Record For Discus Throw Not Recognised

Rotorua Morning Post, Issue 5311, 25 January 1947, Page 6

Record For Discus Throw Not Recognised

The disciis throw of 147 feet made by A1 Hershey, one of the visiting American athletes, at Palmerston Ncrth on Wednesday evening, which exceeded by 2ft. 5£in. the existing New Zealand record held by Harlow Rothert, (U.S.A.), established at Waimate in 193'1 will not be recognised as an official :New Zealand record. This was explained by the president of the Palmerston North Amateur Athletic Association. He stated that the throw could not be recognised as the conditions under which it was made did not comply with the rules laid down by the parent association. Hershey also won the shot putt, his effort being 50ft. 7in., which is just under a foot behind Rothert's national .'ecord figures. Reports of the defeat of the American sprinter Don Campbell by K. Forsythe, Napier, in the 220 yards event, omitced to mention that Forsythe was given three yards start by Campbell. The American was perturbed on this account because, as he pointed out, cabled advice of his defeat to the United States without reference of handicap would be unfair to him. The New Zealand system of handicapping was not understood in America, he said. The time was 22 4-5 se'cs.