1910 Track and Field Meet postcards

[swarmee]

For you Olympic sport lovers: here are three photo postcards I bought a while ago back on eBay showing a track and field meet in 1910. High jump, Pole Vault, and Shot Put are represented. Figured you might like a look at the dress of the day, the lack of safety equipment (how would you like to land on the hard-packed clay after jumping yourself over a 5+ foot bar?), and the referees.
https://scontent-b-ord.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-xfp1/t1.0-9/s851x315/10423851_10154435421525243_6618248958878538062_n.j pg
Is this a Fosbury Flop from 58 years before Dick Fosbury?
https://fbcdn-sphotos-g-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-xaf1/t1.0-9/s851x315/10527834_10154435421385243_8885535492858288528_n.j pg
Pole Vault: hopefully this guy had a padded mat to land on.
https://fbcdn-sphotos-h-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-xpa1/v/t1.0-9/s851x315/10532351_10154435421100243_5970284528494243215_n.j pg?oh=896e6aa545a2f99a52963404878f70a1&oe=544F138C&__gda__=1412683379_397b3c5c7f6eb4c144909ccab810d67 7
Can anyone identify AMA? I think this was a northeastern US meet.

Amazing, not much different in these three sports from 100 years ago.

[steve B]

Very cool postcards.

The high jumper is not a flop style. Even when he did it, there was some question whether Fosbury was within the rules. Diving over the bar was forbidden, and what he did was essentially diving over just upside down.

The jumper is finishing a straddle style jump. The jumper basically jumps, kicks one foot over, then in mid jump is looking down at the bar while parallel to it. the final bit is to kick the other leg up and over. Just like Fosburys flop, if it's done right the jumpers center of mass actually goes under the bar since his legs and arms are under when his body is over.
That final kick often flips the jumper over.

Nice example here
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w_CpP_NSlmc

The line on the other side of the bar and the guy with the rake for the loose dirt landing area are also clues.

Dad coached HS track, including high jump and pole vault. When we were doing it in gym in HS he tried teaching me both the flop and straddle. (He as asst superintendent by then and not coaching so we tried it at home) I had no jumping ability, and never cold get the hang of either style. My best was painfully low, under 4ft and often barely better than I could do just standing there.

Steve B

[steve B]

If it's northeast, maybe Massachusetts athletic association? I'm thinking there may be a guy in T218 with the same uniform.

Steve B

[swarmee]

Thanks for your help, Steve. I found a collection of similar postcards in the University of Illinois archives website. Wonder if they were taken by the same photographer.

[steve B]

Maybe. I think the key would be the handwritten panel on the middle one. If the UI ones have any with that sort of panel it would seem likely.

I believe Murphy is this guy.
http://www.sports-reference.com/olympics/athletes/mu/frank-murphy-3.html

Interestingly there's an ad for postcards of collegiate week on the last page of this paper. AND an ad for a souvenir mirror showing the baseball team.
http://idnc.library.illinois.edu/cgi-bin/illinois?a=d&d=DIL19100520.2.4#

Steve B

[Michael B]

I wanted to wait until I could pull a few photos out of my archives, but just got back from The National and have not unpacked. I believe MAA is Michigan Athletic Association. This was the name used by the athletes at the University of Michigan in the early part of the 20th Century.

[swarmee]

Maybe. I think the key would be the handwritten panel on the middle one. If the UI ones have any with that sort of panel it would seem likely.

I believe Murphy is this guy.
http://www.sports-reference.com/olympics/athletes/mu/frank-murphy-3.html

Interestingly there's an ad for postcards of collegiate week on the last page of this paper. AND an ad for a souvenir mirror showing the baseball team.
http://idnc.library.illinois.edu/cgi-bin/illinois?a=d&d=DIL19100520.2.4#

Steve B

Steve, thanks for your help! I kept reading it as "Murphy Conference" and not "Murphy, Conference 1910". I have to bet you've identified the pole vaulter, because it jives with the rest of the story. Thanks for the help!

And to the ad in the newspaper, how about that! One hour service 100 years ago for getting film printed. Amazing!