Relaxed Feuerbach Slams Woods, 70-9 Nears Mark

Walnut, Calif., April 27-29 by Don Steffens

A relaxed AI Feuerbach returned from a home-town loss at the Drake Relays (Friday) to put his name 2nd behind Randy Matson on the all-time (amateur outdoor) shot list. The confident, power-packed Feuerbach spoke of a 73ft throw being possible after tossing the 16lb ball 70-9 to win the Mt. SAC Relays. There were other good marks during the three-day meet, but big AI was dynamite.

The Saturday afternoon shot putting opened under overcast skies and 60 degree temperatures, but AI didn't seem to mind. His opening round foul wasn't unexpected after he had powered a 71-11 practice throw. His Pacific Coast clubmate, and conquerer at Drake (69-1/2 to 68-5), George Woods slipped into the lead with a 66-5 1/4 heave. Then AI went to work. He sent line-drive efforts near the grass fringe that marked 70ft, measuring 69-9 1/2, 69-9, 69-6 1/2. Then the 1972 Olympian reached down, arched the iron ball noticeably higher and plopped it down out in the grass. The 6500 spectators announced their approval when the distance of 70-9 was revealed. Feuerbach closed the day with 68-10 1/2 to establish the all-time best series, averaging 69-8 7/8 (replacing Randy Matson's six-put tops of 69-6 3/4 from 1967). Only Matson, (71-5 1/2 and 71-4 1/4) and pro Brian Oldfield (70-9 1/2 indoors) have bettered Feuerbach's mark. It was a 1 3/4" PR improvement for the 6-1, 250lb former Iowan now residing in San Jose.



 "I vvas pressing at Drake," said Feuerbach. "All my family and friends were there. Today I was relaxed. After my foul, I just tried to get one in there." Shortly after throwing, AI said he was happy to erase Matson's meet mark because, "I consider Randy Matson the No.2 thrower of all-time. Parry O'Brien is No.1."

"The world record should come," Feuerbach continued matter of factly; "either Woods or I should get it. If he gets it first, I just hope I can come back and get it. I know the potential is there for a phenomenal throw, like 73ft." Following AI were Woods at a "meager" 67-9 and lefty Bruce Wilhelm at 64-4.

Field event marks weren't affected by the cool temperatures as the well-advertised track events apparently were. A mighty discus field had a slightly aiding but not perfect breeze as John Powell's disc rode it to distances of 212-11 and 211-10 for the win. Tim Vollmer, who was second at 211-0, thought his best throw would have been 219ft with a proper wind. Jay Silvester inaugurated 1973 with 207-0 as six others were over 180ft.

Randy Williams packed up his Teddy Bear after an apparently legal opening round 26-2 1/2 (with no wind gauge to be seen) and went home. Surprising Stan Whitley, showing improvement on all six leaps, grabbed the win with a final jump of 26-5 1/2, only 3" behind his 1969 PR.




 Rey Brown passed to 7-0 -- none of the other 7ft jumpers made it beyond 6-10 -- which he rolled over on his first jump. The bar was moved to 7-2 1/2, and the Cal Poly/SLO senior again needed only one jump to clear, marking his best outdoor effort since the summer of 1971. He made no higher attempts. Swede Kjell lsaksson topped 17-0 to win the vault.

The best oval event was Jim Bolding's cat-and-mouse 440 intermediates victory. He stayed on Briton Alan Pascoe's shoulder until the 8th barrier, caught him by the 9th and zipped to a 0.3 victory in 50.9. Tommie Lee White clipped off an easy-appearing 13.6 victory in the highs with no competition.

The heralded 440 relay was nothing special as Cal International, talking of records before the race, didn't finish after tightly bandaged Willie Deckard couldn't complete the 2nd leg and limped off the track. Southern Cal had to work for its 40.5 victory as Don Quarrie overhauled Bay Area Strider Ralph Ligons in the stretch, turning on the afterburners in the final 20y. Quarrie didn't even challenge the quick-starting Deckard in an earlier 220 race, cruising 0.3sec slower than winner Deckard's 20.8.

Aussie Peter Farmer of UTEP continued his consistent hammer throwing with a 222-8, following his PR 222-11 the day before at the Penn Relays, to top George Frenn's 218-5.

From Track & Field News
May, 1973