George Mattos

George Mattos was AAU pole vault champion in 1953. He finished in the top six at the AAU pole vault every year from 1950-59, save for 1954. Competing for San Jose State, he tied for second at the NCAAs in 1950-51. He later settled in southern Oregon where he became a music teacher, first in high school in Weed, Oregon, and later at the College of the Siskiyous, where he worked from 1960-89. He was an accomplished clarinet and saxophone player and majored in music at San Jose State. He played in big bands, jazz combos, Dixieland groups, and concert bands and was the leader of the Dixie Fat Cats Dixieland Band that played at the Medford Jazz Festival for 10 years. Mattos stayed active throughout his life with tennis and skiing, climbing Mount Shasta five times, and he spent several years working weekends for the US National Weather Service. Mattos served four years in the US Air Force.

Personal Best: PV – 4.57 (15-0) (1959).