ABSTRACT JEFFWSOM, James B. Chgnnirin styles the dtscu~ throw between 1896 and the present, M.S, in Physical Educatfon, 1980. 64 p. (~r.N.K, Butts). This study was a review of l%tperature and fPh observation concernbg the discus. It consists of fmbasic parts: (I) a section on early times which provides background information on how the ancients threw the dfscus; (2) an area concerned with the creation of the modern Olympic Games; (3) information concerning the discus itself; and (4) the changing throwing styles. Through this review the authop found much controversy concernfng almost every aspect of the dfscus. mat was a discus? What was the construction of a diacus, its weight and mesisurements? How was it thrown and where was it thrown from? -vIlno was the motivating force behind the Olympics and who decided the discus throw would be an event? The study concentrabd on the Olppfc years and their resulting discus winners. Them was progression from standing throws to throws u%iPizing turn techniques. The turns, for the most part, followed in order beginrmfng with 1 turn to 1 1/4, 1 1/2, 1 3/4 and then 2 complete %ma. This scan of literature also found that for every throwing style these were many personal varfaPIions from it. Changing Styles Pn the Dfscna Throw between 1896 and the Present A Seminar Presented to The Graduate Faedty University of Wisconsin - La Crosse In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Master of Science Degree by James B. Jefferson Augus%, 1980 UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN - LA CROSSE School of Health, Physical Fkiucertion and Recr9arP;ion La Crosae, Wisconsin 54601 Candidate: James 33, Jefferson I recommend acceptance of this seminar paper in partial fulfillnnent of this candidate's requirements for the degree: Faster of Science in Phyaical Education This seminar paper ia approved for tha School. of HealW, Physical Education and Reereation, 7-/8- #@ Date Edu&atfon and ~ecrea~ion- ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS The writer would like to thank Dr. Nancy K. Butts for her guidance and patience in this study. Recognition should also be given to Dr. Roy Van Note and the Murphy Library staff for their help in researching this topic. A special thallks goes to my wife Terry for wading througb rrg mistakes and %)"pingthis manuscript. iii TABLE OF CONTENTS CHAPTER PAGE Need for SItudy.. ............................ 2 Assumption .................................. 3 I1 . EaRLY TIMES ................................... 4 The Olmfcs................................ 4 Pedestal or Ground .......................... 4 HOW was it thrown? .......................... 6 I11. PIWRE DE COUBERTINJS INFLUmCE............... 18 IV. THE DISCUS. ..................................-21 V . THROWING STPLES ...............................25 1W6........................................ 25 G.p The G.p ....................................28 Footwear ....................................29 World War I..e.............................. 37 1920................e....................... 38 l9Z.........*........................... 0.04Q 1928............... eo.0e0.00.eo000*eee**00**43 LOB Angeles .................................46 Berlin...................................... 45 The 40@s. 501s and 60's ..................... 46 1961-1962 ............................ 0.5I Jay Silvsater. .........................54 Multiple Turns ............... .. ........ 56 1976 ........................................61 I)f~cus~ion.................................. 62 LIST OF FIGURES PAGE The takeoff ................................... 5 Myron's Diskobofus ............................ 7 Tbe Standing NskoboPus ....................... 8 Prs1ixhar.y stance ............................ 9 Bronze statuette.............................. 10 Readying the diskos........................... 11 Stepping back ................................. 11 Advancbg to throw .............................12 Bggimb~gs~bg ............................~.~ 13 The swing ..................................... 13 The plant. .................................... l-4 A s%rongleft foot... ......................... 14 Proposed style.............................. .. 16 Robert hsreft ................................ 27 The grip^................^.........^.......... 30 1 112 stgps................................... 32 Pivot rot81tiono............................... 39 Jump. rotation................................. 40 1 3/4 Jump .................................... 41 1 3/4 pivot ................................... 42 Goruk and Kouser .............................. 43 Eric Wens .................................... 4.4 Ebb Fftch ..................................... a Clyde Mles - the Oerter style.............. .. 52-53 Footwrk...................................... 