Athletics of To-Day 1929

Throwing the Discus amazing Finn, named Taipale, who was said to be a good deal better than his great countryman, V. Jarvinen, even at the latter's best. At Stockholm A. R. Taipale delivered the goods, but Duncan did not. There were again two styles of throwing, and Taipale, amazingly quick for his size and weight, broke world's record in one and Olympic record in the other. The Greek style was replaced at that Olympiad by a contest in which the competitor won who achieved the best total with both hands, that is to say, with his best right hand throw and his best left hand throw added together. In the best hand only style, the big Finn threw 148 ft. 3/o ins., beating by nearly ro ft. R. L. Byrd, U.S.A., J. H. Duncan, U.S.A., and his fellow Finn, E. Niklander, all of whom did just over 138 ft. It should be noted that A. M. Mucks, Wisconsin University, was sixth at 134 ft. 3i ins., for two years later he took the American Championship record up to 145 ft. 4i ins. In the two-hands contest at Stockholm the form of the Scandinavians was extraordinary and well upheld their belief in developing both sides of the body simultaneously in sport. Taipale won (r46 ft. 71o ins. right and 125 ft. r! ins. left = 271 ft. 8-~ ~ ins.), from Niklander (132 ft. r{- ins. right and 123 ft. 7- 1 9 0 ins. left = 255 ft. 9! ins.), with Sweden filling third and fourth places. It is believed that just before the War broke out Taipale threw I58 ft. II ins. at Magdeburg, but things were in a state of chaos before the record could be considered, and so it never w nt on to the books, but I can well believe that it was fairly achieved and honestly measured, for I have seldom seen a finer specimen of manhood and never a better thrower than was Armas Taipale of the Suomi Club, Finland. Luckily he, like our own champion, W. E. B. Henderson, survived the War, through which both of them served. Meantime Niklander had come on amazingly, and Sweden had produced 0. Zallhagen (No. rr, Plate 49), who at Enkol, in eptember, 19r6, had raised the Swedish best hand record to I 50 ft. I k ins.