Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1916-02-01
CHANGESARE MADE
IN TRACK RULES
NEW REGULATIONS ARE MADE
PUBLIC FOR FIRST TIME ~
THE COMMITTEES.
SURVEYOR ADDED
Duty Of New OfneIal viii % to Check
Up The Measurements OF Die
tanees; Events Must %
Run On Time.

DeS MoineS, Jan. IL MANY chAnG0o
or Qualifications OF track and 1eld Ath-
letic rules were made by the special
committee of the National Athletic ~
ISOLATION composed Of Frank Castle
man Of Ohio state, w. A. Lambeth OF
the University Of Virginia and John l..
Griffith Of Drake university. The rules
will be printed by the association and
will be adopted by most Of the col.
legiate associations Of the United
States any probably by the 7. NJ. G. A.
athletic directors. Tho A. A. U. has
indicated . disposition to night. The
committee In charge of the rules how
ever is not disposed to worry over this
as the A. A. u. has little power ex-
cept in the extreme eastern part OF the
United States.
The changes and additions to the
rules are now being made public for
the first time:
A surveyor has been added to the
list of officials and officers. 1t being his
duty to check up the measurement OF
the track and courses and to present .
written statement Of the same to the
games committee and the referee.
A change in the wording Of tho rule
on the duties Of the inspectors makes
it mandatory for them to report FOULS
to the referee only.
One OF the field judges has been
designated by the rules committee as =
head Judge. He will be practically IN
charge of the field events a. 10 the ref
cree in track events.
In timing It Is decreed that no ON
cial record can be given unless three
watches record the time Of an event.
Rule for the measurement Of the
track was not changed. It follows:
"The measurement Of the track shall
be eighteen inches from the edge,
which shall be a solid curb" The east.
ern Intercollegiate last year adopted
the European standard OF track meas
urement which Is twelve inches from
tho inner edge. There has been some
agitation over the country for the
change in the interest of s~tandardixa.
ton. The objection to the change is In
the comparison Of records made in the
past with records which might be
made on the tracks Of the nav
! measurement. Either the track would
! have to be changed or the standard OF
the quarter or half must be changed.
The rule of a finish now provides a
competitor must completely cross the
line on the track designating where
the string has been. Failing on the line
but not getting all Of the person across
the line hereafter will disqualify the
runner. In several meets Of recent
years there have been cases which
| showed a need Of this rule. For In
! stance in q ace last year In the Penn
sylyania relays the Chicago university
and the Princeton university runners
finished practically together. The
Princeton man threw himself for the
finish line and fell upon 1t but did not
entirely cross II. while the Chicago
ma ran across the line. However the
Judges rave the race to Princeton. Un-
| der the now rules this would not be
possible.
The rule for qualifi cation in the shot
! nut. hammer throw, discus throw and
broad Jump now holds that the same
number shalt qualify for the finals as
there are places scored In the finals.
The hurdle racing rule has been
| made affirmative x II . man knocks
down one-half the barriers, he Is dis.
qualified. This means in q race of ten
hurdles. six must be left standing.
FOR the protection Of competitors in
the high jump and pole vault 1t is now
| ruled the pit shall have dimensions OF
ten feet by ten feet.
The balk line in the high Jump now
is placed at three feet In front of the
bar and two balks count as a trial.
In the pole vault the balk line is Mt
| teen feet in front of the bar and two
balks count as a trial. The balk line
for the broad jump Is changed from six
feet to fifteen feet in front OF the
scratch line.
The new rules provide the shot shall
be q metal sphere, weighing sixteen
pounds. This Is In direct opposition
to the rule OF the A. A. U. which pro
yided all shots must be made of cop
Der. The old provision that the compe
titor must leave the ring by the real
half Il done away with and instead
There is q provision that he must not
touch the ground outside the circle I'm
til the put has been marked by n o.
the Judges.
Another interesting change 10 thu
one made for the throwing the ham
mer. This places a premium on accur
F, atA throwing and facilitates the worf
/ Of the measurers in that hereafter tht
hammer must fall within a prescribed
area IL the throw IL to be measured
This same provision is made for thu
discus and all throws will have to fal
within q ninety degree sector to b.
counted. In connection with the rul.
on the discus It should be mentioned
/ that ne new rule gives the measure