Why? The Science of Athletics

I 66 WHY?-THE SCIENCE OF ATHLETICS I ISO points. The lower end is fixed mainly with a view to small boys. Then there has been the problem whether to base the score on a straight line or a progressive curve. With a view to competitive considerations a slightly ·progressive curve is suggested, viz. such a one that I cm. at the 1000 points level is equivalent with 2 cm. at the starting point from o. The curve itself is composed by the :rnantissas in logarithms for numbers between 1000 and 2000. Accordingly, the rise of the curve is perfectly regular and the points rather easily derivable." It is interesting to note that since the Finnish Points Scoring Table was published in 1932, when the limit (in most cases well above the then existing world's record in each event) was fixed at performances equivalent to r,r5o points, the world's shot putting record has gone 43 and the javelin record 4I points above that limit ; whereas in the track events the best record, that for the 400 metres hurdles, is I6 points below the I932 limit and the best purely fiat event, the 400 metres record, is 35 points below the 1932 "ceiling" of the table. Here, on the page facing, are a few interesting statistics worked out in accprdance with the Finnish Scoring Table.