Coaching and Care of Athletes

THE DISCUS THROW athlete, who retained the title for the next two years, making an English record of 128 ft. 4t ins. in I9I2. So far the really big men had not come into the limelight as Olympic winners and world's champions. The increase of the size of the circle suited the big fellows, and in I9 r 2 the Olympic title was won by a magnificent Finn, A. R. Taipale, who threw 148ft. 4 ins. in the best-hand competition, and won the aggregate contest with 27I ft. I0·3 ins., throwing 146ft. 7·1 ins. with his right hand and I25 ft. 3·2 ins . with his left hand. The aggregate competition has not since been included in the Olympic Games, but Niklander, of Finland, took the free-style title in I920, since which time America has remained :undefeated. C. Houser took the next two titles at I5I ft. 5! ins. and I55 ft. 3 ins., while]. Anderson ·won in I932 at I62 ft. 4i ins. and K. Carpenter in I936 at I65 ft. 7! ins. The Olympic record has been increased pro– gressively at each celebration of the Olympic Games. In the realm of world's records, however, the fine American throwers have not had things all their own way. In I930, it is true, the two American throwers E. Krenz and P. Jessup set the record at 167 ft. si ins. and I69 ft. 8~ ins. respectively, but in I934 H. Andersson, Sweden (Plate LXI, Fig. 204, and Plate LXII,. Fig. 207), became the first man to exceed I70 ft., when he threw 17I ft. I I! ins. This record was broken in I935 by W. S~hroder, Germany (Plate LXI, Fig. 203), who threw I/4 ft. 2fins. Discus-throwing, as I have indicated, takes place from a· circle 8ft. 2t ins. in diameter, and all throws, to be fair, must fall within a goo sector marked upon the ground. The thrower must leave the cil·cle by the rear half, and may not touch the ground outside the circle before he leaves it. The discus is awkward to handle, and often eccentric in flight, on account of its shape. The official specification of the implement is as follows : The discus shall be composed of a smooth metal rim, permanently attached to a wood body, brass plates set flush into the sides of the wood body, and, in the exact centre of the discus, a means for secur– ing the correct weight. The brass plates shall be circular in form, having a diameter of not less than 2 ins. nor more than 2! ins. Each side of the discus shall be a counterpart of the other side, and shall have no indentations, projecting points, or sharp edges. The sides shall ,taper in a straight line from the beginning of the curve of the rim 2E ~3