ATHLETE'S DEATH.

Auckland Star, Volume LXIX, Issue 117, 20 May 1938, Page 8

ATHLETE'S DEATH.

PICTURESQUE FIGURE. WORLD HAMMER-THROW TITLES. (By Telegraph.—Special to "Star.") INVERCARGILL, this day. Believed to have been the world's champion hammer-thrower—Scotch style —until his death at Invercargill last evening, Frank Forde was a picturesque figure at the early sports gatherings of New Zealand. His record hammer-throw of 127 ft 78 in was made at Invercargill in 1905, after he had walked Iβ miles from his birthplace at Rakahouka. Forde was particularly modest" concerning the athletic prowess which earned him world titles with 161b, 181b and 221b hammers. He was thrown into a wrathful panic when an American who saw him perform at the Christchurch Exhibition of 1900-7 offered to take him on a world tour. It was in 1906 that he created a new world's record of 100 ft lOJin for the 221b hammer-throw. He had outstanding success at the New Zealand championship meeting at Oamaru and won the medal presented by Lord Ranfurly, then Governor-General, for moat points gained at the meeting. Forde's total was 36 points, and the runner-up had only 13. ' He was a particularly .difficult opponent in the Cumberland style of wrestling, popular in those days, and did well against' such giants as Sam' Thornley, now of Ha warden (North Canterbury). Forde, who with his brother, William, also competed successfully in -doublehanded sawing events, had the following distances to his credit in athletics: —-Long jump, 22ft 10in; high jump, sft 7£in; hop, step and jump, 44ft 9in.