In 1930, Charlie Kaster capped a great career as a hurdler when he competed in the British Empire Games as a member of the U.S. shuttle hurdle relay team. In his leg, Kaster held off the British champion, David Burleigh, to help the U.S. team to victory in the World record time of 59.1 seconds.

Kaster competed for Fresno State from 1926-1929. His greatest day in collegiate ranks came against the University of Nevada Wolfpack in 1927 when he won the low hurdles in Far Western Conference record time of 25.0, the high hurdles in the conference record-tying time of 15.8, broad jump at 22-10 and high jump at 5-10, for a total of 20 points. In West Coast Relays competition in the college class, he won in 1927 and 1928. In 1929, he won his class in the good time of 14.6. Later, he set a college class WCR record at 14.5.

During his college career, Kaster dominated the Far Western in the hurdle events and was the top point winner for the FSC Bulldogs as he competed in four or five events a meet.

Dink Templeton, one of the early track greats of the nation, called Kaster “the greatest form hurdler in history.” Kaster was born in Missouri and came to Fresno in 1922. A veteran of World War II, he spent the latter part of his life at the California Veterans Home in Yountville where he passed away in 1966.