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Rice Mourns the Passing of Warren Brattlof
4/24/2018 12:00:00 AM | Men's Track & Field
Rice Athletics mourns the passing of former three-time Southwest Conference pole vault champion Warren Brattlof '65, a member of the Rice Athletic Hall of Fame (1984).
Brattlof became the first Texas high school athlete to vault over 14 feet and was second in the country of all high school vaulters for Galena Park High School. He was recruited for the Rice track program by the famed Emmett Brunson and had a spectacular career with the Owls.
Brattlof won the SWC freshman title in 1962, then varsity championships in 1963-65. The Owls won the SWC team title in 1964 and in 1965 he posted his career-best mark of 16-01.50 to win the U.S. Track & Field Federation national title.
The San Diego, Calif. native graduated from Rice with a degree in business management, but then went to Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in Fort Worth for a Religious Education degree.
Brattlof would go on to serve 35 years as Minister of Education/Administration at various churches throughout Texas.
He is survived by his wife of 57 years, Ruth Brattlof, and sons Paul and John Brattlof (who were also vaulters at Rice), along with their wives, six grandchildren, and sister, Beverly.
