 3/4 was the best mark on record for a California high school athlete (more than 5 inches higher than the next highest mark, at 16-1 by fellow Warren High School athlete Bob Steinhoff), set a national interscholastic track & field record, and stood as the best in the world.
Wilson was twice named as Athlete of the Year in the CIF Southern Section by the Helms Athletic Foundation.
In 1964 he was awarded for his pole vault of 16-0 1/8, in conjunction with hurdler Earl McCullough.
In 1965 he was named again, this time for vaulting 16-6 3/4, with the co-award going to runner Richard Joyce. The two athletes were named together because both had won CIF and State meets and both had set new National Interscholastic records (Joyce"s record in the 880 yard run still stands today because high schools metrified in 1980).
He was selected to the 1965 Honor Track & Field Team in the All-Southern Section of CIF by a panel of area sports writers.
After graduating high school, Wilson attended the University of Southern California ( University of Southern California), where he competed for the University of Southern California Trojans athletics team In his first year there, Wilson "hoisted the collegiate vault standard to 17-1."
1967 was Wilson"s best year, as a 19-year-old college sophomore.
He was United States champion and that winning vault broke the world record.
He achieved this feat on 23 June 1967 in Bakersfield, California, with a height of 5.38 m (17 ft 8 in). lieutenant was the same day Jim Ryun set his long lasting world record in the mile.
His record of 17-7 3/4 continues to be the sixth best height ever achieved by a University of Southern California Trojan.
Although he was the world record holder, injury prevented Wilson from competing at the United States trials for the 1968 Mexico City Olympics.
The injury prematurely ended his career.
