Burns was born in Santa Ana, California on July 6, 1928, and attended Fullerton High School.[2] He swam and played water polo for the Fullerton Junior College Hornets where he was managed by Hall of Fame Coach James R. "Jimmy" Smith. [3][4][5] He also played for the Whittier Swim Club Water Polo Team which won the National AAU Water Polo Championship in a 4–1 overtime match on August 1949, with Burns scoring a critical goal while playing Center Forward.[6] In 1947, while playing for Fullerton Junior College, Burns was named first string Center Forward on the All Southern California team, and scored 25 goals in the season.[7][8] For the 1947–48, school year, he ran for Fullerton Junior College treasurer.[9][10]
After Fullerton, Burns played water polo for the University of Southern California Trojans, where he was twice named an All-American. He graduated with a B.A. in 1952, and later completed a Doctorate in Dentistry in 1960.[2][5][11]
By 1950, Burns continued to play for the Whittier Swim Club polo team, which was at times referred to as the Whittier-Fullerton swim club and was coached by Heber Halloway.[3]
Olympic competition
Burns was a member of the American water polo team which finished fourth in the 1952 Olympics.[12] He played five matches. Eight years later he finished seventh with the American team at the 1960 Olympics.[13] Again he played five matches.[5]
He competed as part of the American team at the 1951 and 1955 Pan American Games, that placed third in 1951 winning a bronze medal,[14] and second in 1955, winning a silver medal.[15][4]
He enjoyed the sport of bodysurfing and was a frequent age-group finalist in the Championships for World Bodysurfing. He later had a career as a dentist.[5]
Burns died June 24, 1990 of cancer in Fullerton, California, where he had been a lifelong resident. He was survived by his wife, Jeremy and two daughters.[11] Services were held at Fullerton's Emmanuel Episcopal Church.[2]