FIELD EVENTS

Evening Star, Issue 17924, 21 March 1922, Page 5

FIELD EVENTS

PASSING OF FAMOUS IRISH JUMPER. [By Captain F. A. M. Webster, English. Amateur Javelin-throwing ex-Champion.]

Tho death in New York <xf Con Leahy, the most celebrated of a-.famous family of Irish jumpers, draws .attention once more- to the true position of America in (the world of international sport. DurI ing the past two years the British Empire has proved conclusively its ability to hold its own against the world upon the | track and over hurdle and steeplechase I courses, but that we have tailed signally in field events is entirely our own fault. I Con Leahy was bora at Okurlevilie. j County Cork, corning first into prominence as a high jumper in 1897. Dining the next ten years his successes weiv phenomenal. Ho was English champion four times, 1905 to 1908 inclusive, twice j clearing 6ft, but in 1907 ho went to ! America, where he gained extra experi- ' enco. which enabled him to record 6ft 4Ain l at Celtic Park. Con Leahy's leaping ability was not confined to the high jump. : He hns. indeed, been called the world's champion all-roundi jumper, he having been credMed with a long jump of 23ft ; Pin and a hop, step, and jump of 49ft | llin. j Among these who followed him to the ; grave were three of America's most famous , athletes, his brother, P. J. Leahy, also a wonderful jumper; Pat Ryan, holder of the world's bummer-throwing record, and Matt M'G'rath, a fine exponent c.f heavyweight field events. Pat- Ryan was born at Pallasgreen, County Limerick, in 1887, and M'Ciralth in Cou'jty Tipperary in 1878. r If ono adds to the birthplaces oif these two great Irish-Americans the frJct that Dan Aheavi, holder of the world's hop, ctep, and jump record, and Tim Ah earn, who won the evemt in 1908 for Great Britain at the Olympic Games, wore bcwi in County Limerick, and are now diomk-iled in and available for American inlle.rnational competitions, as is Dan Healey, who was born in Cork, ami CorI nelius Walsh, the shotputter from the j same town, one begins to see thait a number of tho so-called American exponents are British born, and should therefore represent us at the Olympic Gaines if the birth qiKililica'tion was insisted upon. There is another significant fact in connection with tho migration of these Irishmen to America—namely, that not one r,f them has ever produced his beifc form until ho appeared in the States, whero competition is plentiful and only the best possible methods permissible. This happy state will never obtain in England until the committees of ulthletie clubs realise that there is mere merit in erie first-class field events performance in a level competition than in many prizes won by mediocre sprinters running of: a limit mark.

• Writing of the Leahy family reminds me that the brother, who once represented the Polytechnic Haairiers, told; me that he had ,a- sister who could clear almost 6ft; but, unfortunately, I never saw the lady perform, iiiss Colyer last year cleared stmeilhing better than sft 21n, while I believe 1 am .correct in saying that Miss Haiti won the high jump for Great Britain at the Women's Olympiad, held at Uonte Carlo last Easter, with 4ft 7in. I mcntiion this last figure specifically, as information Iras reached me that a schoolgirl of between thirteen and fourteen has cleared a similar height, which, incidentally, would be an excellent jump for any schoolboy a year her ecnior. . Many people may bo averse to <tbe entry of women into the ahletic arena, but it seems to rne that they are r-o thoroughly proving their prowess and so persistently improving that it would be difficult to deb air them.