Archive for May, 2007

M70 thrower dies in Texas after being hit by discus

Clarence “Chaunce” Cook, a 73-year-old thrower, has died from injuries suffered after being hit by an errant discus two weeks ago in Elgin, Texas. Seth Brower, director of the meet where Chaunce was hurt May 19, shared this note: “It is with deep sadness that I inform you of the passing of Mr. Clarence (Chaunce) […]

May 31, 2007   Posted in: Uncategorized  6 Comments

Reminders from SoCal and Atlanta, and on Indy mile

Tom Aderhold and Mark Cleary, on opposite sides of the country, unite in issuing reminders on upcoming meets — and about our exhibition men’s mile at Open nationals. Tom writes, praisefully: “Do you think you could mention our meet (the Atlanta Track Club classic) in your fantastic blog? More info is available at www.atlantatrackclub.org, but […]

May 30, 2007   Posted in: Uncategorized  One Comment

Blank buries Bradstock, claims M45 WR in javelin

Germany’s Peter Blank didn’t want fellow European-born spearchucker Roald Bradstock to have all the fun. Yesterday in Rehlingen, Germany, Peter tossed the javelin 77.15 meters (253-1) to take the M45 world record from Roald, who threw a puny 71.75 (235-4) just nine days earlier. Peter turned 45 on April 10 — 14 days before Roald. […]

May 29, 2007   Posted in: Uncategorized  One Comment

SoCal Striders masters club achieves nonprofit status

Your masters club not doing so hot? Money hard to find? The Southern California Striders have an idea for you: Go nonprofit. Become a charity — and seek tax-deductible donations. The club’s Lee Gillespie, an M65 sprinter, was able to gain 501(c)(3) nonprofit status for the Striders recently. Among other things, he says: “The (membership) […]

May 29, 2007   Posted in: Uncategorized  One Comment

Jamaica’s McFarlane is new WR man for 400 hurdles

I overlooked this one. Danny McFarlane, whose all-time best in the 400 hurdles is 48.00 from 2004, nipped the M35 world age-group record in the event at the adidas meet in Carson, California, a week ago. Danny turned 35 three months ago, and his 48.83 for fifth place on May 20 ranks him as No. […]

May 28, 2007   Posted in: Uncategorized  Comments Closed

World Masters Athletics claims Bayer as main sponsor

World Masters Athletics reports that German pharmaceutical company Bayer is “main WMA’s sponsor.” The aspirin-maker also will collect data at Riccione worlds for a cardio study. But when I visited Bayer’s home page, I could find no reference to its sponsorship of WMA. How strange. I even used its advanced search engine. So apparently it’s […]

May 28, 2007   Posted in: Uncategorized  Comments Closed

USATF officials: Had no choice but to bar athlete

Give USATF credit. When they see a PR disaster, they’re quick out of the blocks. Within hours of my posting news that Britain’s Anthony Treacher had been told he couldn’t compete in Canada’s masters nationals (and was left hanging on USATF masters nationals), three major figures in USATF sent me reasons for the ban. Gary […]

May 28, 2007   Posted in: Uncategorized  8 Comments

Dragila ups own W35 record in vault to 14-9

Stacy Dragila cleared 4.20, 4.30. 4.40 and finally 4.50 today at the Road to Eugene meet at the University of Oregon, thus raising her own W35 world age-group record twice in the vault to 14-9. Her previous W35 best was 4.30 (14-1 1/4) . At the same meet, M35 Jeff Laynes ran the 100 in […]

May 27, 2007   Posted in: Uncategorized  Comments Closed

British athlete banned in Boston (and Canada, too)

The USATF masters nationals have been open to foreign athletes for decades. Pay your entry fee, prove your age, and America lets you compete. No more. Now you have to have the blessing of your national governing body. The sad case of Britain’s Anthony Treacher has come to this: Organizers of the 2007 Boston indoor […]

May 27, 2007   Posted in: Uncategorized  9 Comments

Masterful new track and field blog: Finish Line Pundit

Track bloggers unite! All three or four of us. (Actually, several dozen.) The latest, and perhaps the greatest, is Jimmie R. Markham of Richardson, Texas. He introduced his blog — Finish Line Pundit — as a comment on this blog a few days ago. I visited and was blown away. A former 2:04 half-miler (and […]

May 26, 2007   Posted in: Uncategorized  Comments Closed