long jump

I read years ago that in around 1906 a professional did 29 feet 5+ inches in the long jump. It wasn't counted as a record because he was a professional. Anyone have the facts about this jump?

[jhc68]

Re: long jump

May be another R.P.Williams mark... go way back to May of this year on the historical board for R.P.Williams issues.

[dj]

Re: long jump

All those who ask about the circumstances and validity of old professional marks should treat those marks with a strong air of skepticism. Consider the differences of trying to set a World Record in the long jump which would be accepted by the IAAF, and trying to set a "World Record" which would be accepted by the Guiness Book of World Records.

You can imagine that the level of officiating for a Guiness record could be substantially more lax, that the runway ground may not be level, that the pit may be low, that the mark might be measured from take-off, that the mark might be measured from the take-off heel or measured to the landing toe (!), that the athlete might use weights. All of these are possible, and some combination are/were likely.

Re: long jump

To say nothing of the possibility of using halteres.

[197hjsteve]

Re: long jump

oh no, I love my halteres.

Re: long jump

I thought you were a high jumper. I can't see how they'd help you there. (Hey, maybe without the halteres, you could go over 2 meters.) :-)

[197hjsteve]

Re: long jump

If that what it takes !!!!!!

[197hjsteve]

Re: long jump

and now, could someone tell me what the **** a halteres is ??!!

Re: long jump

http://www.aip.org/pt/vol-56/iss-1/p15.html

Re: long jump

Now that you jojjed my memory, I think I read it in a early almanac probably dated around 1912 or so. Halters.... I think it said he carried weights. (Small town nothing else to do as a kid when the temperature was over 100 except go to the airconditioned library). 1912 is also the year that National Geographic has a picture of a guy high jumping 8 feet 2 1/2 inches.

[197hjsteve]

Re: long jump

old vaulter, considering that the 1.97 happened 38 years ago, I think I am stuck at that level for the duration!

Re: long jump

Halteres are/were counterweights used to "catapult" the body forward. I think I read that they were commonly used in the ancient Greek Olympics. I have a hard time imagining how they would help, but someone well versed in physics could bore us to tears with it . . .

Come to think of it, I am well versed in physics, and tend to bore people to tears. But I'll skip this one.