Harvard Stadium, Cambridge, MA, May 19, 1923
The brass ball did not fly beyond the 15 meter mark during the 1923 season. It came close, however. 21-year-old Ralph Hills of Princeton University threw the seasonal world-leading result of 14.95 at the traditional dual meet between his alma mater and Harvard University. Hills's path to the top of the United States, and thus the world, may have been slightly smoothed by the fact that Glenn Hartranft, who had dominated the shot put the previous season, took a gap year.
In later years, Hills worked in his private practice and married the daughter of the Governor of Montana. Furthermore, he won the IC4A title in 1923 and collected a bronze medal in the shot put at the 1924 Paris Olympics.
Princeton decisively defeated Harvard 85.5–49.5.