He earned a scholarship and attended Drake University in Des Moines, Iowa, where he studied advertising.

He did defeat Mykola Avilov, the 1972 Olympic Champion, during the 1971 USA–USSR Track and Field Dual Meet Series, held in Berkeley, California and Bruce Jenner, the 1976 Olympic Champion, now known as Caitlyn Jenner, at the 1971 Drake Relays[8] and 1971 National AAU Championships in Porterville, California.

[4] He was the first high jumper, from the state of Iowa, to clear 7 feet, while competing in the 1970 Missouri Valley Conference Meet at Drake University.

[10] Wanamaker finished second to Dick Fosbury, the 1968 Olympic high jump Champion, by 1 inch, at the 1969 Drake Relays.

[15] He is best known for blocking a shot against Lew Alcindor (now Kareem Abdul-Jabbar) in the 1969 NCAA national semi-final game in Louisville.