Banks, "Willie" (William A. III)
Track and field
b. March 11, 1956, Travis AFB, CA
As a triple jumper at UCLA, Banks failed to capture a major title, though he finished second in the NCAA outdoor championships in 1977 and 1978. He suffered severe muscle spasms in his lower back during the 1978 AAU national championships and decided to retire.
Within a short time, Banks realized he missed the sport and began training again while attending law school. He won the national outdoor championship in his event in 1980, 1981, 1983, and 1985. Banks set a U. S. record of 57 feet, 71/2 inches at the 1981 meet and a world record of 58 feet, 11½ inches in 1985, when he also won the World Cup championship and was named athlete of the year by Track and Field News.