This Day in Track & Field-July 29, "Tarzan" takes silver in shot put (1928) , Curt Stone sets AR at 10,000m (1949), Wilma Rudolph wins 100m at USA vs. Poland (1961), by Walt Murphy News and Results Services

This Day in Track & Field–July 29

1928–John Kuck won the gold medal in the Shot Put at the Amsterdam Olympics with a World Record toss of 52-3/4 (15.87). Finishing 2^nd (51-8 [15.87) was Herman Brix, who later became better known as actor Bruce Bennett (Tarzan). Winning the bronze medal was Germany’s Emil Hirschfeld (51-7 [15.72]).

Brix twice set world records in the shot and would have been favored to win gold in the 1932 Olympics if not for a separated shoulder that kept him off the U.S. team. / University of Washington

Passing Finnish teammate Ville “Willie” Ritola (30:19.4) in the homestretch, Paavo Nurmi (30:18.8/OR) won the 10,000 meters to regain the title he first won in 1920. 3^rd was Sweden’s Edvin Wide (31:00.8).

Bob King (6-4 ¼ [1.94) and Ben Hedges (6-3 ¼ [1.91]) gave the U.S. a 1-2 finish in a marathon High Jump that lasted five hours. France’s Claude Ménard (6-3 ¼ [1.91]) finished 3^rd.

Medalists/Results: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Athletics_at_the_1928_Summer_Olympics

Olympedia Reports: https://www.olympedia.org/editions/9/sports/ATH

Brix Obituary: http://www.nytimes.com/2007/03/02/obituaries/02brix.html

https://www.olympedia.org/athletes/78150

Kuck: https://www.olympedia.org/athletes/78669

WR Progression: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Men’s_shot_put_world_record_progression

Curt Stone, 1949, from files of Curt Stone and Fred Wilt

1949—Curt Stone, 6^th in the 5000 at the 1948 Olympics, set an American Record of 30:38.4 for 10,000-meters in Oslo. Stone was a 3-time U.S. Olympian at 5000-meters (’48-‘52’;56). He also competed in the 10,000 at the 1952 Olympics.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Curt_Stone

https://www.olympedia.org/athletes/79099

1961—With an ailing Dyrol Burleson on the sidelines, Jim Beatty won the 1500-meters on the first day of the USA-Poland dual-meet in Warsaw and tied Burly’s American Record of 3:40.9.