Trivia question (but I’m not sure I have the right answer)

[dukehjsteve]

Charles Dumas

[bambam1729]

So what did Mildred McDaniel use? I don't know. And what about Miroslava Rezkova in 1968? If she was a straddler, then she and Ackermann would be the only female straddlers to win gold (in the individual high jump event - to stop the pentathlon/heptathlon thing)

[bambam1729]

Found a picture of McDaniel's winning jump in 1956 in the USOC Report - here it is - not sure if this is a straddle or a Western Roll

McDanielHJ.jpg

[Halfmiler2]

For what it is worth, I do recall that in 1984 in Los Angeles, there were still a few straddlers in the decathlon.

[Trickstat]

For what it is worth, I do recall that in 1984 in Los Angeles, there were still a few straddlers in the decathlon.

I recall that in the men's HJ itself in LA, the no 2 Chinese jumper (behind then WR holder Zhu Jianhua) was a straddler.

[Per Andersen]

Found a picture of McDaniel's winning jump in 1956 in the USOC Report - here it is - not sure if this is a straddle or a Western Roll

McDanielHJ.jpg

It's a straddle. Rezkova was also a straddler as you suggest.
Dukehjsteve is of course correct about Dumas.
Thinking back on these things I find it strange that only 4 men won gold with that technique. Best straddle technique: Yaschenko and Brumel. Finest straddle technique I ever saw was Ackermann's.

[dukehjsteve]

I'm "from the Old School". and proud of it. The Straddle was a Thing of Beauty. Thanks Fosbury & Co., you ruined the High Jump. The only thing uglier than The Flop is the Fibreglass Pole.

[Trickstat]

Being a mere 52, the flop has largely been the norm during my time watching the sport. Notable exceptions being Ackerman, Bielschmidt and Schenk (oddly I never saw Yashchenko (RIP) compete during his brief career). For me, the one weakness for a spectator of the straddle is that all failures look the same to me at normal speed while a narrow failure with the flop can be clearly seen as such.

[tandfman]

I'm "from the Old School". and proud of it. The Straddle was a Thing of Beauty. Thanks Fosbury & Co., you ruined the High Jump. The only thing uglier than The Flop is the Fibreglass Pole.

Do you feel the same way about cars replacing horse-drawn carriages? 🙂

[gh]

I'm "from the Old School". and proud of it. The Straddle was a Thing of Beauty. Thanks Fosbury & Co., you ruined the High Jump. The only thing uglier than The Flop is the Fibreglass Pole.

agree 100% on the HJ; disagree 100% on the vault

[NotDutra5]

I prefer, by far, the flop. Watching the straddle is like watching a 1950's basketball player shoot set shot...or worse....dunk.

[Pego]

I prefer, by far, the flop. Watching the straddle is like watching a 1950's basketball player shoot set shot...or worse....dunk.

I liked the old-fashioned below-the-rim basketball as is still played by HSs and women .

Oh, yes, I still remember Iolanda Balas kicking ass by scissoring.

[dukehjsteve]

You should have seen my father shoot two hand set shots !

[Atticus]

The straddle always gave me shudders at its inelegance and crotch-threatening positioning. I did it my junior year in HS, but was not very interested in practicing or competing.
When I saw Fosbury do his thing in the 68 OG (beginning of my Sr year), I immediately took to it, teaching myself in my school's indoor pit (big chunks of foam in a net), and LOVED the feeling.
I went undefeated outdoors, up to the NE championships. You can see why I'm a fan!

[tandfman]

I think I agree with gh on this.