Franklin Field, Philadelphia, PA, April 27–28, 1928
The powerhouse Anthony Plansky won the decathlon for the third time at the Penn Relays. Ken Doherty and Tom Churchill, both later selected for Amsterdam, were left behind. However, with a winning score of 7133.910 points, this wouldn't even rank among the top 20 performances of 1928. Poor weather and a sloppy, muddy track took their toll on the results. Adding to the mishaps at Franklin Field, the brick wall bordering the field even crumbled at the same moment that Charley Paddock, making another comeback, dashed in the most non-standard 175-yard race.
Plansky was wronged in the Olympic selections. Initial information suggested that the Penn Relays decathlon would serve as a qualifier for the Amsterdam Olympics. Later, the significance of the trial was diminished. In the actual trial held in July, Plansky languished in the shadows and finished 11th.
1–4 (Spalding's Athletic Almanac)