Coaching and Care of Athletes

THE SHOT PUT who stands 6 ft. 6 ins. and weighs 22 stone, and is therefore a greater giant than Rose, put 55 ft. I ! ins. He followed this up in the same year with 55 ft. 5 ins. and 57 ft. I in. The day after that stupendous best-hand record was made at Oslo, Norway, he raised the world's aggregate record to 94 ft. Ii ins., putting 54 ft. IO! ins. with his right hand and 39 ft. 2t ins. with his left hand ! Torrance's best-hand record of 57 ft. I in. remaips unbroken, but in I935 J. Daranyi, Hungary, improved the aggregate record to 96 ft. 7! ins., putting 5 I ft. 8i ins. with his right hand and 44 ft. IOi ins. with his left hand. Comparative performances for various classes of championships held in England, in international matches, and at the Olympic Games are as follows : FT. INS. Public Schools 40 o 1 All universities . 40 o Individual counties 37 3 Northern District 40 6 Midland District . 39 2 Southern District 41 10 English A.A.A. . 45 International matches 46 7 Olympic Games 51 5l 2 What has been said in this chapter, together with the photo– graphs of great champions, both past and present, with which this book is illustrated, suggest that shot-putting is essentially an event for big men. Brute force and physical bulk, however, are not sufficient. Big muscles so often are slow muscles, and large men, not infrequently, are lethargic. To be a good shot-putter a man needs the co-ordination, the quick ferocity, and the lightning speed of a first-class heavy-weight boxer. Unfortunately a great many large shot-putters appear to be incredibly stupid. One man after another, with every physical quality in his favour, continues year after year to defeat his own ends because he has not the will-power to resist the temptation to see just how far he can put the shot each time he goes out to practise. In countries where adequate instruct:cm is available this state of things does not obtain, simply because no coach in his senses 1 With a 12-lb. shot. All other championships are contested with a r6-lb. shot. 2 At the Olympic Games in 1936 H. Woellke, Germany, won with a new Olympic record of 53ft. If ins. from S. Baerlund, Finland, 52 ft. rog· ins., and G. Stoeck, Germany, 51 ft. 4! ins. The next four men all beat 50ft., the eighth man did 49ft. nt ins., the ninth 49 ft. 3 ins., while J. Daranyi, Hungary, who was twelfth, did exactly 48 ft.