Omaha daily bee., 1911-07-02
PUT SHOT WITHOUT CLEAT
In Swedish Games Putters Will Not
Have Board in Front.
is SAID TO GIVE TOO MUCH AID
European weight Men Never Have
Anything 60 Balance AGAINST IN
Throwins Sixteen-POund
shot

NEW YORK. July 1.--Of the events on
the modern program only one bears a trace
Of the amateur days and that Is put
ting the shot The toe board or cleat in
the front section OF the circle is Just the
one relic OF prehistoric times. and how II
survived the eliminating intellect Of the
athletic legislators from generation to
generation Is a mystery. Il Is often asked
how this cleat ever came into use. and from
| time to time there have been inquiries
about the identity OF the original inventor
That there never existed such man is
probable and the cleat Is but a custom OF
the Caledonian shot putters
In the olden times putting the light and
heavy shots and tossing the caber were
kindred contests on almost all the Scottish
programs in America Usually il was the
plan when the caber tossing was over or
even before II was disposed OF. to use the
caber to mark the front line for the shot
putting, for in those early days there was
no circle To put from. only two lines or two
cabers seven feet six inches apart being
the run allowed. The caber being good and
heavy and about eight inches in diameter.
1t made a splendid stop board for the com
petitor and he could fling himself against
It with all his force. Being of a circular
shape. he could slide his toe underneath IL
and IL he was inclined to topple over the
front line II never failed to hold him back.
Consequently some wonderful records were
credited to some OF the early Caledonians.
In the record books OF thirty years ago or
thereabout the mark for putting the six
teen-pound shot was given as fifty-two fee,
ten inches, and It was said that some OF
the unofficial performances were much
longer
Caber Used by Professionals.
With the advent OF amateur competition
the caber In front was eschewed but It
was modified and a small cleat about a
foot in length marked the front part OF
the seven-foot run. 1t was often straight
piece of wood, but as shot putting became
more popular the cleat became longer, until
today 1t is governed by well defined rule
and forms an important part of the shot
putting paraphernalia. Only in America is
this cleet tolerated. and there was some
funny gossip in the old world before the
Olympic games of 1908 when II was re-
ported that the weight men here wanted
special rule to allow the use of the elcat.
The Englishmen could not understand the
use of a big block OF wood in front of
the putter at all. and the common under
standing about 1t was that the Americans
wanted a wall built IN IF mt during the
shot putting to keep them from topping
over Ralph Rose, who won the contest.
did not put within three feet of his record
There are long string of similar intances
showing that the cleat is an artificial aid
to the shot putter.
In 1883. when George r. Gray went TO
England, he was two feet short of the
record he made in America, and the same
can be said about other transatlantic
visitors. AS a sort of argument TO the
contrary 1t might be said that Horgan,
the Engish-Irish champion, put further
on the other side OF the water than he did
here, but the explanation was that he was
long past his best when he came to Amer
lea and that not being used to the practice
of slashing himself against the cleat It
was more of hindrance to him than a
help.
There will be no oleat in the putting con-
tests at Stockholm, and II Is understood
that when the standard rules and events
have been drafted for future Olympic
games mention of the cleat. except In an
exclusive way, will be omitted Athletic
authorities in the old world are of the
strong opinion that it is an artificial aid
and should not be tolerated They say
that 1t is just as consistent to allow a pole
or loop near the hammer throwing ring
which man could grasp at were he In
danger Of falling out Of the circle, or
that high jumper should be allowed TO
take off from a springboard arranged
underneath the turf to help him to rise
in the air. The running broad jump has
a sort of artificial aid in the take-off
board. and It is said that this too may be-
subjected to little alteration by the inter-
national Olympic committee.