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"Starting Blocks Are Bunk"
... Wykoff Declares
After Practice With Them
By DON ASHBAUGH
News-Press Sports Editor
"Starting Blocks are bunk," in the estimation of Frank Wykoff,
national 100-yard champion. He has been trying out the various
types of foot blocks since George Simpson set the new world record
last Saturday (June 8, 1929) at Chicago. He can find no advantage in the
present type of foot block A pair of the Nicholson blocks
approved in the east were brought to the coast by Dean Cromwell, noted
Trojan coach. Wykoff has tried them out and found them not to
his liking.
WORK ON NEW BLOCK
That a new type of block may be developed by
Coach Normal C.
Hayhurst, Wykoff's coach
(at Glendale Jr. College), was the statement this morning. Hayhurst believes Wykoff will be able to get away much faster out of
holes than off the top of the ground as is the practice with the
Nicholson blocks. Hayhurst proposes the use of a block which
will merely serve as a backing for the rear of the starting hole.
This would prevent sprinters pushing out the rear of the hole in
making fast starts. This has been one of
Wykoff's bugbears.
In the soft muck of the Amsterdam track at the last Olympics Frank
shoved the back out of his holes on the start and consequently lost
precious feet.
PREDICTS VICTORY
Hayhurst declares that the Glendale Greyhound will run away from Simpson, Tolan and the rest at Denver in the National A. A. U. meet in
July (3rd, 4th, 5th -- 1929).
"Frank
(Wykoff) is in the best shape now that he
has been since last year." Hayhurst states.
"This week he has been going through a stiff
grind. Wednesday I ran him through four stiff races, ten minutes
apart, just as he had to do last year at Boston. He showed close
to record time in every race and proved to me that he is again back in
shape for the grueling grind. He'll beat Simpson, blocks or
no blocks, and don't be surprised if he romps through to a new record,
which will be official unless we're forced to use starting blocks."
______________
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Frank Wykoff has the chance of a lifetime to forever still
the squawking hoots of eastern track fans.
__________
All Frank has to do is to defeat (George)
Simpson, (Eddie) Tolan, (Claude)
Bracey, et.
al, at Denver next month (July 3, 4, 5,
1929) in the national A.A.U. meet. Coach Hayhurst thinks he will do it. (Coach) Dean Cromwell
(of U. S. C.) says he
will do it. A lot more of us believe he will do it.
__________
Frank says he does not like the new-fangled starting blocks.
What a kick in the face it would be if he trounced Simpson with
the latter using blocks and the Greyhound shooting from the old
fashioned holes!
__________
What could the eastern scribes say if
Frank rambled down the
course in record time and finished ahead of Simpson? Could
the east ever squawk again about western timers? Not much!
But we out here might take a couple of nasty digs at the 9 2-5
race Simpson ran.
__________
Wykoff may go to the mountains for a week to get accustomed
to the higher climate. The California boys are going to be
better off at Denver than the middle westerners. Out here
the lads can get used to a mile high climate by going to Forest
Home, Lake Arrowhead or Big Bear for a few days.
__________
At any rate Frank (Wykoff) ran through four century dashes this week
in time fast enough to scare the eastern runners.
__________
He is still national 100-yard champion and it sticks in my
craw that he will be again next year. I just feel that Simpson, who can be beaten because he has lost once or twice
this year, is due to look at the back of the flying Glendale
Greyhound's shirt.
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