Javelin great Larry Stuart calling it quits?
Larry Stuart, one of the greatest javelin throwers in masters history, says he’s retiring from competition after being robbed of another potential world age-group record. For at least the second time this season, meet organizers failed to provide a steel tape to measure his best throw — a necessity for records consideration. Larry posted a note on the Javelin Discussion Forum:
Larry wrote: “No metal tape on site…again. . . . USATF Southern California Championship meet…Sunday 6-8-03 at Orange Coast College in Costa Mesa.. I had a throw of 57.72.. No official USATF personal running the javelin throw..I’ve decided to hang it up for good, as far as competing in meets. I’ll just throw for conditioning on Sundays with our group.â€
Ironically, the standing headline/slogan for the javelin forum is: “Winners Never Quit, Quitters Never Win.â€
A follow-up response from fellow masters spearchucker Joe Greenberg said:
“It is rare when Larry and I agree on anything, but I am totally with him on this point: There CANNOT/SHOULDN’T/WOULDN’T be a USATF District or Regional Championship without at least 3 USATF officials present. We pay annual dues and entry fees to a sanctioned meet without any of the prerequisites of a SANCTIONED MEET. As I weigh whether to follow LC’s decision or compete one last time in Eugene, it is time to recognize that our governing, sanctioning body does neither, even in their own meets. Again, my question is: what is the purpose of the USATF if not to provide conditions that encourage the best performances by the best American athletes (the epitome of which is setting records that can be recognized by the international governing bodies)?â€
(Coincidentally, Greenberg won the M50 javelin at this same meet two years ago.)
In the 1960s and early 1970s, Stuart was nationally ranked — as high as second twice. In 1989, he was the M50 WMA world champion. And he is the listed holder of three WMA records:
M50 65.76 (215-9) Larry Stuart (USA) 50 4-30-88
M55 65.74 (215-8) Larry Stuart (USA) 57 4-8-95
M60 64.74 (212-5) Larry Stuart (USA) 60 5-23-98
At the Southern California Striders meet May 10 at Long Beach State, Larry thought he had broken Bud Held’s M65 world record of 55.02 (180-6). But no steel tape was available to measure the throw.
At the USATF Southern California Association masters championships, Larry says he threw 57.72 — 189-4. The event was held at a field a quarter-mile away from the track at Orange Coast College in Costa Mesa.
Larry, who markets his own instructional video, may just be trying to teach USATF a lesson. He may back off on his threatened retirement. Stay tuned.
8 Responses
Ken Stone: Ironically, the standing headline/slogan for the javelin forum is: “Winners Never Quit, Quitters Never Win.”
Isn’t it untimely, to say nothing of verging on snitty, to mix your message like that? Have you never pulled up after hitting one too many hurdles?
Well I have to fall on my sword on this one. So I now have to stomach causing the retirement of one of the greatest Javelin Throwers of all time.
I was the meet director who failed to provide qualified USATF officials for the meet. It was not for lack of trying. Our meet was late in getting scheduled, because I (previously enumerated on the Masters e-group) had trouble finding a cooperative facility that had all the facilities required to do a USATF meet. Most of our tracks do not have a proper curb, hammer capable cages or steeplechase. Javelin is not “officially” allowed on our high school campuses. Orange Coast College was able to provide all of those facilities (though not in the stadium). I paid to have a Trackmaster for implement certification at the meet. I know I provided the 100m tape used in the throws because I couldn’t find the host representative when I sent the (one) official over to the throws area. I never heard there was a need for a steel tape over there or I would have tried to get one from the school–I don’t know they have one but I was never asked for it.
As a substitute for the usual mailed requests for officials, I personally spoke to almost one third of the Southern California Association’s Officials corps. I also e-mailed all of the Orange County officials who have e-mail addresses. I even recruited several other people who are not even members of the group (but should be) who I know from working other meets. Out of that I got a lot of maybes, but few commitments. Expecting trouble, I even asked the school to try to get some of their (now out of season) athletes to come out to help–and several did arrive as the meet was wrapping up. As late as the night before the meet, I was on the stadium floor still recruiting officials working the California State Meet (where I successfully got one of the two “blue coat” officials who actually worked the meet).
Of the officials who I expected, one did have the courtesy to call to say he had injured his back, but I have yet to hear from any others.
