T r a c k A t hl e t i c s U p T o D a t e EL L ERY H C L AR K Ph si ca l D re or B row e N h o s S h ool C mb r d e Mass . Ass sta G raduate y i ct . n ic l c , a i g , i nt T re su re r H rv rd A le sso o 1915 - 1917 W e r of H a nd a , a a th tic A ciati n . ; inn i g h B ro d um s at Ol m i c G mes t e s 1896 A ll- rou d et a J p y p a . A h n , : A n Athl ic C m o of N e w E l d 1896 1897 1909 l 910 : - rou d ha p i n n g an . All A n e C m o of mer 1897 1903 u or of Athl tic ha p i n A ica , . ; A th R em s e es of A e e and ( o b ini c nc an thl t . in c lla oration with J ohn G raham) of P rae t Traclt F ield Athle ics. YORK D U F FI EL D AN D C OM PANY 1 92 0 Co r t 1 2 0 b py igh , 9 , y DU FFI EL D AN D COMPANY To MY SO N L E L K L RY H . C E A R , J R . C O N T E N T S C H AP TER PAG E Hi storic al Why T rack A thl etes a re P opul a r Bibliography T raining in G enera l Track Athletic s for Boys Sp rinting The Qua rt er - mil e R un The H a l f- mil e R un The Mil e R un D stanc e Cross Countr and Ma rathon R unnin i , y g The O ne H und red and Twenty Y a rds H igh H urdl es The O ne- H und red a nd Tw ent v Y a rd s L ow Hurdl es X I I I The Fo r n r an F ort Y a rd s ur es . u H u d ed d y H dl The R unning High Jump Th e R unning B roa d Jump Th e P ole "ault P utti ng th e Si x teen - pound Shot Th rowing the Si x teen - pound H ammer Th rowing th e Fi fty- si x P ound Weight i Th rowi ng th e D i sc us Th rowing the Jav elin P REFACE at h are en There are many of us , the present day, w o th i ti us as c a and . e over sports on tr ck field And yet, in spit u of our interest , have we ever tried to st dy our subject “ system atic ally "H ave we ever acquired more than a fa i r ” gener a l ignor ance rega rding it " a i a u To m ke my mean ng cle r , let s consider , by way of a a a 18 comp rison , the f mili r ex ample of the attorney who a law . a 13 consulted upon point of R rely, i f he a man of a ff a experience , does he give his nswer o h nd , but , on the a act a contr ry , his first is to consult the uthorities and to re a d the decisions of t he courts and the theories of the text and writers on the point in question . Then , then only, is he in a position to express an intelligent opinion upon the a c se . It is this principle which I h ave borne in mind in writing a a e a the present volume . Fi rst , I h ve ende vor d to tr ce , a a a with brevity , the history of tr ck thletics ; next, I h ve a a an noted some of the best of the m ny books , p mphlets d speci al a rticles which h ave been written on this subject ; and a a d a 1 1 l stly, I h ve trie to summarize , in the ye r 9 9, our present knowledge of proper methods of training and of a a and l performing the v rious events on tr ck fie d . a and al The ide itself is , I think , sound , , within its speci field , not without novelty . Of the manner in which I have a developed it , the re der , of course , must be the judge . a I desire to record here my sincere th anks to Mr . Mich el a ff for J . Conroy, of the st of the Boston Public Library , his unfa iling kindness in helping me to bring together the a v a ried m a teri a l upon which this book is b sed . ERY . ARK E LL H C L . 1 1 Boston , September , 9 9. CHAPTER I HISTORI CAL WHEN a young man decides to t ake part in tra ck and a — and field thletics running, jumping throwing the weights — it should interest him to know th a t these a re sports not a a a merely of modern origin , but th t they d te b ck to the f M cKenz ie earliest dawn of history . Thus Pro essor tells “ us that The survival of the cave man was determined by i a a fa r and his ab lity to run f st , to le p , to throw straight , a nd we a re apt to forget the value in modern li fe of the ” 1 a and . quick eye , the ste dy nerve , the firm hand And a a a a a similarly Mont gue She rm n , the English uthor , s ys “ that Running and jumping a re so n a tur al a nd so e a sy to a ma a the young, th t in one sense it y be s id they no more a s h ave a history th a n laughing or weeping . As long there have been men on the e a rth it may s a fely be a sserted that there have been running m atches ; and in every w a rlike a f a of and a n tion e ts strength , speed , endur nce of the body ” 2 a h ave excited a dmi r tion . of a re a a a These , course , gener l st tements , but it is e sy a a e to illustr te them by concrete ex mpl s . Thus , in Greek a f literature , besides the m ny re erences to the Olympic a - a G mes , there is , in the Twenty thi rd Book of the Ili d , the f a mous n a rrative of the Funer a l G ames in honor of a of f a r P troclus , with the vivid picture the oot r ce , whe e , 1 n ro ss r Mc K nzi ntro uc t o e o . a t e e to c M r ae . u I d i , by P f R T i , Mi h l C ’ “ ” ’ r n n N Y r r s t et c a . ew o : a es c r ner s ons 1 1 phy A hl i T i i g k Ch l S ib S , 9 4 . “ 2 nd oot a onta ue ear n Th t et c s a a . e a nton A hl i F b ll , by M g Sh m B dmi 1 88 . rar . on on Lib y L d , 7 TRACK ATHLETICS U P TO DATE as th b l b l se l e modern scri e wou d dou t ess phra it , the wi y “ Ulysses lays back and lets Ajax go out in front and make the a p ce. In due arra , y s s h At onc They tood ; Achilles howed t e goal . e r r r n i n x s n Fo wa d they sp a g. O l ea Aj a oo G a ne on th e rest but c ose e n ran i d , l b hi d him Th r a ss s As s a e g e t U ly e . a h pely maid Flingi ng th e shuttle draws with c areful h and The t rea t at s the ar and so r n s near h d h fill w p, b i g The s utt e to her oso ust so near h l b m , j To ax ran U sses in the r nts Aj ly , p i ’ a e hi s r a s eet e ore th e ust M d by iv l f , b f d hi r t e ac u on t e . As he ran s ea F ll b k p h m , b h h x the G ree s Smote on t e head of Aj a . All k oute a ause to encoura n Sh d ppl him , gi g Hi s ardor for the victory ;3 r a e was a co est Moreove , at the s me games ther also nt at a putting the weight , which pparently , in these heroic “ e a x - ou days , was much heavi r th n our modern si teen p nd ” “ or a fift - six shot , even th n our massive y Again Pelides pl aced before the host ass of ron s a e ess ro th e or e A m i , h p l f m f g , Whic h onc e the strong Eetion used to hurl ; But s t c es en h e too hi s e wif A hill , wh k lif , B rought it with oth er booty i n h i s ships h r h r To roa s.