Coaching and Care of Athletes

THE HAMMER THROW swivel which may be either plain or ball-bearing. The grip shall be connected to the handle by means of a loop. A swivel may not be used. The weight shall not be less than 16 lb., and the length not more than 4 ft. complete as thrown. It may be as well to add that the single-loop handle is almost universally used, and that boys' competitions in hammer-throwing take place with hammers weighing 8, 10, and 12 lb. Comparative performances for various classes of championships held in England, in international matches, and at the Olympic Games are as follows : Public Schools All universities Individual counties Northern District . Midland District . Southern District . English A.A.A. International matches Olympic Games . FT. INs. I 14 2 II9 7 122 7 153 7t _l I75 6 2 · Hammer-throwing is essentially an event for big, agile men of quick mentality. For many years Ireland and America shared the honours in this event, but it is only fair to add that the majority of America's successful hammer-throwers were immigrants from Ireland. More recently Sweden, Finland, and Germany have come right into the limelight, while Japan is now producing throwers of considerable merit. I think I am right in saying that no man weighing less than 15 stone has yet succeeded in beating 180ft., but this is, perhaps, the one event in which the old adage "Youth will be served" does not hold good. Tom Nicholson, the doyen of Scottish ha~mer-throwers, at over fifty years of age, threw more than 140 ft. without troubling to change his clothes or put on his spikes, and, again, A. Smith, of Scotland, at fifty-two years of age, very nearly reached 160ft., although his figure .clearly showed the lines of middle age. Hammer-throwing has been defined as "a process of accelera– tion." When a man makes three turns that process may last from 1 Not included when Great Britain competes. 2 At the Olympic Games in 1936 K. Hein, Germany, won with a new Olympic record of 185ft. 5 ins. from E. Blask, Germany, ISO ft. 7 ins., and 0. A. Warngard, Sweden, I 79 ft. Io£ ins. Rein's throw was within 4 ft. 1 i ins. of the official world's record made in 19I3. Blask and Warngard both beat the previous Olympic record of 179ft. 7i ins., made by M. J. McGrath, U.S.A., in 1912. A. Koutenen, Finland, was fourth at 170ft. 3! ins., andJ. G. Jansson, Sweden, twelfth at 161 ft. 8! ins. 421