It might be burnout following the biggest meet of the year (the night before). I got excuses like, “My wife won’t let me do another meet” “I’m moving Sunday” and “I’ll be recovering from surgery” from a few. There was one other meet going on–the Open Association Championships, which I know took the attention of several of our best and most dependable officials. I thought it was a bad idea to even have separate meets but I was unable to convince the other meet director to let us run in the same facility and overlap some expenses.
But in the end, what we have for officials are volunteers. Yes we are paying them a token amount that puts gas in their tanks, but ultimately they have to WANT to do it–I have no means (or desire) to force them to show up. There is only so much one person can do without help.
There is so much to say about the correlation between USATF and the “money we pay for it” that needs to be discussed. I will follow up on that when I get a chance but I should be typing the meet results now.
Larry, do not quit!
Let’s demand some of those “sanctioned” fees to pay for officials and purchase steel tapes and whatever else is required to conduct a safe and properly administered meet.
I boycott those meets that do not have any consideration for the athlete and that do not offer proper,safe conditions. My list is getting very looooong.
It is a sad commentary, but both open and masters meets have reached an all time low in recent years.
In my opinion, the payment to USATF for permission to use the empty word “sanctioned”, has created an environment for substandard,unsafe meet conditions. Let’s hold USATF and meet directors to account!
Lorraine
I have several comments. To Larry Stuart – don’t quit over this. Meets are run by human beings and things go wrong. Have you considered buying your own steel tape? To Andy Hecker – it sounds like you worked hard to put on a good meet. If you did the best job you could with the available resources, then you’ve done your best. No one can ask for more than that. To Lorraine – there is a good description of sanctions under the officials section of the USATF website. One of the reasons you sanction a meet is for the liability insurance. When are you putting on a meet?
I speak from experience. My husband and I hosted all-ages (youth through masters), USATF sanctioned track meets for five years. We are currently doing a series of hammer meets. I know the kind of work that goes into hosting a meet. I also know that there are well-run meets but no perfect meets.
As in any (recreational) sport, bad calls do happen once in a while. Coming from a baseball & football background, I can tell you countless stories. Even in track, I had my blocks slip in a 400m at a Trials meets (where top 2 get selected, and I finished 3rd) just because I had lane 2 and a novice official didn’t know he could call back the start.
I guess if you were a 100/200m sprinter going for a record, I can see where one could bring their own wind guage meter (just as you would bring your own blocks :o) such as any All Comers meets. Then again, if they don’t have FAT timing…
I certainly empathize with all athetes getting robbed of their chance for fame & glory, but quitting the sport is really not the answer.
This is just another example of throwers getting screwed in masters track and field. I entered a meet in Pasadena last weekend. The discus was cancelled because they didn’t have a cage. I wasted my day and interrupted my training schedule for a bush league competition. Even at the world championships things are bad for the throwers. In England, the circles were so slick that they moved to another circle half way through the competition. In Brisbane, the officials were calling fouls for touching the inside band of the circle. They clearly didn’t know what they were doing. When was the last time you saw a masters throwing event at one of the big meets like Modesto or the Penn relays? It is a shame when elite athletes quite the sport because of Mickey Mouse competitions. Let’s have a little balance.
I competed against Larry Stuart for many years T&F news doesn’t even list me in any of those years as in the top ten although I was always ranked and threw in the top ten and always against the best in the U.S.A. I think some-one black-balled me till eternity. Don’t let them get to you also Larry, you deserve better, I remember the old days when we had great throws taken away because of flat??? throws or whatever!! hang in there larry as you have done a lot of positive things for the sport. I now direct a non-profit org. which helps a lot of children and young adults to build their self-esteem. I hope this gets to you larry. Larry Tucker (949) 433-0991
Larry I met you in Orange county back in the 60″s. I was a junior high kid who became interested in the Javelin because of you. You coached me to be able to throw around 180feet. I can’t remember for sure but It seems like I used to run into you at Tustin High(or Orange High)and you let me use your Javelin. our friendship continued on until Junior College in Santa Anna where I threw with Jack Bonkrude. I remember you being very humble and a great coach. Larry, do you remember me? I will never forget the time we spent throwing. An injury(elbow) caused me to never accomplish what I dreamed of because of your inspiration. Thank you, Grant
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