55 Neu ........................................... 58-60 LIST OF TABLE5 1 Ancient diskof. .................................. 23 2 Discus improvement ............................... 33 3 Di8cus........................................... 64 CHAPTER I INTRODUCTION Ba ckmound According to Bf oeh (I. 968), compelitive qorts in Greece bad the* roots in religion, mythologg and military %raining and were nutuped by the Greek's paalsion for excellence, ConteeoPIs sf physical strength and skill were believed to invig~rateand renew the ym%h of pa3Pticipent8, activate powers of the Gods and by inspiration, restare to the deed gome of their loat powers, As plhilomphern and wa%%fora the Greeks came to culti.era%e physical exerciee for fts health giving value and its preparation fur eombat - sr the peaceful al%emative h combat, The dliscua wae not thmjust at the 81ympPee or other a%hl&ie contests but it was also utilfzed at funeral games. As Homm wrote in the IPied, concerning the funeral games of Petmc1a~: ...then the son of Pegieus 88% fo&h a ~SBof rough-ee4~$ fmn, which of old %he mighty atrengkh sf &%on ma w& to hmP; but hfan had enrift-footed goodly hhilles slain, and bare tbfs away on bia ehipa with his other gssaeessfsne. And he rstaod up, and @eke amngthe hgivea, saying: Up now yea %ha% will make essay Xfkewise fn tkf~eon4test. !hsngb hfs rfeh fields be Very f8~~em8te, %he WblleX' h8X'eof" ~ffxh87Ye3. .f.$ ff~(~9 revolving years to aeme his need; for not through lack of iron will his shepard or ploughman fa~eto %]he e:f%y; nag, this will ~upp1gthem. So p4f9ake he, and thereat arose Polpetes, ~taunch3.n fight, and $bet mighty strength of godlee bontms, &nd Alias, son of Telannsn, and godly Epeius. Than they took thefr places in oder, and goodly &e%us paaped the mass, and whirled and flung it; and ell the Achaeans laughed aloud thefeat. Then fn tmLeantaus, scion of Area, made a cast; e~ndthfm3I.y great Tefamonian Ares, hurled 5% from his aatronig hand, and sent it rse& the merkrs of all. But when Polypseta~, sttamah in fight, patsped the mesa, fey a8 a herdamean flfngs his crook, and it flieth whirling over the heads of kine, even so far cast he it beyond all the gathering: and the folks shouted aloud, (Homer, 1925/1934, p. 557) From the preceding quote we see some support for the statement made by Blocb that athletic contests were uaed to restore some of their lost powers to the dead, Gardiner (1910/1970) stated that the discus played an important part in the life at the gymnasium and palaes%ra. It won favor with the Romans and Horace mentioned it as a manly exercise. According to Lucian 5% was a valuable exercPse to strengtberi shoulders and gave tone to all extremeties. Doctors approved itst use and Aertaeus recommended it as a cure for chronic headache and dizzyness. Harris (1372) mentioned Pthe Greek youth found it ideal to develop handsome muscles of the shoulders and arms, Today the diskos is Ithought of as a symbol of the ancient games loch, l968), Purpose The purpose of this study was to trace development of the styles, technique, ircrprovemant of throwing the discus wi%h eglphesis in the period of 1896 to 1980, This was done by examining related literature on the subject of the disaus. Some of the amas examined were: tbs Modern Olympic Games from beginning to present; P;he sport of track: and field; weight throwing; physical education; and athletfc games af the Ancient Greekas, Need for the Stud9 Tracing discus styles from 1896 to 1980 is fmrtliortent for a number of reasons, This sport is one of the few carrg-overs Prom the ancient Olympics to the modem Olympics. Itte hisstory &auld be prssemd because of itfa antiquity. The knovledge which aan be obkafned from looking at the past ia aleo bpsr%an.$ and my lead to fqmvement~in the future. .&sumpt ion The author asawned $ha% with the the throwing a%yPe would change draatieally from 1@6 to premsent. Theas cbangea wauld result in the lead ts an Sncrsased distance that %be diereus can be thrown today comyared to ee~lytimes. D43lfIrdta.tfon Although tbs tjtndy saaa delbtted to $he years 1896, %he beginning of the modem Olgmpies, to 1986 the author fel% ft was% necessary to have sho& chapters in two areas whioh would lead up Lo 1896, The fimt area that was neeeasary was a chapter on Early 'Pimas. This area discussed anofen% styfee and qu~pmenlt. The second uhetp%erwas diecuss the roles of Piem de Coubafiin and other early proponents, who were reapons2bfe for the extab1ishment of $he Modern Olympic Gama. Einni%ation LMhtfons %o the stud3 were: fizadfn$ adequate numbers of p rsources %hat were available to $he ara%hor; sources %hart adequately described a thrower's fom; books and periodicals that were in the Ehglish language or .&ransla$ad; and, ffphallly $he! CiiAP'ilZ I1 EARLY TIMES The Olymlcs The year 776 B.C,