Athletic Training

THE HAMMER THROW 127 cle with any portion of the body .while the hammer is in the hands. (3) Touching the. ground forward of the front half of the circle with any portion of the body before the throw is measured. There is one serious drawback to hammer throwing: it requires a big field for practice, and unless the athlete uses a wire cage there is always more or less danger to spectators and other athletes who may be using the same field. Various associations have con– sidered the elimination of the event .from time to time because of the danger which attends it, but it is so good an exercise that I should hate to see it eliminated. To my mind the Swedish Olympic committee came as near eradicating danger from the event as can be .done when it compelled athletes to throw from a wire cage and as a further precau– tion ruled as fouls all throws not made wlthin a specific angle. This rule made the event an interesting one and reduced its dangers seventy-five per cent. Every hammer thrower can reduce the danger of accidents by mak– ing sure that the handle is made of the very strongest kind of wire. The .handle is 4 feet