Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1916-06-05
SIMPSON EXPECTED
TO LOWER MARK
in BOTH HURDLES
Learned Art of Timber Top
ping by Studying Action
Pictures of Kelly
TIMED IN "12O' IN ID 1-5

Can Bob Simpson, the University of
Missouri timber topper and the worlds
record holder for topping the high barriers
with IA 3-5 seconds better that mark7
That is question that was put to tev.
eral of Americas best conditioners of ath-
letes, and every one is of the opinion that
Simpson within the next year will set marks
for both the high and low hurdle races that
Will stand the test for years to come.
1t is worth relating now Simpson came
to be the hurdler that he is He did II by
studying the pictures of Fred Kellys form.
That Kelly is the personification of grace in
going over the hurdles is admitted by
every one who has witnessed the Californian
in action
Simpson went TO the Panama-Paohc Ex.
position last summer to compete in the high
hurdle race. He was touted In the Middle
West as the equal OF Kelly In the race at
the exposition Simpson was outclassed by
both Kelly and Fred Murray and he had the
time of his young life in beating out Kirk.
patrick Simpsons trouble was lack of
hurdle form. He seemed to be afraid of
hitting the hurdles and went too high in
the air. Every time he came to a hurdle
he seemed to hesitate and leap high In.
stead of coming down off the hurdle he
hoated along in the air.
Simpson Showed Poor Form
Kelly and Murray chopped over their hur-
dies, shaving them so close that they al.
most appeared TO sit on them. Kelly, In fact
was so close that he knocked down three Of
the hurdles and therefore suffered disduali
fcation. Kelly and Murray leap so close
to the hurdle that they would brush
match stick Off It was different with
Simpson. There was liberal stretch of
daylight between him and the hurdles. The
result was that while Simpson was having
glorious time in the air Kelly and Murray
were going away from him.
Every newspaper In San Francisco specu-
lated on what Simpson could do IL he ran
over the hurdles like the Californans This
set Simpson to thinking, He had performed
well in the Middle West even though II
was his first year at hurdlng. but he never
had met such class before. Previous to the
race Simpson was extremely nervous He
didn't sleep the night before nor did he eat
on the day of the race. But the race itself
convinced Simpson that he was just begin
ming to learn how to hurdle and that his
form needed altering Results show he
has changed his style for the better.
Studies Photographs
The first thing he did after the race was
to get photographs of Kelly in action and
study them. He spent three hours going
over the photographs, assisted by Hal
Smith. the Michigan captain; Bachman,
the Notre Dame weightman, and Arlie
MuclSs the Wisconsin weight thrower. The
four made a critical examination of the
photographs and studied out where Simp-
sons form differed from Kelly's and what
Simpson should do to acquire Kelly's form.
When the party broke up Simpson said SIM
ply 1--WE got the idea, When / go back to
Kansas 1 will put up hurdle on the farm
and practice the rest of the summer"
Simpson not only has acquired Kelly's
form but he is outdoing the Californian.
He also is putting on weight and 1t won't
be long before it will be said of him that
he has developed along the same lines as
Kelly and Murray.