The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1905-03-12
WORKS EIGHT YEARS
TO SMASH RECORD
Champion Goes Shot Put Is
the Result of Great
Presidency
Special to The Globe

Special to The Globe
BOSTON. March Hight years Of de-
termined effort, centered on one great am
bition, the smashing Of the worlds record,
brought a grand reward to Wesley w.
Coe Jr. recently, when he registered 40
feet 1B inches In the 16 pound shot put
any other athlete ever did.
The new worlds record was made in the
open games of the Lawrence Life Guards
Athletic association at Medford, Mass,
and the mighty effort of the Somerville
boy was witnessed by a large gathering of
athletes, including the famous Ralph Rose.
record last July, only to have his figures
surpassed again by Morgan, the freshman
few days later.
Rose was astonished at the ease with
which Coe pushed the padded shot, and
When the announcer proclaimed the dis
tanee on his final effort as 40 feet pa
inches, the big westerner stated that Coe
was good for several inches more, and
this opinion of the former record holder
was shared in by the officials who had
charge of the contest
For eight long years, in fact ever since
he realized that he could put the shot with
any degree of success, Coe determined TO
continue his endeayors until he earned the
mightiest athletes Coe was invited to bat
Tie, ana he never hesitated to accept the
def. Throughout the east he was fear
ed as 80 other shot putter has been since
the days of George Gray. In the west he
was looked upon as a wonder until Rose
doomed into view; across the Atlantic Coe
smashed collegiate and university records
galore, and when he left Oxford university
a few years ago the students regretted
ms departure not a little, as he was one
OF the greatest all round men who ever
wore the blue of old Oxford. 1t was Goes
work IN the shot put and hammer throw
which gave the final victory to Oxford
over Cambridge in the dual track meeting
Of 1902.
Year after year Coe plugged along with
his training and preparations for the high
est honor possible in the shot putting line.
More than $50 prizes are displayed in the
Somerville boys collection, and the
trophies include several championship en-
blems. gold watches, diamond studded
charms, huge silver trophies and the dark
blue ribbons of Oxford.
The new champion Is % years old and
claims Boston as his native city, although
he resides in Somerville. After completing
MS grammar school course the young
athlete decided to fit himself for college,
and he prepared at several schools, In
Guiding Frye's, Hopkinson and Noble and
Greenough.
While identified with Noble and
Greenough school Coe entered the inter-
chanics' hall In 1899 and sprang big sur
prise by smashing the old school record OF
80 feet 8 inches, held by "Big Mike"
O'Brien, and establishing new one Of Al
feet inches, which held good until 1903
when Harry. LeMoyne of Stones school
added tour feet to the mark, making the
record 40 feet inches.
Goes remarkable performance at the
School meetings indicated what he was to
become. In the fall of 1899 Coe entered
the Princeton preparatory, and the school
athletes in the vicinity OF New York were
Somerville boy carry off all the principal
prizes in the shot put.