Bart Holaday has a history of putting the Air Force Falcons over the top.
As the place-kicker for coach Ben Martin’s teams in 1963-64, he made the difference in several games that helped build the academy’s image as a giant-killer in football.
Holaday was back at it last week, but this time with his wallet. He and his wife, Lynn, donated $5 million to the academy’s endowment program to kick-start work on an indoor practice facility.
“We think it’s a facility that is so desperately needed,” said Holaday, who divides time between homes in Colorado Springs and New Mexico. “We both love the academy. That’s where we met, at a student conference. We hope this provides an example for other graduates to give back to the academy.”
In Air Force’s eighth football season in 1963, a field goal by Holaday beat Washington 10-7 in the season opener. In the fourth game, his field goal and two extra points supplied the margin in a 17-13 victory at nationally-ranked Nebraska. In the last game of the season, his field goal beat Colorado 17-14. The next year, his field goal earned a 3-2 victory over Washington.
An indoor practice facility has been on coach Troy Calhoun’s wish list since he became coach three years ago. The 92,000-square-foot facility is scheduled for completion in early 2011 and will be located on the west side of the existing field house.
Fundraising had reached around $2 million, but academy officials projected a need for one big donation to get work started.
“The size of the lead gift was determined by what was needed,” Holaday said. “And $5 million was what was needed.”
It is the largest single donation from a graduate in the academy’s history.
After graduating in 1965, Holaday earned a Rhodes scholarship and studied at Oxford for three years. He planned to return to Air Force to begin pilot training, but injuries suffered in a motorcycle accident ended that.
Holaday went on to Air Force assignments at the Pentagon in Washington. He later entered the oil and gas business and the venture capital field.
He stayed in touch with the academy, serving on various boards over the past 25 years.
Irv Moss: 303-954-1296 or imoss@denverpost.com
