In the Indiana city of the Petersburg in 1932, a boy was born to the Carter family who would grow into one of the city’s great athletes.

Richard Carter became a two-time IHSAA state pole vault champion (1949-1950), two-time Pocket Athletic Conference football running back (1948- 1949) and a very good basketball player.

Sophomore Carter won the 1949 IHSAA pole vault state championship with an amazing 12-8 3/4, after finishing third to Don Hajek and Tom Kincaid of Evansville Reitz in the regional. His 1949 vault had been bettered by only two vaulters before him (Walter Famer of Gary Froebel in 1935 at 12-10 and Bill Moore of Logansport in 1942 at 13-6 1/8) Both are members of the Indiana Track and Field and Cross Country Hall of Fame.