Wooden hurdles! Sawdust pits! Life photos galore!
Google is God when it comes to researching stuff. The latest tool is access to old-time photos from Time and Life magazines, including images of track in the early and mid-20th century. Check out this archive of Time/Life magazine covers and iconic photos of tracksters famous and forgotten. I remember running over heavy-duty hurdles like this one in junior high (late 1960s). This high jumper was nearly flopping — 13 years before Fosbury won gold at Mexico City. Heck, you might even find yourself in one of these shots. Which is your fave?
11 Responses
Thanks for finding this treasure, Ken. Page 10 of the archive includes a seemingly unremarkable 1954 photo of “Dickie Browning of Univ. of Illinois . . .,” who looks like he’s doing some kind of warmup stretch, with his hands reaching toward the ground. In fact, he’s on his high-jump approach–a tumbling high-jumper! If you click on the photo you’ll see “related images” showing his flopping clearance. I never heard of this guy before, and of course it’s illegal to tumble over the bar in a meet, but what fun!
Great pics!
Great Stuff! Thanks, Ken, for finding and sharing these pics.
And could that be a pic of the young Phil Mulkey on page 6?
Great shots there.
Speaking of masters athletes, saw on the Annual Meeting agenda there are quite a few meetings of the Masters Track & Field Committee.
http://www.usatf.org/events/2008/AnnualMeeting/schedule.asp
What are the big issues to be discussed that affect us as masters athletes?
Just typed a few comments
and a Thank You for Ken, for digging out the photos.
Did not go thru….
Well, for me it’s memories,
memories, 1960, 1972
I was there, with thousand
of other spectators. Cheering for GERMANY firt and then the USA…
Ralph Boston and some team mates from the USA visited
Hamburg after the Rome Games and I was an interpreter for the group,
what an experience, I learned more English from them, than in yrs. of school.
What fun to see these pics
and know, How really “old”
I am, still never forgetting how much Track and Field has meant to me, and still does.
HAPPY THANKSGIVING, LOTS TO BE THANKFUL FOR.
.
…
,
I remember well the old cinder tracks, wooden hurdles and sand, not sawdust in the pole vault and high jump pits. I had home made wooden blocks ,that had long soikes in them to anchor them to the track (1953, 54, 55). Those hurdles could kill you.
Wayne, I can top that,no blocks, we dug holes behind
the starting line, and if you were like in the 7 th heat, there were so many holes already, that one could not find more space,
so we “sunk” into one of the existing holes, that never really fit.. know what I mean.
And those metal highjumpbars, triangle form. etc, etc.
fun to reminisce.
To mellow johnny,
hi.
We will attend several of
the Masters meetings, not knowing what all the topics
or questions will be.
They come from the athletes, and other people attending. Discussions about upcoming meets,fiances, etc.
Believe me, we spent hours and hours and most of our
own money to be a part of it, being able to voice an
opinion and liten to other peoples questions.
I know it is difficult, if
not impossible, for athletes to be there, time
and money are a big factor,the only factor.
But you can still write to
any of the members of the
Executice Committee, listed
in the NMN, they will bring
questions to the floor.
Results from the meetings will be posted in the NMN,
and, as I know Ken, here
on the blog.
Thanks for the info, Christel.
I find it odd that you’ll be talking about “fiances” but I guess there are those masters track athletes that put off marriage or may be on their 2nd, 3rd, etc. and it’s a hotter topic than I would think =)
In all seriousness, thanks for the info. I don’t have any specific concerns myself as I’m new to this and will defer to those of you who understand the issues better than I do.
Happy Turkey Day all and I’m definitely glad to have gotten involved in masters track at the ripe old age of 31!
Thanks,Johnny, I wish I could find a “funny face” on my computer, to send it to you.
Believe me, it is not the first and won’t be the last
time, that I make spelling mistakes, but at least it was “comical”
I gave my `10 yr.old grandson permission to correct my spelling, I give
the same to you… but take it easy on me..
BUT yes, we talk in great
length about budget and
finances!! at the meetings.
And YES, do get involved,
we need younger people.
At 31, you are still a
“toddler”,
We need to stop occupying
the blog, or?
By Wayne Bennett:
“I remember well the old cinder tracks, wooden hurdles and sand, not sawdust in the pole vault and high jump pits. I had home made wooden blocks ,that had long spikes in them to anchor them to the track (1953, 54, 55). Those hurdles could kill you.”
I tried my first hurdle in practice back when I was 10 at TSU’s track in Houston. I ate a hurdle at full speed and picked red gravel out of my palms and shoulders for days…I didn’t touch a hurdle again until age 41!
OMG you absolutly rock this has helped with my assignment so much!!!!!!!!
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