Daily Yellowstone journal., 1890-03-16

he were a little closer or lower down the style
could not be improved upon. Taking the hur-
die with the knee first is the way A. A.. Jordan,
who won the amateur championship at the
high hurdle race for four years, used 50 sue
cessfully. He is considered the most scientific
hurdler In America, for he is not a very fast
Splinter, being considered about am ll-s'cond
man for the 100 yards, yet in his day he could
fy over the high sticks faster than an, one.
He holds the American amateur record at his
~favorite race. and although there are others
who are about as fast as he is now, still they
do not sho IA great spaed as he did in his
best form.
A. L. Copeland, who Is considered Jordan's
equal at the high hurdles and who is the pres
ent amateur champion at the low ones, does
not clear the obstacles in the way shown by
the first illustration. He takes them more
like a regular long stride with his foot first
and his legs very much extended. He is not
SO scientific as Jordan, but he can run 100
yards about ! yards faster than his rival and
is also a better running broad jumper. He
makes up in force what he may lack in
science. although he is by no means an IN
scientific hurdler. Jordan in clearing the
high sticks covers about twelve feet Ia dis
lance; COPELAND about one foot more.
Although the styles Of rising for a hurdle
vary 50 far as the position Of the leading leg
is concerned, the method Of holding or trail
ing the leg sprung from is about the same in
all hurdlers. The trailing leg is generally
held back pretty straight, and the knee is not
bent until IL is over or has passed the stick.
The reason the knee is bent at all while the
athlete is in the air is that when he lands the
trailing foot can he put forward much
quicker. if half the motion OF making a stride
has been made. than il the athlete landed
with il still trailing in a straight position be-
hind. Very often when an athlete considers
himself far enough over the hurdle to bend
his knee with safety the motion of bending
will lower the knee somewhat and IL will
strike the hurdle. This sometimes throws
the runner heavily, or twists him around,
making him and awkwarily and preventing
his getting into his stride quickly for the fat
part Of the race.
The second illustration shows an athlete d.
rectly over the hurdle. He is altogether too
high TO have his style called scientific. Ii will
be noticed that the same bend of the leading
knee is there as shown in the first picture. al
though in the second one the athlete is so high
that 1t would not make much difference
whether he pointed his foot or his knee first.
He has already bent the knee OF his trailing
leg, but it is way above the bar and one can
see that there is no danger Of his coming in
contact with what be is clearing. The athlete
was familiar with a proper style of burdling,
as can be seen by his general position, but he
evidently had taken a hard run and a big leap
which sent him a great deal higher than was
necessary.
The picture shows that he will land again
on his left foot, and probably will easily re-
gain his stride for the fat running. Although
the style shown would impress one familiar
with the game as being most wasteful, still If
the athlete cleared the hurdle by even such
an unnecessary distance, il would look scien-
tifc if compared with the style n~ovices gen.
orally show. These would 20 even higher in