Jamaican History(Herb the Pre Bolt)

[chriswitt]

For the people who think Jamaica just start to dominate track and Bolt is one off, read this :

http://www.news.com.au/dailytelegraph/s ... 66,00.html

Summary
Coincidentally, Bolt's Jamaican compatriot, the late Herb McKenley, topped the world rankings for 100m, 200m and 400m in 1947. No one has done that since. Now there's a challenge worthy of the man who would be the greatest sprinter of all time.

[gh]

Be a better story if it were true.

Mel Patton led 100y list (far more important than 100m in those days) in 9.4... McKenley had a 9.4w.

At 100m McKenley ran 10.4.... three guys ran 10.3, another 10.2w.

In 200/220 McKenley had fastest time on both straight (more important) and curve, but both were wind-aided. Patton was fastest.

McKenley indeed rates, historically, as the best all-around sprinter ever, but the leading-all-three claim is not based in fact.

[gh]

ps--in terms of T&FN Rankings (as opposed to world list, which the above reference is to), he was #10, #2 and #1.

[toyracer]

the leading-all-three claim is not based in fact.

Forgive the question: isn't "ranking" different from leading time?

[gh]

yes, and as I noted, he was not the yearly leader in all the events either. (and if you choose to ignore the wind factor, then last year's 100 was Tyson Gay, not Usain Bolt!).

[tandfman]

the leading-all-three claim is not based in fact.

Forgive the question: isn't "ranking" different from leading time?

It is and it isn't. Generally in the US, rankings refer to merit rankings, and particularly the TF&N merit rankings. Elsewhere in the world, however, people often speak of rankings or ranking lists when they mean lists based strictly on performance.

Whenever I use the word "rank" (in any form of the word) I mean the T&FN rankings, and I almost always make that explicit. But there are people all over the world who give a different meaning to that word.

[Cojo]

yes, and as I noted, he was not the yearly leader in all the events either. (and if you choose to ignore the wind factor, then last year's 100 was Tyson Gay, not Usain Bolt!).

Why would anyone choose to ignore the wind factor, especially when that wind factor is a 4.0 tail wind?

[Half Miler]

I believe the 'wind factor' was in reference to the McKenley claim. He would only have led the 100(y) list if one included wind-aided marks. So, comparing McK (leading in '47) to Bolt (leading last year), you'd have to include Gay's windy mark as the leader.

[gh]

correct.

[Vault-emort]

McKenley indeed rates, historically, as the best all-around male sprinter ever.

fixed that for you

[Sportsfanx1]

Re: Jamaican History(Herb the Pre Bolt)

For the people who think Jamaica just start to dominate track and Bolt is one off, read this :

http://www.news.com.au/dailytelegraph/s ... 66,00.html

Summary
Coincidentally, Bolt's Jamaican compatriot, the late Herb McKenley, topped the world rankings for 100m, 200m and 400m in 1947. No one has done that since. Now there's a challenge worthy of the man who would be the greatest sprinter of all time.

Also must add, many people forget that the last man on earth to hold both 100m and 200m world record at the same time, is also a Jamaican. The great Donald Quarrie (presently the technical director for Jamaica's Track Team). Now it's Usain Bolt who is also a Jamaican holds that distinction.

Plus, the current world fastest men are from JA. Current men's world youth 100m, world Junior 100m, World 100m/200m record holder and Olympic champions are Jamaicans. So, I guess people who quick to say, it's out of the blue, really don't have the information that is there for everyone to see, but maybe they choose to ignore the facts.


PS. Happy you bring that up, because I just read article on front page.
And, there will be more to follow in footsteps of the past and current group of athletes.

[Half Miler]

Re: Jamaican History(Herb the Pre Bolt)

many people forget that the last man on earth to hold both 100m and 200m world record at the same time, is also a Jamaican. The great Donald Quarrie

Not quite. Quarrie ran 19.86 in '71. The WR at the time was 19.83 by Smith in '68. You may have seen both of these listed as 19.8, which would indicate a "tie", but since neither was hand-timed, no WR for Quarrie.

[gh]

Under the rules in force at the time, Smith and Quarrie were the official recordholders at 19.8.

[Vault-emort]

Maybe Mike Hurst, who's usually pretty good with checking out the facts, used the official IAAF obituary of McKenley as his source for that statement...

in 1947 was the fastest in the world for the three flat sprints - 100m (10.3), 200m (20.4) and 400m (46.2).

http://www.iaaf.org/news/Kind=2/newsId=42518.html

[gh]

wow! a trifecta of errors: they're wrong on every one of the times in one way or another.