New Britain herald., 1929-11-19
Jacks
UNION
 SPLIT ON RECORD
Simpsons Use Of Starting
 Blocks Causes Rift in Meeting

St Louis, Mo-, Nov. 19 R}-Gcorge Simpson, the slim little speed king of Ohio State, started something when he leapcd off the Nicholson starting blocks at Chicago one aft ernoon last June and dashed down the straightaway for loo yards in 2 2-5 seconds, thereby establishing himself as the fastest human"
 The chief result Of Simpsons rec ord feat has been to split the best minds of the amateur athletic union and turn the annual convention here into a debating society. conCentrat- ing upon the pros and cons of the starting blocks.
 The argument hasn't been settled by the A. A. Us endorsement Of the foot blocks "in principle" while bar ring their use at any A. A. l.. meet until such time as they receive the qualified sanction of the lnternation- al Amateur Athletic Federation.
 As a matter of fact it took a coali- ton Of delegates, led by middle western advocates Of the blocks. to overcome the opposition of the die hards" and force at least a favorable resolution with regard to the starting devices. The pro -blocks' forces came here fully equipped 10 force the issue. They had the invent ors of two devices. John Nicholson of Notre Dame and George Rresna- han of Iowa State. They produced the results of an exhaustive quest tionnairo, showing 175 out Of 1SH track coaches and officials on record in favor of the use Of the blocks
 The debate rcvolves principally around the question of what. if, any. advantage the blocks give the sprint CT in recording faster time than for merly was possible with the use of the oll-fashioncd holes. dug in th" cinders. The records committee. in accepting Simpsons mark for listing in a special category with blocks" virtually ruled that tho mechanical device vas Of assistance. As chair man of tho record committee. Law son Robertson, Pennsylvania and OlNmniC head coach and himself an authority on sprintinE. declared th" blocks were "a distinct advantage" but added this advanta~c might no; show o0 thc watch. In his opinion. the blocks enable the e0rintcr to get away with q longer stride.
 Advocates of tho blocks. on tho oth"T h"nd. contend th"y ar" rcHol" . practical Improvement, Gn'i iGOcd to standardi=n @tartin~. sno"I ur meets and do away with the track hazards duo 10 GiG~in& holes. T,e Questionnaire showed 1l5 out of 1SU experts holding tho blocks to ho of no advantage in making faster time.
 Ciustave T. Kirby of New York, veteran adviser of tho Intorcoll ogi&te A. X. A. A. in leading tho anti block" element of tho convention. asserted the devices "creatn f"lSe conditions" He omnhasizcd that there is y"t no uniforr'ity of con- structiOn and that hard as well az foot blocks ontpr i"to to sitH"ti0n. Fa0d blocks have boon dor lo0ol b" "Dinll" TnmNleton. Sanford tr?cli coach, b"t thus f"r they have not bnon u~od as widely as the foot blocks. While all the oratory was "o- ing on. it was detected tNat Eddie Tilan. Michigan negro sprintor and national champion. may beat George Simpson to the distinction of being the first sprintnr to officially wipe off the long standing worlds record of S-5 seconds from the internl- tional books. Tolan was beaten by Simpson in tho latter's f2mous ''nine-t hut tha negro. without hlocks stepped off tho "l00" ct EN?Neton lat ,Iay "1 jN 2 I-'0. THi" rnrk vas anproved "conGitiH""llN "Nd. ri0cn tN" I. A. \. r, h"" not 10 moved i'G h21 cn tont"-~"c""f watch"s. it may h. "dont"d ;9 r." pow staud"rd. pending v'h"t is tO h" done about the blocks. If il takes &T lNr~ to settle the is~uc of blocks as it did the tenth second watch timing, Simpson will bn an old man before he gets anything but three cheers for his great performance.
 The A. A. |. expected to wind up it's convention today by reelectinE Avery Brundage of Chicago as presi- dent and settling the 9&0 champion ship awards. These involved at least two disputes. One between Boston , and New York for the national mar athon Ch"mn:onshin and the other n h national ho:.,ng tournament.