Coaching and Care of Athletes

CHAPTER XXIX THE DISCUS THROW THE ancient..Q-reeks regarded discus-throwing as one of the best of remedial exercises. The event was, of course, included in the ancient celebrations of the Olympic Games. We have no actual knowledge of the style employed, or of the weight, shape, or size of the discus as thrown at ancient Athens. Myron's Discobolos suggests that the throw was made from a pedestal, and out of this suggestion arose what was no doubt a misconception that led to some strange form at the fourth cele– bration of the modern Olympic Games. When the discus was included at the first of the modern festivals, held in I896, the free style was used, with throwing taking place from a 7-ft. circle, the event being won by R. S. Garrett, U.S.A., at 95ft. 7! ins. The same size circle remained in vogue until I9IO, ~ when the I.A.A.F. adopted a circle measuring 8ft. 2-! ins. Mean– while several antiquarians had put their heads together, and had reached the conclusion that the discus should be thrown from a pedestal, on which the athlete must take up his stance as shown by the late H. A. Leeke, Cambridge University, in Plate LX, Fig. I99, and make the throw as shown by M.J. Sheridan, U.S.A., in Plate LX, Fig. 200. The right foot was not allowed to leave the pedestal until the discus had reached the ground. Sheridan won this peculiar Greek style discus throw in I908 at 124ft. 8 ins., and also the free-style event at I34 ft. 2 ins. He was a fine natural athlete who had won the All-round Championship of America in I905, when he was twenty-four years of age. He was an Irishman by birth, stood 5 ft. I I!- ins. in height, and weighed I2 stone IO lb. Unlike England, America did not neglect this event, but in– stituted a National Championship in I897, which was won by C. H. Hennemann at I I8 ft. 9 ins. More than 50ft. has been added to that distance in the forty years which have since elapsed. The first English Championship was instituted in I9II by the English Amateur Field-events Association, and was won at 106 ft. I I ins. by W. E. B. Henderson, an Oxford Blue and a splendid all-round 432