Athletics of To-Day 1929

The Pole Vault 237 safety. The lighter men could swing on a pole to almost any height without danger, but the leverage of a r6 ft. solid pole carried with the hands perhaps r2 ft. from the thick end was so great that all running speed was lost. Bamboo poles, on the other hand, are mere feather-weights and they have moreover a great amount of elasticity. The added running speed, made possible by the lightness of the pole and the spring that comes from the "whip" when it reaches the vertical position, added from six to nine inches to the height a human being could clear. The introduction of smooth, firm cinder paths also accelerated the approach speed and then came the slideway, or vaulting– box, made of two-inch planking and sunk flush with the ground Ground l•v•l + - - - - - - - J 'Jt• - - - - - - - ~ mmnn>>>m>~''''''''''' FIG. 22• for the reception of the plugged end of the pole. The con– struction of the box is shown in ig. 22. With the coming of bamboo poles the spiked tripod termina– tion was replaced by a plugged end. This was tabbed into a hol , r ft. in diameter, dug exactly in front of the jump. This made liti.l diff renc , since the use of a spik d pole or a small hole necessitated an over-arm swing and jab down to get the point of the pol firmly planted forth vault. The slideway is open 2ft. at ground 1 vel, toward the v ulter, inclining towards the sand-pit to a depth of 8 inch and a width of 6 inche . This allow the vault r to throw the point of the pole forward with an under-arm action, so that he can bring his hands up in front of his face in a natural swinging movement, and he is