Athletics of To-Day 1929

280 Athletics of To-day to judge this event as it is to judge fairness in a walking race, and Heaven knows that is hard enough. At Athens the only competitor who really knew what was required of him was Georges Georgantas, Greece, who won another odd event-throwing the stone, which was a young boulder. W. Jarvinen, Finland, won the Hellenic Discus Throwing event at rrs ft. 4 ins. from Georgantas, ro7 ft. 7 ~ins., two very fine efforts from what is nothing more or less than a standing-throw position. Martin Sheridan, U.S.A., who won the Free Style Discus Throw and also the Shot Put, was eliminated for an irregularity in style and just after the meeting that great American critic, the late James E. Sullivan, wrote: "The authorities (Olympic) should frame laws that would be international. They should have drawings made so that the different officials in every part of the world may be able to decide according to the Greek rules.'' That suggestion was sound common-sense, but it has taken almost a quarter of a century for it to sink in, for it was not until the Ninth Congress of the International Amateur Athletic Federation was held at Amsterdam in July and August, rg28, that the Federation decided, subject to a further study of them by the German member, to add the rules for Throwing the Discus, Hellenic Style, to the athletic rules of the I.A.A.F. Meanwhile the Classical, Hellenic, Greek or ''As at Athens" style was again included at the Olympic Games of London in rgo8. British trials were held in May when the late H. A. Leeke, C.U.A.C., and L.A.C., proved himself the best of our men with a throw of g8 ft. Martin Sheridan, however, was due to come into his own. Born in Co. Mayo, Ireland, in r87r, he had taken out American naturalization papers in r8g7. He was a fine-looking man, standing half an inch under 6 ft. and weighing just on 13 stone. He was the best discus thrower in the States, more than useful with the shot and hammer, and had won the American individual all-round championship title in rgos and 1907. In London he won the Free Style Discus Throw by less than a foot and the Greek style, as shown in Pictures Nos. 3 and 4, Plate 45, at 124ft. 8 ins.