Need help on Robert Simpson, hurdler

[miloracle]

Robert Simpson was the first hurdler to break 15.0 seconds. He was also my grandfather. His hurdle records are not recognized by the IAAF, though they are by the USATF. In fact if you go to the IAAF website and read the progression of hurdle records it is as if he doesn't exist. I would like to find out why.

Can anyone here help?

Thanks,
Bob Simpson

[marknhj]

Re: Need help on Robert Simpson, hurdler

Phil Shinnick would probably give you some advice...

[gh]

Re: Need help on Robert Simpson, hurdler

This is an interesting question. The stock answer is that the AAU was very bad about forwarding marks to the IAAF, far as I can tell. But in this case we have have the anomaly of Simpson running the first sub-15, 14.6 (14 3/5ths to be precise) in Columbia on May 27, 1916 and its not being ratified. Yet he set a 220 hurdle record the same day that was ratified. Tis indeed a puzzlement! Let me run this by some records experts.

[miloracle]

Re: Need help on Robert Simpson, hurdler

Thanks! You folks are quick!

Bob

[rhymans]

Re: Need help on Robert Simpson, hurdler

Not sure of the answer. It's likely that the marks were not submitted to Sweden by the AAU. This could have been simple inefficiency (it happens), or ignorance of the rules. As well as the 4 marks by Simpson, a number of other marks over 120y were not approved during that era. While the marks were not approved as official WRs they did at least make the book, so are noted for posterity. Bear in mind that it was only after the 1912 Olympics that an official list of WRs was published, so awareness of "official" WRs was not what it is now.