Starting Blocks

[noreply66]

When did they start using starting blocks and go away with digging holes for the runners?

[noreply66]

I noticed in films of Jessie Owens running they made holes in the ground for the runners. This was around 1939. As soon has they ran the event they would fill the holes back up.

[noreply66]

What I'm finding out is, starting blocks were invented by Charlie Booth and his father in 1929. The two were from Australia. In the early 30s they became an accepted practice. They were not used in the 1936 Olympics. In 1937 they became mandatory for runners in the spirts.

[Ironman92]

I was early in my track coaching days and wasn’t big on the knowledge of the sport. I had a girl that went on and ran track at Rio and even set a record....she was not good at the starting blocks and they definitely did NOT help her times. I had an official chastise me because she wasn’t using blocks in the 400m....he knew nothing of my athlete and told us the blocks could cut a good 2/10th of a second off of her time.....a few events later I sent my 3200m runner out to the track with starting blocks

[noreply66]

Over the years I have seen several runner in the 400 go without blocks. Can't remember the meet but it was a runner from the Columbus area that didn't use blocks in the 100 or 200. It might have been a meet at Hamilton Township.