In 1978 at a European meet, Doug Baldwin cleared a height of 16 feet 3/4 inch in the pole vault, a vault which still stands as the best ever made by a Coe pole vaulter. That jump climaxed a career that saw Doug win two Midwest Conference championships and achieve NCAA Division III All-America status twice.
As a freshman Doug set the Coe pole vault record at 13 feet 6 inches. As a sophomore he moved the record up to 15 feet. As a senior he cleared 15 feet 6 1/4 inches, a record that stood for 17 years.
Despite all the memorable records, Doug Baldwin probably wishes he'd never heard the words "number of misses." As a sophomore at the Midwest Conference championship he cleared the same height as the champion, but placed second because he had more misses before attaining the height. As a junior in the NCAA Division III national championship meet he cleared the same height as the national champion, but placed fourth on the number of misses before attaining the height.
As a senior at the national championships, he again cleared the same height as the national champion, but placed third according to the number of misses before attaining the height. Doug and both vaulters above him shared the national record of 15 feet 6 1/4 inches.
A graduate of Kennedy High School, Doug has continued on the staff of Coe since graduation and is an avid follower of all Coe athletic teams.
In recognition of two conference championships, two All-American selections, and a national record, we proudly add the name of pole vaulter Doug Baldwin to the Kohawk Athletic Hall of Fame.
