400 feet for a top pro doesn't seem out of line at all, even back then.
Anyone remember the presidential physical fitness stuff in school? A late 70's thing. They had a few different "events" and if you got over certain scores you could get a patch.
Our Jr High kept photos of the school record holders on the gym wall along with the scores. The record for the softball throw was 266. One kid in my class threw around 205-210. When I asked where the 266 throw had been since 205 was almost to the street the teacher said it had hit just in front of the front door of the house across the street.
The same kid had most of the school records, but lost a couple to kids in my class. That kid was in High school then, and I saw him play basketball, fantastic athlete. But he had a bit of an "I don't have to work at it" attitude, and never went anywhere.
Pretty amazing considering the school system had two guys drafted from 70- 73, another signed out of college in 77 who made the majors, plus a couple future MLB GMs in school around then.
Steve B
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